Dear Michelle,
               
                  Stephen's overall idea is good in that it is a percentage play. Here is an example of what I mean. If you can get the opposition centre to pass the ball backwards to the WD or GD, then it is one small step in the right direction. Instead of your opposition going forward they are going in your direction, towards your goal. Sure, they can then settle and come forward, but you are compelling them to possess and pass the ball more times than they would ideally like to. The more times they pass the ball around the more chance there is for an error.
 
It is observable that certain players carry an attitude with them into defending a centre pass situation. They decide that of the four opposition players who are eligible to receive the centre pass, their personal opponent is NOT going to be the one. They really wear their opponents like a second skin and put such a doubt in the opposition centre's mind, that a pass to one of the three less closely guarded players is the only option. The defending player I refer to has a philosophy that, she doesn't really worry who else the centre pass will be lobbed to, so long as it is not coming to her direct opponent.
Now if all the four players could have that mind set, it would really bring pressure to bear on the opposition.
 
On the other hand, any team turning over the ball at a centre pass is committing the cardinal sin of netball. Surely! It is the equivalent of a Rugby player knocking on the ball, or an Australian rules footballer kicking into the man on the mark. It causes coaches to tear their hair out.
 
Antony Nemaric

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To: netballcoaching@yahoogroups.com
From: steve.thomp@...
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 10:12:24 +1100
Subject: RE: [netballcoaching] Centre pass tactics