Contingency Plans

CONTINGENCY PLANS

Possible Problem	Solution
Bad weather when playing outdoors	Play on an indoor court or use the sports hall at college.
Tennis court is being used or is unavailable for use.	Use a different tennis court either indoors or outdoors.
No equipment	Do testing or training that doesn’t require equipment, or use an alternative.  For example, no netball goal is available so use a hoop instead.
Not enough participants	Change the planned session to accommodate the number of participants, alternatively ask someone to fill the place.
Participants must leave the session early	Focus on the most important aspects of the session agreed between coach and participant.

Psychological Testing

PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING

Competitive State Anxiety Inventory:

Measures: The Competitive State Anxiety Inventory (developed by Martens et al. [1990]) is a self-report questionnaire which measures cognitive state anxiety, somatic state anxiety and self-confidence in competitive situations (Liukkonen, 2007).  It's important to identify whether the performer suffers from any type of anxiety because it is likely to impact  on their performance, and it could be either facilitative or debilitative dependent on the athlete. For that reason, it's necessary to identify how the performer reacts in competitive situations in order to deal with it.

Imstructions: Complete the following questionnaire before competition

        Daniel                                                                 Stuart

  

Results:

Cognitive State Anxiety Score:

Daniel 27/36 Stuart 24/36 (Low is good)

Somatic State Anxiety Score:

Daniel 17/36 Stuart 18/36 (Low is good)

Self Confidence Score:

Daniel 22/36 Stuart 21/36 (High is good)

The Athletic Skills Coping Inventory:

Measures: The athletic skills coping inventory, invented in 1988 (The Sport Journal, 2007), is a self-report questionnaire designed to understand how athletes deal with the stresses of competition.  It is measured on seven subscales and gives an overall ranking (Spielberger, 2004). Knowledge of how the individual is going to react is necessary because the team and coach need to know how they're going to react in a pressurized situation, as their possible inability to cope is going to effect the rest of the team.

Instructions: Complete the following questionnaire before competition.

         Daniel

Stuart

Results:

Coping Score:

Daniel 4/12 Stuart 8/12

Coachability Score:

Daniel 10/12 Stuart 12/12

Concentration Score:

Daniel 7/12 Stuart 6/12

Confidence and Achievement Motivation Score:

Daniel 7/12 Stuart 5/12

Goal Setting and Mental Preparation Score:

Daniel 5/12 Stuart 2/12

Peaking under Pressure Score:

Daniel 6/12 Stuart 5/12

Freedom From Worry Score:      

Daniel 2/12 Stuart 5/12

Sports Personality Questionnaire

Measures: SPQ20 is a self-report test which considers the athletes personality in relation to a sporting situation, for example are they motivated by authority and do they enjoy building relationships with group members and being held in high regard?  If the answers to both of these questions were yes, they would be an ideal team leader. The test provides an overall profile of the athlete’s mental skills, but focuses on four key areas: confidence and resilience, achievement drive and competitiveness, interaction and sportsmanship, and power and aggressiveness (Psychological Testing Centre, n.d.).  

Instructions: Complete the following questionnaire before competition.

  Daniel                                                                                                Stuart

Results:

Dynamism:

Daniel 24/40 Stuart 31/40

Motives and Values:

Daniel 24/40 Stuart 32/40

Openness:

Daniel 19/30 Stuart 25/30

Sociability:

Daniel 14/30 Stuart 25/30

Anxieties:

Daniel 23/30 Stuart 24/30

Techniques:

Daniel 19/30 Stuart 22/30

References:

Liukkonen, J. (2007) Psychology for Physical Educators (2^nd Edition) Human Kinetics: Illinois

Psychological Testing Centre (n.d.) SPQ20 Sport Personality Questionnaire [online] Available from: http://www.psychtesting.org.uk/test-registration-and-test-reviews/test-reviews.cfm?page=summary&Test_ID=259 [Accessed 18^th March 2013] 

Spielberger, C. (ed.) (2004) Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology. Academic Press Inc.

The Sport Journal (2007) Use of the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory for Prediction of Performance in Collegiate Baseball [online] Available from: http://www.thesportjournal.org/article/use-athletic-coping-skills-inventory-prediction-performance-collegiate-baseball [Accessed 10^th March 2013] 

Tactical Testing

TACTICAL TESTING

Netball Tactical Knowledge Test

Daniel’s answers are in red and Stuart’s in green:

1.      How long does a netball game last and in what parts is it played? (e.g. football is played in two halves 45 minutes each)

4 x 15 minutes

4 quarters.. 10 minutes per quarter.

2.      Using the image below, what are the starting positions of all the players?

3.      Where on the court is the Goal Shooter allowed to travel?

Goal circle

In the opposing teams semi circle.

4.      What is the role of the Centre player, and therefore which skills would you consider essential?

Help defend and attack, vision, awareness communication. 

The role of the centre player is to attack and defend.. a good level of fitness and cognitive skills.

5.      Which player would you expect to receive a Centre pass and why?

The Centre players because they cover the centre part of the court

The forward player would receive a centre pass to be able to shoot.

6.      What tactics could you use at a centre pass?

I don’t know

Centre pass … From the chest as it is quick and direct.

7.      What is zone defense?

A position

All players defending an area as oppose to the opposing player.

8.      What is man-on-man marking, and what are the benefits and disadvantages?

You mark someone defensively close to them, benefits hard for attacker to pass or shot, disadvantage more likely to cause a fool. 

Following the opposing player whether they have the ball or not.. advantage that you are close to them at all times.. disadvantage, you have to be quick and follow their every move.

9.      What is a replayed ball and why is it not permitted?

I don’t know

No idea

10.  What is meant by the term marking ball side and why is it necessary in defense?

Balls side is being in-between your goal and they player with the ball

Making sure you are between the ball and the player.

Technical Testing

TECHNICAL TESTING (Daniel/Stuart)

Reaction Time and Decision Making

Measures:  Reaction time is a key skill in netball because a player is allowed to hold the ball for only three seconds (Thomas, 2000), and it is estimated that during a game a player will make 70 decisions (Woodlands, 2006).  To make a pass within this time the player must be able to select the relevant information from their surroundings quickly and select a player to pass to, based on this information.  For the pass to be successful the player must throw the ball in the right direction at the correct speed and the correct distance, players who can do this set themselves apart from the rest of the players (Woodlands, 2006)  Footwork is also considered in this exercise with the player having to pivot to find their partner.

Equipment: 8 cones, a netball and two extra people to assist.

Instructions: Using a centre cone as a guide, mark a circle using 6 cones with each being 1.5m away from the centre (circle radius 1.5m).  The player who is being assessed should stand at the point marked by a cone 3m away from the centre cone, facing away from the circle.  One person runs between cones in the circle randomly, and the other passes the ball to the assessed player.  As soon as the player receives the ball they should pivot to face the circle and pass the ball to the player.  Repeat 5 times.

Score	Description
26-30	Excellent
21-25	Very Good
16-20	Good
11-15	Average
6-10	Below Average
0-5	Poor

My score was _Daniel 26/Stuart 22__.

I rated _Daniel Excellent/Stuart Very Good_.

Date completed: _18^th March 2013__

Goal Shooting

Measures:  The aim of a netball game is to be the team with the most goals, therefore goal shooting is a key skill.  This drill is designed to highlight and test the most important aspects of goal shooting: positioning on the court, technique, and accurate shooting in a limited time.  Only two players are allowed in their attacking goal circle (Goal Attack and Goal Shooter) so it’s key that the players are well positioned within the circle to receive the ball in order to shoot, and they are comfortable doing so (Woodlands, 2006).  As the player is only allowed to hold the ball for three seconds (Thomas, 2000) they don’t have time to set up the shot and consider the motions before shooting: they must react quickly to the environment, create opportunities for goals, and shoot accurately each time without having to think about it.

Equipment:  Three players, one netball, a goal circle (or an equivalent e.g. cones), a netball post.

Instructions:  In the goal circle there should be two players: one attacking and one defensive.  The attacking player should find space in the goal circle, and when they’re ready the ball should be fed to them. They should attempt to shoot but the defensive player should apply pressure and attempt to intercept the pass.  Remember that the goal is only valid if the shooter is inside the goal circle.  Repeat this ten times.  The coach should use the wagon wheel below to assess their performance, find a total score and grade the players performance.

Score	Description
26-30	Excellent
21-25	Very Good
16-20	Good
11-15	Average
6-10	Below Average
0-5	Poor

My score was _Daniel 19/Stuart 15_.

I rated _Daniel Good/Stuart Average_.

Date completed: _18^th March 2013_

Movement

Measures: Netball is a fast-paced game and the players should never stop moving or attempting to find space, however this makes many of the basics more difficult.  This drill measures the player ability to stop instantly when they receive the ball, which is key because if they don’t they will be breaking the footwork rule and a free pass is awarded to the opposing team (Thomas, 2000).  It also tests the players ability to throw the ball in a different direction quickly and legally, whilst maintaining balance and power (Woodlands, 2006).  Ultimately, the player must be able to catch the ball when they’re moving (also dependent on the direction and accuracy of which it is thrown) because if they don’t they are providing the opposing team with an opportunity, therefore this drill tests their ability to track the ball and catch is successfully.

Equipment: Two players, a tape measure, a netball and 9 cones.

Instructions: 3 metres apart, set up two lines of cones (one with four cones and one with five cones) spaced 3 metres apart.  The starting position of player one should be 3 metres in front of player two (but both should start at the first cone of their line – see diagram below).  Player one should pass the ball to player two and then run to the next cone where they will receive the ball.  When player two has received the ball they should pass back to player one and run onto the next cone.  This should continue down the line.  Repeat five times.  Using the wagon wheel diagram assess the players performance and find a total score to grade the players performance.

Score	Description
26-30	Excellent
21-25	Very Good
16-20	Good
11-15	Average
6-10	Below Average
0-5	Poor

My score was _Daniel 25/Stuart 23__.

I rated _Daniel Very Good/Stuart Good_.

Date completed: _15^th April 2013_

Defense and Interception

Measures: Defense is key to the game of netball because ‘every player is a defender when her team does not have possession’ (Woodlands, 2006).To prevent the other team from scoring your team needs to work together to intercept and slow down their play, giving your own team more time to make decisions.  You could do this by constantly moving into open space and marking players ball side in order to limit the number of passing options.  It’s important to track the player and react quickly to their decisions to prevent them getting free. By doing all of these things you are likely to gain possession and put the other team under pressure making them more likely to make mistakes, which becomes an opportunity for your team.

Equipment: Four players, four cones, tape measure and a netball.

Instructions:  Using the cones mark a square 5 metres x 5 metres, where the attacking player will stand marked by the defensive player.  The other two players may stand anywhere outside of this square, passing the ball between each other (they are able to move) until they’re ready to pass the ball to the attacking player.  The attacking player should be trying to find space and dodge the marker, whilst the defensive player attempts to intercept the pass.  Repeat ten times.  Below are two wagon wheel diagrams (one for defense and one for attack), which the coach should use to find a total score to grade each players performance.

Score	Description
26-30	Excellent
21-25	Very Good
16-20	Good
11-15	Average
6-10	Below Average
0-5	Poor

Attack

My score was _Daniel 23/Stuart 23_.

I rated _Daniel Very Good/Stuart Very Good_.

Defence

My score was _Daniel 19/Stuart 19__.

I rated _Daniel Good/Stuart Good_.

Date completed: _15^th April 2013_

Catching

Measures: A teams success is dependent on its players ability to catch the ball in any situation.  ‘Players who have sloppy catching techniques may find themselves attracting too much whistle from the umpires and costing the team possession’ (Woodlands, 2006). 

Equipment: Two people, 2 cones, a tape measure and a netball.

Instructions:  Using two cones mark a distance three metres apart, with one person standing at each cone.  In this drill, player one is acting as a feeder and player two is being assessed on their catching.  Player one should pass the ball to player two five times at chest height, five times at arms reach to the left and five times at arms reach to the right (the aim of the passes to the side is for player two to catch them with one hand).  Record the success rate of each pass on the wagon wheel below, and find a total score to grade the players performance.

Score	Description
26-30	Excellent
21-25	Very Good
16-20	Good
11-15	Average
6-10	Below Average
0-5	Poor

My score was _Daniel 21/Stuart 26_.

I rated _Daniel Very Good/Stuart Excellent_.

Date completed: _15^th April 2013_

Physiological Testing

PHYSIOLOGICAL TESTING

505 Agility Test

Measures: Speed and agility

Relevance to Netball: Netball is a fast paced game and ‘players benefit from having speed’ (Woodlands, 2006), with players not usually sprinting any further than 20 metres (players are only allowed to travel in certain areas of the court). Agility is important because there are a lot of players on a relatively small court, so players need to change direction quickly to ‘work’ the ‘tight spaces’ (Woodlands, 2006).

Equipment: Tape measure, 6 cones, stopwatch

Instructions: Using two cones mark a line 10m from the starting line (also marked by two cones), and mark another line a further 5m from the starting line (15m in total).  You should run from the start line through the 10m line and to the 15m line, then perform a 180º turn and run back to the 10m line, as fast as you can.  Repeat this test twice on each leg (testing your ability to turn on each leg) then calculate your average time (Fitnessforworld.com, n.d.).

(Image from: http://www.fitnessforworld.com/fitness_testing/agility.htm Accessed 18th March 2013)

Attempt	Time (seconds)
1 -Right Leg	Daniel 4.41 Stuart 4.78
2 -Left Leg	Daniel 4.76 Stuart 5.16

My average score was: __Daniel 4.585 seconds/Stuart 4.97 seconds__

Date completed: ___15^th April 2013__

Vertical Jump Test/Sargent Jump Test

Measures: Explosive power of the legs

Relevance to Netball: Netball is a relatively fast paced game in which episodes of explosive strength are key.  It is not only needed for short distance sprinting during games, but for jumping to catch a ball or intercept a pass, and to change direction quickly whilst marking an opposing player or trying to find space (Livestrong.com, 2011). Being able to jump higher than other players and cover short distances in a short amount of time gives the team an advantage because keeping possession/gaining possession is key to scoring goals.

Equipment: Tape measure and chalk (Use Vertec equipment if it’s available)

Instructions: Standing side on to the measuring tape and with both feet flat on the floor, stretch upwards to find your standing height – measuring at the fingertips.  Bend the knees 90 degrees so that you’re in a squat position, then jump upwards whilst swinging your arms and teach the wall (or tape measure).  Your score is the difference between your standing height and your jump height.  Repeat the test 3 times and find the average (Brianmac.com, 2007).

Attempt	1st Attempt	2nd Attempt	3rd Attempt
Height (cm)	Daniel 58 Stuart 43	Daniel 59 Stuart 40	Daniel 56 Stuart 42

Gender	Excellent	Above Average	Average	Below Average	Poor
Male	>70 cm	56-70 cm	41-55 cm	31-40 cm	<30 cm
Female	>60 cm	46-60 cm	31-45 cm	21-30 cm	<20 cm

(Data from BrianMac.com, 2007)

My average score was __Daniel 57.7cm/Stuart 41.7cm_.

I rated _Daniel Above Average/Stuart Average_ against the normative data above.

Date completed: _4^th March 2013__

Handgrip Strength Test

Measures: Grip strength

Relevance to Netball: It’s important that every player in a netball team can catch the ball securely in order to make all passes effective.  The team must be able to trust that each member is able to catch the ball so the whole team is involved in the game and they can focus on more important tactics. 

Equipment: Hand Dynamometer

Instructions: Do the test whilst standing, and with your lower arm slightly away from your body at a 90 degree angle.  Take a deep breath in, and when you breathe out squeeze the grip as hard as you can whilst keeping your hand still.  Repeat the test 3 times on each hand (leaving 30 seconds between each test) and find the average strength of each hand and your total average (Topendsports.com, n.d.)

Hand	Attempt
	1st Attempt	2nd Attempt
Left	Daniel 39 Stuart 53	Daniel 38 Stuart 47
Right	Daniel 39 Stuart 54	Daniel 37 Stuart 51

Gender	Excellent	Good	Average	Fair	Poor
Male	>56	51-56	45-50	39-44	<39
Female	>36	31-36	25-30	19-24	<19

(Data from Brianmac.com, 2002)

My average score was _Daniel 38.5 - Left 38 - Right/Stuart 50 - Left 52.5 - Right_

I rated __Daniel Poor/Stuart Good_ against the normative data above.

Date completed: _4^th March 2013__

The Compass Drill

Measures: Agility and Explosive Speed

Relevance to Netball:  As with explosive strength agility is important in being able to cover space on the court quickly.  It’s especially important to be able to change direction quickly when finding space to receive a pass (dodging) and when marking other players, especially when playing on the centre third, because possession is key to scoring (Woodlands, 2006).

Equipment: Tape measure, five cones and a stopwatch.

Instructions: One cone is placed in the centre, and the remaining are placed 3m away from the centre in a diamond shape (see the diagram).  You should start at the centre cone then run to cone 2, back to the centre and then on to cone 3.  You should then go back to the centre cone, run to cone 4, then go back to the centre before finishing at cone 5 (see the diagram).  Have a three minute break before doing the test again, and calculate your average score (TeachPE.com, n.d.).

  

Image from: http://www.teachpe.com/soccer_football/agility/compass_drill.php [Accessed 18th March 2013]

Attempt	1st Attempt	2nd Attempt
Time (seconds)	Daniel 9.29 Stuart 10.31	Daniel 8.86 Stuart 9.98

My average score was _Daniel 9.075/Stuart 10.145__.

Date completed: _15^th April 2013__

12 Minute Cooper Run

Measures: Aerobic Fitness

Relevance to Netball: Netball matches are a fast-paced and high quality game which last 60 minutes, so it’s important that players have a high level aerobic endurance in order to avoid fatigue (HPAthletes.com, n.d.).  When players become fatigued they may make simple mistakes, which could cost the team points.  Certain players (for example, Centre) will not stop moving during a game and their role is integral to the movement of the ball, and therefore the team relies on them to have stamina and not become tired.

Equipment: Tape measure and cones (if a measured track isn’t available), stopwatch, equipment to record laps.

Instructions: Form a measured circuit using the cones.  You must run around the circuit for 12 minutes and the total distance covered must be recorded.  Although you don’t need to run, you may walk; you should push yourself to get the highest score (Brianmac.com, 1997).

Normative Data for Adult Males:

Age	Excellent	Above Average	Average	Below Average	Poor
13-14	>2700	2400-2700	2200-2399	2100-2199	<2100
15-16	>2800	2500-2800	2300-2499	2200-2299	<2200
17-19	>3000	2700-3000	2500-2699	2300-2499	<2300
20-29	>2800	2400-2800	2200-2399	1600-2199	<1600
30-39	>2700	2300-2700	1900-2299	1500-1999	<1500
40-49	>2500	2100-2500	1700-2099	1400-1699	<1400
>50	>2400	2000-2400	1600-1999	1300-1599	<1300

Normative Data for Adult Females:

Age	Excellent	Above Average	Average	Below Average	Poor
13-14	>2000	1900-2000	1600-1899	1500-1599	<1500
15-16	>2100	2000-2100	1700-1999	1600-1699	<1600
17-19	>2300	2100-2300	1800-2099	1700-1799	<1700
20-29	>2700	2200-2700	1800-2199	1500-1799	<1500
30-39	>2500	2000-2500	1700-1999	1400-1699	<1400
40-49	>2300	1900-2300	1500-1899	1200-1499	<1200
>50	>2200	1700-2200	1400-1699	1100-1399	<1100

(Data from Brianmac.com, 1997)

In 12 minutes I ran _Daniel 2307/Stuart 2080_ metres.

I rated __Daniel Below Average/Stuart Average_ against the normative data above.

Date completed: __11^th March 2013_

References:

Fitnessforworld.com (n.d.) Fitness Testing [online] Available from: http://www.fitnessforworld.com/fitness_testing/agility.htm [Accessed 18th March 2013]

Mackenzie, B. (1997) Cooper V02 Max Test [online] http://www.brianmac.co.uk/gentest.htm [Accessed 18th March 2013]

Mackenzie, B. (2002) Grip Strength Test [online] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/grip.htm [Accessed 18th MArch 2013]

Mackenzie, B. (2007) Sargent Jump Test [online] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/sgtjump.htm [Accessed 18th March 2013]

TeachPE.com (n.d.) The Compass Drill [online] Available from: http://www.teachpe.com/soccer_football/agility/compass_drill.php [Accessed 18th March 2013]

Topendsports.com (n.d.) Handgrip Strength Check [online] http://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/handgrip.htm [Accessed 18th March 2013]