As requested I’ve prepared a ‘top 10’ list for newer players,
but for the rest of us too, to aim to become familiar with. There’s a
combination of individual skills and team strategy. Please accept the
usual caveat that this is just my opinion, that I don’t really know
what I’m talking about, that other people would have had a different
top 10 and may disagree with some of my descriptions and explanations.
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask me, any of the other
coaches or for that matter any of the other players. Each will have
their own opinions which you might find helpful.
1. How to take long shots
Stand with feet shoulder width apart, one slightly in front of the other and pointed towards the korf.
The
ball is held so that at minimum it makes contact with the pads where
the fingers and thumb meet the palm (rather than on the finger tips)
and so that the thumbs and index fingers form a W shape.
The ball is
held on the centre line of the body, with the elbows low and bent at
about 90 degrees and with the top of the ball at about nose
height.
Do not aim the ball at the basket but rather shoot high so that the ball falls into the basket at about a 60 degree angle.
To
gain distance make sure you bend the knees and jump to make the shot,
extend through on the line of the shot with the arms and pronate the
wrists.
Particularly when moving away from the korf players will
shoot off one leg both to enable a quick release and to keep the
balance forward.
2. How to take running in shots
From
the point where you receive the ball you cannot have more than two
footfalls before release. For that reason it’s probably easier not to
have either foot on the ground when the ball is received.
The grip changes from the long shot so that the hands are more to the side and slightly underneath the ball.
Have
a sense of lifting and projecting the ball rather than throwing it. The
arms should still be extended and the point of release should be above
the head. Aim as close to the rim as possible but give yourself a
margin of error so that you never fail to get the ball above the rim of
the korf.
The technique is similar for a penalty.
3. One v One defending
When
your opponent does not have the ball the danger is that they will run
around you for a running in shot. For that reason you should hang off
them a little to prevent this. You should be at such a distance
that you can move to within arm’s length at the point your opponent
receives the ball to stop them taking a long shot.
When defending
a player with the ball the defensive stance will tend to be sideways on
with the hips slightly lowered to enable a quick reaction to a pass and
movement from the attacker.
Far out from the korf long shots are
less successful so the balance should be towards not being run around
for a running in shot. Closer to the korf long shots become more
dangerous and there is less room for running in shots so the balance
will tend to be more towards arm’s length defending.
4. Feeding
The
feed position is simply a good passing position taken up near the korf
a couple of metres out. You are there to support the attacking
players. It is an active not a passive position. As passes are
made to attacking players in the outfield the feeder should be moving
(usually diagonally forward) to ensure that they keep their defender
behind them and allow a pass back from the attacking player.
5. Collecting
Shots
miss. The attacking team needs someone to collect the missed shots to
allow them another scoring chance. A good position for collecting is to
be between your defender and the korf a metre or so out.
Collecting
is an active position. It is not simply standing under the korf. You
should, within the rules, use your body to maintain your position; you
should try not to move too early when a shot is taken as this will cause
you to lose your positional advantage; you should ensure that you jump
to take the ball because your opponent certainly will.
6. Back (rebound) defence
When
an attacking player moves in to take up a position close to the korf
the defender will often be able to decide whether the attacking
position is going to be a feed or a collect. If the defender keeps
their defending position between the attacker and the korf then they
allow the attacker to have the feed. The advantage gained is that the
defender is effectively in the collect position and this will
discourage the attack from taking long shots which the defence are
likely to recover.
Back defence at the korf goes with outcourt
defenders hanging off since the danger for them is being run around for
running in shots. The defence must be careful about hanging off too
close to the korf where long shots become tempting despite the lack of
a collect.
7. Front defence
When an attacking player moves in to
take up a position close to the korf the defender can stay on the ball
line and prevent the attacker receiving a pass. This stops the attacker
from feeding but gives up the collect position.
Since the defence
are vulnerable to recycled long shots but not running in shots the
outcourt defenders will try to mark tightly.
Front defence is the more common option since it minimises attacking opportunities.
8. 2-2
This
is the position where the attack have 2 players near the korf, one
feeding and the other collecting, and 2 players in the outcourt
attacking. The defence will try to stop the attack from obtaining this
position and, once obtained try to disrupt it, since it is very
dangerous for them.
Defenders in the outcourt have the problem
that hanging off their attackers allows long shots that are likely to
be collected and recycled since there is a collect in place but marking
tightly makes them vulnerable to being run around for running in shots
since there is a feed in place.
It is best for the attack to either
have the same genders at the korf or a boy collecting and a girl
feeding. If a boy feeds and a girl collects the defender of the feeding
boy is himself in a good position to compete for missed long shots with
the likely shorter girls.
It is important for the attack to
understand how to get a good collect position where they already have a
feed. The defence will be trying not to allow the collect so simply
running to the post is unlikely to be good enough to obtain the
advantageous position (between the defender and the korf) that the
attack are after.
The technique used varies slightly depending on
whether the attack need to change the person feeding from a boy to a
girl. It is best watched rather than described and can be seen in any
match footage on YouTube.
9. 3 -1
Particularly a response to
front defence - the attackers spread out in a triangle around the korf.
This allows each attacker the most space to operate in.
Here are some of the tactical battles that happen in 3-1:
Since
there is a collect, attackers will be trying to take long shots.
Recognizing this, defenders will tend to mark tightly. Defenders
marking tightly are vulnerable to being run around so the attack will
respond by trying to move a player suddenly into the feed position,
passing the ball to them and taking a running in shot. The defence will
try to prevent anyone from coming in to the feed position by hanging
off attackers loitering behind the post but will then in turn be
vulnerable to drop off shots close to the post.
See the Coaching Tips section on this website for more on 3-1 and some links.
10. Watch videos
I’ve
left out catching and passing, veering, one on one attack, free passes,
persuading you to read the rules (but please read the rules – just the
bits on what you can’t do and how to take free passes and penalties)
for number 10 to be ‘watch videos’.
There are plenty of clips and full matches on YouTube from Dutch league games and various international matches.
One
of the best things you can do to improve your play is watch them from
time to time. This sport is new to all of us. When we start we have no
sense of doing things that just look wrong because we have no idea what
looks right. Watching the pros do it allows you to get a feel for how
the game should be played and you will notice more and more whether or
not your own play and that of your team feels similar to what you’ve
seen.
I’d suggest the biggest difference between professional and
club players is the rather vague idea of fluidity, both in terms of
individual technique and team structure. The only way to crack how they
manage that is to watch them doing it.
