14
May
2016
0

Attack and defence

I was watching Cara play netball this morning. Beautiful morning. The girls all seem to really enjoy it. They’re only young, just learning.

Lot’s of opportunities for the coaches come umpires to stop the game and give the girls another go.

Another go at getting that shot in the ring, another go at trying to get that pass right. All attacking imperfections in their game. Not once is the game ever stopped to say to a defender, “wow you went really close on that intercept but just missed it, let’s give the ball back to the attacker and see if you can intercept her pass this time”.

I watched the smiles of joy on a couple of the girls faces when they successfully did grab an intercept. Leaping out in front of the opposition in time to grab the ball. Almost as satisfying as getting the ball in the ring. And then the look of disappointment, or was it resignation, when the umpire gives the ball back to the team originally in possession to “have another go”, to try and get it right.

In netball as in life, the emphasis, glory and attention remains with the attackers, not with those in defence.

Sometimes when you flip the thinking, it doesn’t make much sense.

3 Responses

  1. Justin

    I hadn’t seen that before but no doubt won’t be able to watch coaching the same way. Thank you for tilting my head to the left a little and letting me see this. I see corollary with leadership and followership. leadership is deified and followership is its unnoticed dance partner.

  2. Peter

    I believe there is a view, that good defence win matches. But you only get on the score sheet for scoring. So how do we acknowledge good defensive players?

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