Beginner netballers need three things from training: lots of touches on the ball, simple footwork habits, and plenty of fun. These six drills cover the basics and work with a squad of eight to twelve.
1. Ball tag (warm-up)
Two or three taggers. Players with a ball are “safe,” so everyone has to pass to teammates who are about to be tagged. Builds awareness, quick passing and movement.
2. Partner passing
Pairs, three to five metres apart. Work through chest pass, bounce pass and shoulder pass, ten of each. Coaching point: step towards your target and follow through with the hands.
3. Land and pivot
Players run, receive a pass, land, and pivot on their landing foot before passing on. This builds the footwork habit beginners struggle with most — not moving the landing foot while holding the ball.
4. Lead and receive
A feeder with the ball, a worker in space. The worker fakes one way, then drives to the ball to receive. Swap after five reps. Coaching point: strong, fast lead with hands up and ready.
5. Mirror defence
Pairs face each other. The attacker moves side to side; the defender mirrors, staying on their toes and keeping the right distance. Keeps defenders active and teaches body position.
6. Keep-off (3 v 2)
Three attackers try to complete five passes in a row in a marked area while two defenders try to intercept. Rotate defenders every minute. Combines everything and feels like a game.
A 60-minute beginner session
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 0–10 min | Ball tag |
| 10–20 min | Partner passing |
| 20–30 min | Land and pivot |
| 30–40 min | Lead and receive |
| 40–50 min | Mirror defence into keep-off |
| 50–60 min | Short modified game |
More drills, less planning
Squaddie includes a netball drill library with detailed drill pages, plus an AI coaching assistant that can build a session for your team’s age and level.
Explore netball drills in Squaddie — start free at squaddie.app.
