Change of Direction in Netball
The footwork behind changing direction sharply in netball: body position, deceleration and re-acceleration.
A sharp change of direction relies on lowering your centre of gravity, decelerating under control on the outside foot, and driving hard off that foot in the new direction — it's the footwork foundation underneath dodges, cuts and defensive marking.
Every dodge, cut and defensive recovery in netball comes down to the same underlying skill: changing direction quickly and under control.
Technique
Lower your centre of gravity as you approach the change of direction, bending the knees and hips rather than staying upright. Decelerate on the outside foot relative to your new direction, plant it firmly, and drive off it explosively into the new line of movement. The lower and more controlled the deceleration, the sharper and faster the resulting change of direction.
Why it underpins so much
Dodging, front and back cuts, and defensive recovery all depend on the same core movement pattern — a fast, controlled change of direction. Players who struggle to get open or to stay with an attacker often have a technical gap here rather than a lack of pace in a straight line.
Deceleration matters as much as acceleration
Many players focus training time on top speed, but the skill that actually determines how sharp a change of direction looks is how well you can decelerate under control first. A player who can stop and redirect quickly will consistently look "sharper" than one who is simply faster in a straight line.
Where it shows up defensively
Change of direction isn't only an attacking skill — a defender who can change direction quickly stays with a dodging or cutting attacker far more effectively than one relying purely on straight-line speed. See how to defend for how this connects to marking.
Practising it
Cone drills, ladder work and reactive shuttle runs — where a coach or partner signals the direction at the last moment — build this skill more directly than straight-line sprinting alone.
Coaching points
- Isolate deceleration as its own skill in training — many young players can accelerate well but decelerate poorly, which limits how sharp their change of direction can be.
- Use cone or ladder drills to build the footwork pattern before adding a ball or an opponent.
- Emphasise a low, athletic body position through the whole movement, not just at the point of the turn.