Korfball drill: intercepting the ball in defence

In short: exercise to teach the defender to intercept balls.

Organisation: Three teams with a ball near a basket. There are two attackers who stand still, and one defender.

a ) Attacker A1 throws the ball to A2. Defender V defends A2 and tries to interrupt the ball being passed to her. She can see from the attitude, the behaviour or even from the eyes of A2, that the ball is approaching. By raising one or both arms, she tries to block the ball. After, for example, 10 attempts she changes her position. In this section the basket is not used yet. Attackers A1 and A2 must play along, especially in the beginning they must let the defender intercept the ball one or more times.

b ) As a., but now the defender turns around as soon as she feels the ball coming towards her, and she tries to intercept. This method involves much more risk, and is therefore usually less suitable, although I know korfball players who can make life incredibly difficult for the attackers in this way.

c ) As a., but now A2 moves slightly back and forth. How often does the defender succeed in hitting or catching the ball?

d ) Like c. The defender now clearly chooses one side. She e.g. constantly looks over her left shoulder to try and prevent the ball from being passed to her.

e ) As d., but now over the other side.

f ) As d., but the defender switches sides all the time (she stands a little differently each time, and looks over her left and right shoulder alternately).

g ) We get the baskets. A1 is standing under the basket to indicate, A2 is standing some 8 metres in front of the basket (but within shooting distance). Defender V is in front of A2. A1 plays the ball to A2, who -if she receives the ball at least- releases a shot. The defender's task is to intercept the ball, or at least to make sure that A2 cannot receive the ball.

h ) Like g., but now A2 is also allowed to move backwards and forwards, giving the defender less time to adjust to the ball.

i ) Like h. We make it a game. Announcer A1 and 'striker' A2 try to score as many goals as possible by playing well together. Each goal earns a point for A2. Defender V gets the assignment to get hold of the ball. By intercepting the ball she too can score points. Who scores the most points? V or A2?

j ) In part i. attacker A2 will be able to take advantage of a very 'ball-loving' defender, and because of that be able to make a walkthrough quite often. This becomes more difficult now: the defender is instructed to try to intercept every now and then, and for the rest to 'just' defend. Furthermore as i. How many goals can the attacker make now and how often does V intercept the ball?