A sound game also requires awareness and the ability to apply and carry out tactics where needed. These tactics include, the knowledge of how and when to apply attacking skills and defensive skills. For example, if it is your centre pass as (WA), the player needs to attack and sprint, dodge or use any tactics to get the ball. Whereas, if it is not your centre pass as (WA), the player needs to defend and mark her partner closely, as she may run up in attempt to get the ball. Also the ability to make use of the weaknesses of the opponents and be aware of your own. For example, if you notice that the (GA) isn't very good at shooting and always passes to the (GS), you can mark closely the (GS) making sure she doesn't get the ball.
Fitness:
A good level of fitness is needed to enable a reasonable level of Netball to be played. As mentioned before, cardiovascular endurance is needed for specific players. The player needs to ensure that skill level remains high as if it's not fatigued even when it is. Muscular strength is also needed as strength from the muscles is needed to jump, to be able to reach or maybe intercept for an on coming pass. Warming up and cooling down appropriately is important to a game. Players need to avoid injury and to get blood flowing to the muscles just before starting the game. This is done by warming up. They can stretch the muscles and jog slowly. This gets the blood flowing to the muscles. After the game cooling down is also necessary to bring down the heart rate and to bring the pulse rate back to normal. This is also done by jogging slowly and stretching the muscles.
Temperament:
Keeping a cool head whilst playing Netball is necessary. Netball involves interaction between two different teams, it is important that whilst winning or loosing a game, a positive, level headed and determined approach is kept even till the end of the game.
Analysis of Performance of Maisie Q (WA)
Skills and Technique:
Maisie is a very competitive player. Especially when it's the team's centre pass, Maisie tries to get free, as she needs to get the ball. She marks her opponents very closely and is very successful during most
occasions. Her ability to intercept passes made by the opponent is particularly good. On several occasions, the opponents have lost position of the ball due to Maisie intercepting a pass.
Tactics:
In this aspect of Maisie's game, she rates very highly. However this being said, she still has much room for improvement For example it would be a good idea for Maisie to jump for an oncoming ball rather than waiting and watching it drop into her hands. This is a common problem in Netball players as it is easier to wait for a pass than to jump up and snatch it. There were some occasions where Maisie had given away a pass by doing incorrect footwork. This may prove costly as in a tournament when matches are often shorter.
Fitness:
Maisie is quick on her feet but seems to prefer the ground. She shows a lack of cardiovascular endurance by excessively heavy breathing during half time of a game. Her throws diminish in power and bad footwork becomes apparent towards the end of a long game.
Temperament (Mental Approach):
Temperamentally Maisie is a solid and consistent performer. She does not get ruffled or even excited at all and accepts good and bad fortune with equanimity. Although she clearly enjoys playing there is room for a little more determination and a more apparent desire to win. She can achieve this without being any less pleasant an opponent to play.
Recommendations/ Advice to Achievement improvement from Analysis:
Technique:
During my observations, I noticed that Maisie could be a little too competitive at times, which can be a bad thing. She should concentrate more on the game than the people. She can also be careful as sometimes while intercepting a pass, she contacts other players. When it's the team's centre pass Maisie tries to get free but sometimes, she doesn't succeed. She needs to be a lot more agile. To do this, she can develop a personal exercise plan for over 6 weeks.
Personal exercise programme:
For the first two weeks Maisie should use Fartlek training. She could do this for a couple of week’s 15mins each day and this could help improve her performance in a game. As fartlek training involves alternate fast and slow over a varied terrain. The ability to do this is needed in a game. For the next two weeks, Maisie should use continuous training, as this will keep her disciplined and improve her endurance. It involves the aerobic system and her body needs to learn how to keep going at a steady rate, while her oxygen demand must be matched to her oxygen uptake. For the next one week, Maisie should use interval training. This involves exercising at a certain time (work interval), then resting for a certain Period (rest interval) in order for her to recover. For the last week, she should use interval training again but this time increase the length of the work interval whilst keeping other factors the same, or decrease the length of the rest interval. This will help improve both the Aerobic and her anaerobic system.
Fitness:
Maisie needs to improve on her cardiovascular endurance as she sometimes stops during a game to catch her breath. She can achieve this by following a regular training programme of running/jogging three times a week. She will need to work for at least twenty minutes during which time she raises her pulse to at least 60% of its' maximum. After this, she should throw a Netball (50 times) towards a wall
ranging from overhead passes to bounce passes, standing 10m away from it. Catching it quickly, running towards the wall and with the correct footwork. This is an example of a skill related improvement exercise as it will improve her speed and co-ordination. This should also help her especially when it comes to the end of a game.
Tactics:
Doing the above exercise would also help on Maisie's tactics as she would leave the habit of waiting for the ball to fall in her hand and will be used to running towards the ball. She will also have learned to do correct footwork even though she is tired.
