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NETBALL FITNESS TESTING: THE INS AND OUTS – thenetballcoach.com

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It's the start of the season for most netball teams and, if you haven't done it already, you may be considering putting your players through some fitness testing, to establish where they're at after the Christmas break.
So what should fitness testing for netballers include?
FIT AND FIRING: Check out all of our fitness drills here﻿
Elite netball strength and conditioning coach Scott Graham shares his advice for a simple fitness testing program.

THE BASIC COMPONENTS

Graham performs a number of key tests as part of his fitness testing, many of which can be easily replicated as part of your own club's testing. They include:

'Yo-yo Test'

5m and 10m sprint

5-0-5 agility test

Single-leg bound (measuring the distance jumped)

Single-leg triple bound (leap three times consecutively on the one leg, measuring distance jumped)

Vertical leap (double-leg + each single leg)

Knee-to-wall test for ankle flexibility

The sprint and agility tests can be performed with a stopwatch, however it's likely you'll experience some inaccuracy, so it's advisable to use electronic timing gates, if available.

Some testers may use a Vertec or other jump measuring equipment for the vertical leap, however putting some chalk on an athlete's hand and having them jump and touch a wall can suffice.

Graham says it's important to test both legs individually where possible, as it can provide an indication of the risk of an athlete picking up an injury.

"The literature has demonstrated that if you have a greater than 10% difference between sides, you're more likely to be injured on either side, because one side is overworked/one side is weaker," he says.

Those fitness testing results can then be used to tailor a strength program to improve and 'even up' a player's strength on both sides of their body, to avoid those injuries.

Players always ask what a 'good' result is for a fitness test, which is a tough question to answer as results are very individual and a great result for one player might be a so-so result for another player, based on their position, natural athleticism and previous results. It's also important to remember that testing results only tell part of the story - there are a lot of great players who test very poorly but know their way around a netball court!

But for your interest, when it comes to netball's elite:

For the 'Yo-yo' test, elite Suncorp Super Netball midcourters are pushing up to level 18 and above.

Vertical leap (double-leg) you'll see elite players up above 60cm.

For a 10m sprint, the fastest players we recorded at state league testing this year were just above 1.9 seconds.

FORGET THE BEEP TEST ... THE YO-YO's THE GO

You may have done or seen a 'beep test' at some stage throughout your playing or coaching days. For the uninitiated, the 'beep test' is a fitness test in which players shuttle 20m back and forth to a series of beeps that steadily increase in speed, until each player can no longer keep up with the beeps.

But the 'beep test' has now been superseded in the netball world because it isn't considered sport-specific enough, as it doesn't allow for short periods of rest like players receive in an netball game.

Enter the 'Yo-yo Test'.

The 'Yo-yo' also uses beeps that players must keep pace with, and they also gradually increase in speed. But in the 'Yo-yo' there's also a 10-second rest after each 20m up-and-back sprint, and the beeps increase in speed far more quickly than in the 'beep test'.

It's worth noting that there are two versions of the 'Yo-yo': Intermittent Recovery (IR) 1 and 2. For netball, it's the IR1 you'll want to use.
See how the test works in the video below, and download your own copy here.
Graham says the 'Yo-yo Test' is now considered the gold standard field test for netball fitness testing, as it provides the most accurate reflection of each player's fitness as it translates to the netball court, and allows him to set their individual fitness programs accordingly.

"The IR1 pretty much predicts bang-on the speed at which they'll drop out in a Vo2 max test," he says.

"So from that speed that they drop out on, I then design their intermittent endurance running programs around that."

The change of direction in the 'Yo-yo' is also huge in terms of separating out strong athletes from other athletes, Graham says, as stronger athletes are able to slow down later and take off faster at the 20m turnaround.

KEEPING PLAYERS ON COURT

Graham stresses that while gaining an understanding of each player's fitness is important in terms of monitoring their fitness levels, for him it's more about knowing where they need to improve their body in order to minimise the risk of injury.

In the end it's all about keeping your team on court and performing at its best level for as long as possible, and nothing kills that quicker than having a couple of players out injured.

"The number one thing that correlates to team success is player availability. If not the top, then definitely the top three," Graham says.

"It's about keeping them on the court, which is a strength and conditioning coach's first, second and third priority."

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NETBALL FITNESS TESTING: THE INS AND OUTS

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It's the start of the season for most netball teams and, if you haven't done it already, you may be considering putting your players through some fitness testing, to establish where they're at after the Christmas break. So what should fitness testing for netballers include?

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Cat Tuivaiti's Netball masterclass with Tamsin Greenway | Netball News | Sky Sports

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Cat Tuivaiti's Netball masterclass with Tamsin Greenway

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She's the superstar Kiwi who has got Vitality Superleague 2019 buzzing.

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Level 2 coaching opportunity in Sidcup! 

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Level 2 coaching opportunity in Sidcup! 

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Level 2 coach required for prep school in Bexley. Contact netballcoachuk@outlook.com for more information

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Hi5 better for youngsters - Prep Schools pay attention please!

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Hi5 better for youngsters - Prep Schools pay attention please!

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It would be great if Independent Prep schools across the U.K. played Hi5 netball (not 7s) like Primary Schools so that girls develop all aspects of their game & don’t get stuck in one position with one skill set! I find those who have played Hi5 style better prepared for Senior School netball. How about it Prep Schools??

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Taking the complexity out of games-based learning | Welcome and General | ConnectedCoaches

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Taking the complexity out of games-based learning | Welcome and General | ConnectedCoaches

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Hear people talking about games based approaches? Not sure how to use it? This blog provides an easy read explanation and some easily adaptable games that could be used in netball.

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For this blog we have enlisted the help of three valued members of the ConnectedCoaches community, who provide examples of how games-based approaches to learning (GBA) can be used to increase participants' game sense by developing their powers of tactical and strategic thinking.
If games-based learning is to become more widely used by coaches to improve the skills of their participants, then a more simplified approach to educating coaches on the practical application of games-based theory must be found.

Zone of Proximal Development, Social Constructivism, Complex Learning Theory, Constraints-Led Approach: use of such scholarly terms only serves to put the frighteners on grass-roots coaches who may previously have been labouring under the misapprehension that GBA stood for the Great Britain athletics team!

If coach developers and online industry bloggers are to pique rather than erode coaches' interest, they must provide multiple and varied examples that illustrate clearly how games-based coaching - used, ideally, in conjunction with an appropriate framework as a handy reference tool - can work in practice.

The present state of affairs is that coaches lack confidence in their ability to design games that align with specific learning outcomes.

They may wholeheartedly champion the philosophy that participants should be encouraged to make decisions independently, but consider their bank of knowledge on learning theory inadequate, preventing them from successfully analysing individual development trajectories; and preventing them too from knowing how and when to make appropriate modifications to games to make them more or less challenging to further optimise learning potential. Heck, even reading that paragraph will be enough to scare off many coaches, I would imagine.

And that's before they proceed to the second stage of the process - the use of constructive questioning - which is just as critical to the success or failure of achieving learning objectives.

In summary, unless more of a concerted effort is made to support coaches' understanding of GBA through the use of explicit examples, the chances of the practice becoming established at the lower end of the coaching pyramid will remain nothing more than a pipe dream.
Absorb, process, retain
UK Coaching provides a fantastic resource on GBA, entitled Asking good questions and games-based activity, which goes into more depth about how knowledge is absorbed, processed and retained during learning.

It simplifies the academic language associated with GBA thus:

On social constructivism: 'People construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences. Therefore, games and activities that encourage players to reflect on what they have just done will increase learning.'

On zone of proximal development: 'The most effective instruction aims at the zone just beyond existing knowledge... that stretches them beyond what they already know. To do this [requires] use of questions to generate debate and discussion.'

And on complex learning theory: 'Learning is the combination of mind and body - of action and then reflection on the meaning of that action. Put simply, the world is inseparable from us, and we can only understand it (and learn) by experiencing it.'
Greater game sense for game day
The upshot of this intellectual theory being that using games and play - and then manipulating the rules and the environment in which those games take place - maximises learning to a far greater degree than repetitive drills and traditional instruction can hope to achieve.

According to teacher, blogger and respected Twitter guru ImSporticus, a commitment to this practice will give their techniques meaning and purpose. Long term this will cultivate creative thinking and the enviable ability to improvise and adapt to unaccustomed scenarios encountered in match situations.

In Shaping the Game, he writes: 'Children are still practising their techniques, but in a dynamic way.

'The modification of games to shape play in order to focus the child's attention on specific tactics, movements, perceptual cues and skill learning is a key element in a games-based approach... It allows children to learn not only how to perform a technique but also when, where and why.'

So newly armed with a boiled down summary of GBA, along with the promise of its formidable power to transform the effectiveness of your coaching and the skill-set of your participants if used correctly, on to some examples.

We have enlisted the help of three coaches, who lay out below how you might construct a typical participant-centred game that places the onus for learning onto the player - and where the coach's job is to act as facilitator through the use of open-ended questions that stimulate thinking and encourage debate and discussion.

EXAMPLE 1 - Rugby Union
Four Corner Score
From Richard Cheetham MBE, RFU coach educator and Senior Fellow in Sports Coaching at the University of Winchester.
Coaching Rationale:
1. Explain the game and the desired learning outcome?

2. Some examples of questions you might use to get players to assess, evaluate and draw conclusions.

3. Some examples of when you might pause, prompt, probe, adapt etc in different scenarios and any final thoughts regarding feedback, reflection, outcomes that show how the coach's support role helps participants understand what learning has taken place?

The purpose of this game is to develop some of the principles of rugby union through a small sided game.

The key principles are possession, support, pressure, continuity and go-forward. It is these which form the game focus, design and which will form the basis of the reflection through questioning.

Set up a grid with a different coloured cone on each corner (10m x 10m for 4 to 6 a side for example)

Teams will score by passing to a team-mate on any of the cones.

Passing only is allowed and no running with the ball - this is to ensure greater inclusion of participants as this is the best way to develop the key principles of support, pressure, continuity, possession and go-forward.

Players are not allowed to 'wait' on the cones - these must be kept free and only used when a clear pass will enable them to score on the cone.

Once a point is scored the opposition receives the ball but cannot score on the same cone twice, therefore expanding the game through the area more.

Only dropped balls, scoring and interceptions will change possession. It is important not to add a 'number' of passes to be performed as a minimum to score or maximum (when possession is turned over) as this often generates unnecessary urgency among players and poor passing options are often taken.

Passing must be below shoulder height in order to replicate a more authentic pass used in a match

Consider the following to reflect on with players:

How could you ensure that the principle of go-forward is emphasised by modifying the game? (alternate scoring at each end - eg, they cannot score at the same cone or same side / end of the grid).

In what way can we change the game to add realistic pressure?

How can the defence be more effective in providing pressure?

In which ways can players offer effective support to their team-mates?

How could you measure the success of the continuity factor (ie, number of successful completed passes).

How could you measure how effective support was? (number of players involved in the build-up to a score).

Game modifications:

Add in a fifth cone anywhere on the fringes of the grid and call it double points to see how the players react - did they react quickly (both defence and attack), what influenced their decision to go for it or go for a different option.

After off-loading players must do one tackle roll - this challenges them to get up and back into the game quickly (principal of support).

Change the size and shape of the ball used. How much are the players challenged when you use a tennis ball as opposed to a rugby ball?

EXAMPLE 2 - Volleyball

From José Castro, volleyball coach and Programme Director Sport and Physical Education at Cardiff Metropolitan University.
Aims

1. To develop the players' ability to read the opposition's defence (decision-making).

2. To improve back-court attack.

3. To encourage attack to the corners (zone 1 and 5), in which the block tends to be less evident.

Game-based activity

4v4 game, with 1 setter and 3 back-court defenders/attackers.

Split back-court in three equal zones (zone 1, 6 and 5)

After the set, but before the attack, the zone 6 defender needs to move to either zone 1 or zone 5, overloading that zone.

Attackers can only attack to zone 1 or zone 5.

Following an initial moment of play, challenge the players to reflect on their decision-making when attacking, by asking the question: Why have you decided to attack to that zone?

If the players haven't thought about it, let them go back to the game and reflect about it.

In order to instigate such reflection, encourage them to look at the opposition before they attack. Then, ask them again about the reasons behind their decision to attack to a certain zone.

The aim is to make them think about the advantages of attacking to the zone with just one defender.

Following this, manipulate the rules of the game so that attacking to the zone with just one player is rewarded with an extra point, whether or not they score. This promotes the attackers' ability to read where there is an overload of defenders, and attack to the most vulnerable zone.
Consider the following to promote the players' reflection throughout:

Are you able to see the opposition before attacking?

Do you think that you are using your peripheral vision? How?

How is that impacting on your performance when attacking?

What are you doing well when attacking, and what can you improve?

How can this be useful in the formal version of the game (6v6)?

EXAMPLE 3 - Football

Three-zone Small-sided Football

From Andy Grant, Sunderland Girls FA Regional Talent Club Manager and qualified football and multi-skills coach.

The zones provide constraints that encourage the players to use technical skills and make on and off-ball decisions that they are less likely to make if the constraints weren't imposed.

The use of in-game constraints such as the zones reduces the need for coaches to get their key coaching points across by 'freezing' play and modelling what they want to happen.

Activity set-up

Game is played between two teams of 8 outfield players set up in a formation:

three defenders (Players numbered 1, 2 and 3)

three midfielders (Players numbered 4, 5 and 6)

two attackers (Players numbered 7 and 8).

Goals are scored by one team having control of the ball (indicated by a player stopping the ball with the sole of their foot) in a Scoring Zone. This will be achieved through dribbling with the ball or receiving a pass and stopping it.

Play in a 60 x 40m pitch marked out with three zones of equal size. Preferably, if you have access to a full-size pitch you can use the width of the penalty box (44 yards) and play between the penalty boxes (between 64 - 94 yards). If you have less players it is recommended to remove a midfield player from each team.

Whenever the ball goes out of play the game restarts with the coach playing a ball to one of the teams in their defending area, creating more opportunities to build play from the defensive area.

Players are allocated a zone and must stay in it unless they are successful in meeting the specific constraint (see below)

Constraints-Led Approach

The use of zones allows constraints to be used that will encourage players to make the decisions on and off the ball and practice the techniques that are needed for building attacks from the defending area through midfield into the attacking area.

First conditioned game:

Constraint 1: The ball can only move from one zone to the next and must be dribbled.

Constrain 2: The player that dribbles the ball is the only one that can leave their zone and can stay in the next zone making an extra player (ie, 4 against 3 in midfield zone, 3 against 3 in attacking zone) until possession is lost.

Constraint 3: There must be a minimum of 3 consecutive passes in the defending third before the ball can be dribbled into the next zone.

The constraints put specific emphasis on:

Teams using the extra player in the defending third to maintain possession and allowing midfield and attacking players time to take up effective possessions.

The team in possession learn how to make the use of their extra defending player to build a structured attack in the midfield zone. By dribbling the ball into midfield zone an overload is created (4v3) which allows continued possession and a platform for entering the attacking third.

The player dribbling into the attacking zone creates a 3v3 situation. This is a positive attacking situation as the attacking team have possession of the ball and they have opportunity for executing individual 1v1 skills as well as 3-player combination plays.

Questions for game understanding

Prior to the activity starting it is important the coach knows that the players know why the constraints are being used and can check for understanding through the following questions:

What are the benefits of a team staying within your zone?

Responses should cover the benefits of a team using positions to maximise the available space to maintain possession, team formation that balances the number of players committed to an attack with keeping players in position to defend potential counter-attack.

What are the benefits of the condition that you can only move up a zone through dribbling?

Responses should include benefits of a) retaining controlled possession of the ball b) creating overloads in midfield and c) providing positive attacking platform by committing the first defender d) supporting midfield player allows range of combination plays to be executed.

What are the benefits of the defending team having to make 4 consecutive passes before the ball can be dribbled into the next zone?

Responses can include that it provides time for the midfield players to make runs to create space for themselves and for the dribbling player, they can move into a wide position for to make it difficult for opponent to cover them and also challenge the dribbling player, to get into position where they are beyond their opponent so they can receive a pass and then dribble into attacking zone at speed and with no opposition to beat.

At natural intervals during the game the coach should ask the players the following questions to develop their game understanding:

Coach can ask defending players:

What is the best position to take up to make it hard for the opponents to win the ball from you?

Responses should include making a triangle shape that has width and depth.

When is the best time for a player to dribble into the midfield area?

Responses to include that they recognise when there is space in front of you.

When dribbling into the midfield area what should you be looking for?

Responses could include where defenders are placed and where teammates are positioned to create a 2v1 situation, space that allows the opportunity to carry the ball straight through midfield into the attacking zone.

Coach can ask midfield players:

What is the best position to create space for the dribbling player?

Responses could include moving wide and further away.

What is the best position to be able to combine with the dribbling player to create a 2v1 situation?

Responses could include position at an appropriate distance (where the opponent can't cover both players at once) and an angle to receive a pass that won't be intercepted but is in a forward direction to eliminate the defender from being able to make a recovery run.

What can you do to lose your opponent to create space for yourself?

Response to include making a run away from the ball before checking back to receive, standing on the blind side (ie, where defender can't see you and the ball at the same time).

Why is it beneficial for retaining possession in midfield zone?

Response to include that it allows time for attacking players to get into position and create space for themselves, eliminate opposing midfielders from disrupting the attacking play.

Why is it beneficial for a midfielder to carry the ball into the attacking zone?

Responses to include the benefits of committing the defenders to the ball to move them out of position.

Coach can ask attacking players:

How can you lose your marker and create space for yourself:

Response to include making a run away from the ball before checking back to receive, standing on the blind side (ie where defender can't see you and the ball at the same time).

What runs can you make to create space for your teammates?

Response to include running from the centre of pith to out wide, running behind defenders to take them away from the ball.

What runs can you make to receive the ball in the Scoring Zone?

Responses can include diagonal runs from wide to the centre and from centre to the wings, runs behind defenders on their blind side and overlapping runs (ie running from behind the player on the ball).
Do you have any examples of the Games Based Approach to coaching. Please share them in the comments box below.

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Taking the complexity out of games-based learning

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For this blog we have enlisted the help of some valued members of the ConnectedCoaches community, who provide examples of how games-based approaches to learning (GBA) can be used to increase participants' game sense by developing their powers of tactical ...

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If you are interested in how to be more effective in developing the psychological and social development of the children you coach. This blog has some interesting insights...

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PICTURE OF HAPPINESS: And just the expression coaches are looking for during their sessions
The 'C' system is a holistic coaching model that delivers on all fronts, supporting the development of the whole child - mentally and socially, as well as technically and tactically. In the first of a two-part feature, we take a look at three elements of the 'C' system: connection, confidence and competence, with the help of ConnectedCoaches member Jon Woodward.

The 'C' system is a framework that underpins the traditional model of coaching by supporting the holistic development of children as performers and as people.

It helps guide your thinking in terms of session planning and delivery, and how you relate to people.

The values embedded in the system can enrich a child's sporting experience.

Which component of the system you focus on depends on the situation.

The aim of a coach at any level is to ensure players feel connected to their sport and comfortable in the setting. Achieve this, and confidence and competence are likely to follow.

Sport is about so much more than winning.

Being able to execute perfect technique and showcase your skills in front of others, the unbridled thrill of competition, increasing your conditioning and level of physical fitness - all fabulous reasons why people get hooked on sport.

It is common knowledge that exercise releases adrenaline, endorphins, serotonin and dopamine, which create a natural high that keeps you coming back for more.

But take away the camaraderie with your teammates, and remove the element of fun from the sporting equation, and playing sport just wouldn't be the same. It would lose its allure, providing you with watered down memories.

Sport is attractive because it is multidimensional, with physical, tactical, technical, psychological and social elements all working as a team to provide a lasting legacy for those who take part.

The challenge for coaches is to ensure that each of these dimensions is developed in equal measure.

Unfortunately, the psychological and social components are often overlooked when coaching 5-12 year olds.

As ConnectedCoaches member and sports coach UK coach educator puts it: 'It is important to remember w Jon Woodward e don't just coach players, we coach people. It is a message that sometimes gets lost.'

This is where the 'C' system within coaching comes in - a framework that underpins the traditional model of coaching by supporting the holistic development of players as performers and as people.

The easy-to-remember formula also serves as an easy reference tool for coaches to refer back to before, during and after their sessions.

Confused.com

The C system is not restricted to a set number of components, though it has been known previsouly as the 5Cs.

The five main elements are:

I know, that's six, if you include character and caring as two separate elements. Contribution is another favourite. As is compassion (isn't that the same as caring?). At this point, you probably want to add confusion to the list!

Probably best to erase the 5Cs label from your mind altogether. As Jon explains: 'As soon as you put a number on it, you find yourself restricted.'

Paying close attention to the 'C' system can have a phenomenal effect on your coaching and on those you coach.

'The values embedded can enrich a child's sporting experience,' says Jon. 'It is the job of the coach, through innovative, fun and challenging coaching methods, to tease those values out.

'The way it is set out, it makes you think about what you are planning and delivering, and how you relate to people - and helps you constantly think about how you can improve things.'

The aim of this blog is to examine connection, confidence and competence in more detail, and we will shine the spotlight on creativity in a follow-up article next week.

Connecting the dots

The Cs and the Ts (technique and tactics) are intrinsically linked. Improving an athlete's skills through technical and tactical instruction is the essence of sports coaching, and adherence to the 'C' system can assist the coach in achieving that goal - with the added bonus of simultaneously improving a child's (or an adult's, for that matter) personal skills.

So where does a coach begin? Which C comes first?

'I start with the connection angle,' says Jon. 'You have to relate to the person and the sport. If there's no connection there, there will be very little development.'

Building a connection comes down to knowing your players, your team and what they need - and, get ready for another C, helping them feel comfortable in their club setting.

'This goes for a local badminton club or an elite level coach. If the athletes don't want to be there, they probably aren't going to perform very well,' says Jon.
FLYING START: Forming a connection is a vital first step for a coach
Virtuous circle

The opposite of a vicious circle is a virtuous circle, and this is how Jon sees the 'C' system, with those who understand the principles able to dip in and out, choosing which component to focus their attention on depending on the situation.

That said, you need to have built a strong connection first to 'unlock' these other elements.

'I use the 'C' system all the time, and as I've said, the first thing I do will be to connect with people,' says Jon. 'If I'm at a workshop, that will mean shaking their hands as they walk through the door and saying hello and making them feel comfortable and at ease.

'Everything else follows after you build this connection. So you can probably build their confidence fairly effectively. If they have confidence and believe in themselves, more than likely, their ability to perform or understand will be there, and so their competence will increase.

'It ebbs and flows. Some weeks, you have to probably focus on just one of the elements, and other weeks, you might touch on all of them. That's why I describe the system as being like a circle.'

It is a great reference framework to come back to and guide your thinking as you go through the minute-by-minute ritual of asking yourself why you are doing something and how you are doing it.

'Every tool is great if you can use it effectively,' adds Jon. 'So understand what we mean by the terms, how they can apply to different settings, and you will reap the benefits.'

Catchy ideas

Example time. While Jon says the components of the system are interchangeable, he believes confidence and competence go hand in hand. I ask him if he can illustrate this via a simple, generic, skill-based activity.

He explains: 'The challenge always is, out of a group of 10 people, for want of a better number, you will probably have to focus on the level of confidence and competence very differently for all of them in the same exercise.

'Some will be nervous, others will have bags of confidence from the outset. Some will struggle with an exercise, others might find it simple.

'If you know your players, and why they are there, you might develop your session by amending the skill level for certain players.

'So each player might have 10 individual targets to work to. It could be the ability to throw and catch the ball five times for player A, but for player G, it could be catching it 50 times. It's setting them their own targets but linking back to an overarching aim or target.'

If player A reaches their 10-catch target, their confidence levels will rise. However, a coach who fails to adapt the exercise to take into account individual ability levels, stipulating a single 50-catch group target, will risk shattering the confidence of player A.

That is a super-simplistic example, but you can embellish on the exercise. You could ask those who catch the ball 50 times to support those who are struggling to get into double figures.

'All of a sudden, players are buzzing because their competence and confidence have improved, and the coach has tapped into the caring component too, building trust among the players of differing abilities.'

Even simple drills can be turned into valuable, character-building exercises.

The challenge moving forward is to continue to tweak and develop your sessions so the players don't get bored, with the levels of connection, competence and confidence becoming stronger over time.

Jon advises that, the first time you introduce a new activity, it should be used as a reflective planning tool.

Can you identify where connection and confidence occurred? If so, try to understand why it had a positive impact on that child.

'The idea is for it to become a proactive tool,' says Jon, 'increasing your knowledge of how to make your sessions better through activities, drills and game-based understanding programmes.

'As a coach, you have to cope with a complex set of characters in a complex environment. I think the 'C' system can give you the tools to help you simplify it, and you will improve and develop your techniques over time as you continue to use it.'

One STEP ahead

Utilising one coaching tool will not turn you into Vince Lombardi overnight, but the use of several, at the right time, should certainly enhance your reputation - within your own club at the very least.

There is another system, entitled the STEPS formula, that works neatly with the 'C' system to double its effectiveness.

The acronym stands for space, task, equipment, people and speed.

Jon explains: 'The theory is, if you change one of those elements, it can transform your practice fairly rapidly and effectively. My view is, you should only change one, maybe two at a time.

'Going back to the throwing and catching example: You could change the task by throwing the ball to someone else and asking them to throw it back to you harder. You could change the space by shortening the distance between catcher and thrower. Then, to change the focus, you could change the equipment, swapping a tennis ball to a rugby ball.

'It's a really simple framework, but it can transform your practice and help you develop competence and confidence in your sessions.'

As with any framework, the onus is on the coach to make it work.

Think of the 'C' system like flat-packed furniture. It starts life in lots of pieces and comes with what appears to be a simple do-it-yourself guide.

It requires some elbow grease and a fair amount of time. It can be frustrating, and you may have to redo certain sections, starting again from scratch until you get it right, but the end result will be immensely satisfying and well worth the effort.
What do you think to the points raised in the article? Join the debate by leaving a comment below.

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A coaching system that will help you C the light!

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The 'C' system is a holistic coaching model that delivers on all fronts, supporting the development of the whole child - mentally and socially, as well as technically and tactically. In the first of a two-part feature, we take a look at three elements of ...

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Speed and Movement Activity - might prompt more decision making with a defender in play

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Speed and Movement Activity - might prompt more decision making with a defender in play

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Netball Team Passing Drill- Changing Speed and Direction

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A dynamic netball passing drill you can use to develop passing and movement skills. This drill is all about change of direction and pace. You'll need at least four players, and you can vary the different types of passes used. Want to shoot like England Goal Shooter Joanne Harten?

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Netball Drills - Crazy Catch Training Centre

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Australian Netball Superstar Julie Corletto shows you how to do various netball drills using the Crazy Catch. From "catch one hand" to "throw, catch, step" these drills will enhance your netball skills, improving your passing, catching and shooting.

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If you teach netball in schools, here are some fabulous resources from England netball to help you out. Great for coaches too!

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Attacking the circle edge - Mid court work. 

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Attacking the circle edge - Mid court work. 

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NETBALL DRILL: KELSEY BROWNE'S SPLIT AND HIT

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http://www.thenetballcoach.com In this free netball coaching drill from thenetballcoach.com, Suncorp Super Netball star Kelsey Browne shows you one of her favourite drills for midcourters - the "split and hit". For more netball drills, visit thenetballcoach.com

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Smells like team spirit: How to create a winning culture through the use of emotional intelligence

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Smells like team spirit: How to create a winning culture through the use of emotional intelligence

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GOLDEN MOMENT: Great Britain women celebrate Olympic glory in Rio
Developing a positive team environment, with tight social bonds between players and coaching staff, is instrumental to sustained success. In part five of our series on emotional intelligence with ConnectedCoaches member Catherine Baker, we explore the important role empathy, relationships and social awareness play in establishing the perfect club climate.

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a quality that is deeply ingrained in the fabric of the Great Britain women's hockey team.

Head coach Danny Kerry is a staunch advocate, and has worked tirelessly to enlighten his players with regard to its extraordinary benefits - making believers out of them all.

The many facets of EI are now etched into the make-up of each player, running through their brains like a stick of Blackpool rock.

Kerry appreciates, like all good leaders do, that the ability to identify, use, understand and manage your emotions can be a golden ticket.

And so it proved for Great Britain in The Rio 2016 Olympic Games, when the players held their nerve in the final to make history by beating the Netherlands in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.

In previous articles in the series, we have flagged up particular components of EI and shown how these can facilitate personal performance gain.

In part five - using the example of GB Hockey, among others - we take the same approach, only this time, the focus is on examining the valuable impact EI can have on team dynamics and culture.

We will discover how utilising empathy, relationships and social awareness as a coach can help accelerate the development of your group of players, and transform them into a single driving force.
Psychological safety
Emotional intelligence, as stated, plays an important role in driving team success. Imagine the players represent the engine of a racing car, and the coach is the driver, while the tactics, techniques and methodologies employed by the coach constitute the fuel. Adding EI to the mix ensures your car is powered by premium-grade petrol rather than regular grade, providing engine and driver with the significant extra boost necessary to attain optimum performance.

But recognising the value of EI is one thing, understanding how and when to use it is another entirely.

When it comes to the key elements that go into making a successful team, some ground-breaking research from Google has found that listening to one another, taking it in turns to speak and showing sensitivity to each other's needs are paramount.

'That is summed up by the term "psychological safety",' explains Catherine, an expert in behavioural performance and training.

'So in a group culture, this means confidence that a team won't embarrass, reject or punish someone for speaking up. There is interpersonal trust and mutual respect, and people are comfortable being themselves.'

Three EI behaviour traits are necessary in order to reproduce this state of psychological safety within a team setting:

empathy - the ability to put yourself in other people's shoes, the extent to which you can see the world from someone else's point of view

relationships - your ability to build and maintain relationships and emotional bonds with others

social awareness - your social skills, and how you perceive and adapt in certain situations.

Happy families
As a coach, it is imperative you engage with your players on a personal level, getting to know their interests outside of the club setting.

Take on the role of a surrogate parent by showing compassion, administering praise, explaining how proud of them you are, while avoiding cheap ridicule and knee-jerk criticism.

Making the effort to get to know their unique personalities will help you get to the root of their motivations for playing sport and help you assist them in fulfilling their individual goals.

Are they introverted or outspoken? A leader or a follower? Arrogant or unassuming?

Pinpointing exactly what makes each individual tick and perform to their potential will help you get the best out of everybody.

And what about your coaching team, if you have one?

'Having a much better understanding of your performers or fellow coaches (empathy) and being able to see it from their point of view is only going to enhance the situation and lead to a better environment and culture,' says Catherine, who advises coaches who don't feel their basic empathy levels are particularly high to ask questions.

'It's a simple way to build up your levels,' she says.

'When you sit down with a player (or coach), ask: "How are you? Have you just come back from holiday?" Even basic things like that. You are eliciting information, and by doing that, you are opening up your interest and awareness of what your colleagues are up to, which will build empathy and understanding.'
Social club
Returning to the GB hockey team, one of the pivotal things that changed the way they were able to operate as a team was when they received a National Lottery grant in the run-up to The London 2012 Olympic Games, which enabled them to train full-time.

'It meant they could spend much more time together as individuals, really getting to understand each other,' says Catherine. 'Not just on the pitch, playing and training, but in the canteen having lunch, going out together on team activities. All of that can be really important in building that right environment and culture in which you want to thrive as a team.'

For GB head coach Danny, who goes as far as to say 'culture precedes performance - it's absolutely fundamental', the extra time spent in each other's company helped him reinforce his message of collective ownership: 'To create a space for people to lead in, build common purpose and get more mutual understanding within the group.'

England rugby union coach Eddie Jones also values time and social bonding as useful tools to grow a convivial environment.

'One of the first things Eddie Jones said to his England players when he was appointed coach was that they had his permission to go out and have a couple of beers. He understands the importance of getting to know each other in that social setting, as well as the setting around your sport and performance,' adds Catherine.

For grass-roots coaches who only get to spend an hour or two a week with their charges, face-to-face engagement and facilitating social connections should not be rushed or skipped.

One tip is to encourage team-mates to form connections outside of training and match days. For example, initiate group chats and conversations on the players' social media platform of choice.

Of course, when it comes to building and maintaining relationships, for some people, this comes naturally, while, for others, the process happens a lot more slowly.

It is the role of a good coach to ascertain, through focusing on each player as an individual (and, where feasible, through individual profiling), where each player sits on the EI 'relationships' scale so they can formulate a game plan for those who need a boost.

Devise ways to encourage all-round social interaction. For example, try partnering shy individuals with more outgoing characters who could discreetly perform the role of training buddy to tease them out of their shells.

Perhaps have a word with your captain and tell them you want to enlist their help in bolstering player A's confidence, as helping them feel more at ease in their surroundings will encourage them to be more vocal and adventurous in their game play.
A safe place to fail
Another area important in building team culture is growth mindset, the concept developed by renowned American psychologist and educationalist Carol Dweck.

She proposes that our talents and abilities are not fixed but can be cultivated, as our brains are like muscles that can be developed and stretched.

'There are various attitudes that need to be in place in order to encourage that in a group environment,' says Catherine.

'One of those is feeling encouraged to stretch and challenge yourself, and if things go wrong, not to feel like it's the end of the world - rather, that you can learn from your mistakes.

'Having that environment in place in a team culture can be fantastic in ensuring that psychological safety. An understanding that you can take risks, you can try things, and when things go wrong, you can admit to it and share what happened with everybody else - which, of course, is far more beneficial than keeping it to yourself, with the danger that the same mistakes might get replicated by team members over and over again.

'And because you've got the understanding that abilities and characteristics aren't fixed and set in stone, there is the belief among the coaching staff and the players that it's worth spending the time and effort to develop and improve everybody because you know, as a consequence, you will get a better performance.'

Real-life scenarios
But what if not everyone in the team possesses a growth mindset, and several members lack empathy, relationship skills and social awareness?

We all know someone for whom the phrase 'like a bull in a china shop' might have been written. There's a strong chance that there is at least one person like this within every group of athletes.

Imagine you are facing your players in the changing room, having just delivered your team talk ahead of a big match. Morale is high, the players are buzzing, and then a team-mate chirps up with some remark that is about as welcome as a plate of sprouts at a kids' party.

'The room instantly freezes and the temperature drops, and everyone is wondering why someone just said that,' says Catherine.

'That is often down to that individual not having as high a level of social awareness as they could do.'

So how is a coach supposed to react in that situation?

One thing you can do is make a bit of a joke of it, or at least make light of the comment.

Catherine advises: 'We know what that person is like. So actually call them up on it in the changing room. "Oh, so and so has done their usual. I think we're just going to ignore that piece of sophisticated advice." Just make a thing of it so the atmosphere is lightened, everyone is aware that it is just the approach that person takes, and that they don't mean it maliciously.

'The other thing to do, on the side, is actually to spend some time with that person to try to help that individual build up their levels of social awareness.

'After the event, take them aside and say: "You made this comment. What do you think the impact was on the room and on the team? It's a team game remember so reflect what you could do better next time."'
Common purpose
The secret to nipping these types of distractions and disruptions in the bud is to have a strong mission statement that the players have bought into.

Collectively agreeing the team goals means, whenever standards (in behaviour, training or match-day performance) slip below the level expected by the coach, you can reference the team mantra and remind them what you are trying to achieve as a group.

The Lionesses are a shining example of how every experience that a team goes through - no matter how trivial or unrelated it may appear - leads directly towards that single ambition.

'They wanted to win a tournament and inspire a nation,' says Catherine. 'That was their clearly stated ambition. So if there had been a situation on the training field or in the changing room where there had been a bit of niggle between a couple of the players, which wasn't leading towards group harmony, one of the coaches could have said, "Look, girls, remember, this is our ambition, this is what we are aiming for."

'Having an overriding aim in your head can really help focus your mind.'
Psychology of success
While it may not be possible for a coach to bottle what goes into making a successful team, the application of EI will certainly improve your chances of creating a harmonious band of brothers or sisters who share the same strong work ethic - significantly boosting your chances of success.

You may have a team that, on paper, looks great. It should be a really high-performing unit but, for some reason, it is just not gelling.

Learning how and when to implement the various components of EI in a team setting will assist you in manoeuvring all the elements neatly into place.

Simply learning to watch and listen will help you get to know your players as people, as well as players, and understand their individual improvement needs.

Through your control of empathy, relationships and social awareness, you can aspire to achieve a climate of psychological safety, which is the ideal environment needed for players to flourish.
Any thoughts? Please leave a comment in the box below. Read more about Catherine and her work (including how to get in touch with her and her team) by visiting her coaching profile.

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Smells like team spirit: How to create a winning culture through the use of emotional intelligence

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Developing a positive team environment, with tight social bonds between players and coaching staff, is instrumental to sustained success. In part five of our series on emotional intelligence with ConnectedCoaches member Catherine Baker, we explore the important role empathy, relationships and social awareness play in establishing the perfect club climate.

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Welcome to our coaching padlet! Here are some very  brief instructions to get your started!

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Netball Drills: Shooting Around The Circle

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Want to shoot like England Goal Shooter Jo Harten? This drill is designed to improve the accuracy and consistency of shooters from a variety of different positions in the circle. intosport.com provides world class guides to help you improve skills, tactics, fitness, nutrition and much more.

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Netball Drills: Essential Shooting Practice

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Want to shoot like England Goal Shooter Jo Harten? Improve the accuracy and consistency of your shooting with this essential shooting practice. intosport.com provides world class guides to help you improve skills, tactics, fitness, nutrition and much more. If you're into sport, you'll love intosport.com So what are you waiting for?