Questioning Netball Tactics

Overview

Students investigate how tactical decisions create space, maintain possession and support successful attacking play in netball. Through modified game situations, they use questioning, observation and discussion to select, implement and justify strategies, building on prior learning about passing, leading and creating options.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• identify how space, movement and player positioning influence attacking success
• use questioning to analyse tactical problems during netball games
• select and implement an attacking strategy in a modified game
• justify how and why a strategy was effective or should be changed
• communicate respectfully as teammates, observers and decision-makers

Success criteria

• I can explain the tactical problem my team is trying to solve.
• I can use movement, passing and positioning to create or deny space.
• I can ask and respond to questions that improve our team strategy.
• I can justify a tactical decision using evidence from play.

Curriculum links

• Movement skills and strategies: refining and transferring movement skills and concepts to adapt in dynamic movement environments.
• Movement skills and strategies: selecting, implementing and justifying strategies and actions to solve movement challenges.
• Safe, active and healthy lifestyle choices: managing risk and enhancing safety through responsible participation.
• Applying self-management and interpersonal skills to movement through communication, cooperation and constructive feedback.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Tactical hook and safety. Teacher opens with the hook and lesson focus slides, showing an attacking netball situation and asking, “Why might a team have possession but still fail to move the ball forward?” Teacher establishes boundaries, safe passing, no contact, controlled footwork and the stop signal. Students discuss a possible answer with a partner and identify one feature of effective attacking play.

2. 5–10 min · Questioning and tactical briefing. Teacher uses the tactical questioning slides to introduce the team questions: Where is the space? Who can create an option? What happens if the defender follows? When should we pass, hold or reset? Model a simple three-player attacking movement, highlighting leading away and back, supporting behind the ball and passing to the safe option. Students rehearse the movement without defenders and explain which question helped them decide where to move.

3. 10–22 min · 3 v 2 problem-solving games. Teacher organises ten groups of three attackers and two defenders, using a third of a court or a marked grid for each game. Each attacking group attempts to complete five passes and move the ball across a designated line; defenders apply pressure without contact. After each two-minute round, teacher displays the 3 v 2 challenge and reflection prompts and pauses play for teams to answer: What was the main problem? Where was the space? What could we change next round? Students rotate roles, select one adjustment and implement it in the next round.

4. 22–35 min · Modified game with tactical time-outs. Teacher forms five teams of six and runs simultaneous 5 v 5 games on shortened courts, with one student initially acting as a rotating tactical observer or coach. The attacking team earns a bonus point for a successful pass after a clear change of direction, a reset pass or a purposeful lead into space. Every three minutes, the teacher calls a 30-second tactical time-out using the game rules and time-out prompts. Students answer: What is working? What is predictable? Which strategy will we try next, and why? Observers record one example of a successful decision and one possible improvement.

5. 35–41 min · Strategy transfer round. Teacher gives each team a new constraint, such as defenders starting closer, attackers having limited time to pass or the scoring area being reduced. Teams must adapt rather than repeat their previous tactic. Students select and implement a strategy, then briefly justify their choice to the teacher or observer using the structure: “We chose… because… It worked/did not work when…”

6. 41–45 min · Plenary and exit response. Teacher brings students together with the plenary questions and asks, “Which question most improved your team’s decisions?” Students complete a verbal pair-share and provide a concise exit response: identify one tactical problem, the strategy used to address it and evidence of its effectiveness. Collect responses as students leave.

Resources

• Netballs, bibs and cones
• Half-court or marked grid areas
• Whiteboard and marker
• Stopwatch or visible timer
• Tactical observer cards or notebook paper
• the complete netball game-sense deck
• First-aid kit and access to drinking water

Assessment

• Observe whether students identify space, create passing options and adapt movement in the 3 v 2 challenge.
• During time-outs, listen for tactical questions, evidence-based explanations and respectful team communication.
• Use the final response to assess whether each student can connect a selected strategy with an observed outcome.

Differentiation

• Support students with question prompts displayed throughout play, reduced defensive pressure, larger playing areas and additional time to make decisions.
• Pair students strategically and allow verbal explanations, diagrams or key words for students who find extended writing difficult.
• For EAL/D students, provide sentence frames such as “We changed ___ because ___” and explicitly model terms including space, option, reset, pressure and adaptation.
• Extend confident students by requiring them to predict the defender’s response, use a deliberate second option and justify why their strategy may transfer to a full-court game.
• Modify participation safely through role rotation, walking pace, non-playing observer or coach roles, and inclusive team rules that value communication and decision-making rather than speed alone.