Playing positions, goalkeeping and a class game

1Why this matters

In a match, seven players must attack and defend together. Each position has a job, and the goalkeeper, who faces shots from close range, is the last line of defence and the start of the next attack. This session names the positions, teaches the goalkeeper's basic skills, and ends with a class game played to the rules and to your teacher's instructions.

2The attacking positions

Positions are named as your own goalkeeper sees the court, looking towards the other goal.

Figure 3. The attacking positions. The blue area is the goal area; the dashed line is the 9 m free-throw line. Diagram: Ganzaa.

3A simple defence

Beginners usually defend in a 6–0: all six court players stand in a line between the 6 m and 9 m lines, like a wall, moving sideways together to stay between the ball and the goal. In a 5–1, one defender moves out in front, near the 9 m line, to pressure the centre back, and the other five stay in the line.

4Goalkeeping basics

1. Ready stance: feet a little wider than your hips, knees slightly bent, weight on the balls of your feet, hands up at about head height with palms facing the shooter.
2. Position: stand about a step in front of the goal line and move along a small arc as the ball moves, staying on the line between the ball and the middle of the goal. Against a wing shooting from near the side line, stand close to the near post.
3. Saves: high shots with the hands and arms; low shots with a leg shot out towards the corner, the arm on the same side following down. Inside the goal area you may use any part of your body, including your feet.
4. Start the attack: after a save, look up at once and throw quickly to a wing who is already running.

When the ball goes over the goal line outside the goal after touching the goalkeeper or an attacker, the goalkeeper restarts with a goalkeeper throw from inside the goal area. The goalkeeper may leave the goal area, but not while holding or dribbling the ball, and teammates may not pass back to her while she is inside it.

Worked example

The opponents' right wing has the ball close to the side line, near your goal line. Your goalkeeper, Umutoni, is standing in the middle of the goal.

Decision. Umutoni should move to the near post and cover it with her arm and leg. From such a narrow angle, the shooter can see little of the far side of the goal, so the near post is the main danger.

5The session (about 40 minutes)

Warm-up (8 minutes). Jog and side-step; dynamic stretches for the legs, hips and shoulders. Goalkeepers add leg swings, hip circles and deep lunges, then catch tennis balls or soft balls thrown to each side.

Positions walk-through (6 minutes). Six attackers take the spots in Figure 3. Pass the ball round from left wing to right wing and back, with the pivot moving along the 6 m line. Then rotate: every player takes a new position.

Goalkeeper corners (6 minutes). In pairs, one goalkeeper and one thrower with a soft ball. The thrower calls a corner and throws gently to it; the goalkeeper saves and returns to her stance. Swap after 10 throws.

Class game (16 minutes).

• Seven a side, or five a side on a smaller court. Two halves of 8 minutes: a class adaptation of the official 25-minute youth halves.
• Each half starts with a throw-off from the centre: the thrower has one foot on the centre line, teammates stay in their own half, and opponents stand at least 3 m away until the whistle. After a goal, the team that conceded takes the throw-off.
• Instructions from the teacher, for example: "attack from your positions"; "pass at least four times before a shot"; "defend in a 6–0 wall".
• Change goalkeeper at half-time. Students not playing act as referees, timekeeper and scorer.

Cool-down (4 minutes). Walk, stretch for 20 seconds each, and name one instruction your team followed well.

6Safety and fair play

• Defenders may use their body to block an attacker from the front, but pushing, holding, tripping and hitting are fouls.
• Contact from behind on a player running in on a counter-attack is dangerous and is punished with a red card. If it stops a clear chance to score, the attackers also get a 7-metre throw.
• Goalkeepers should wear long trousers and long sleeves on a hard floor.

Practice

Solution. The centre back, the playmaker.

Solution. On the 6 m line among the defenders. The pivot blocks defenders to open gaps and can receive the ball very close to goal.

Solution. A goalkeeper throw, from inside the goal area.

Solution. Your team takes a throw-off from the centre, with one foot on the centre line, after the referee's whistle.