How to Drive Into Space in Netball

Driving into space — a lead, in coaching terms — is the simplest way to get free: a sharp, explosive run into open court to receive the pass. World Netball's coaching material calls the straight lead "a simple movement but a very effective one": timed perfectly, it can be extremely difficult to defend.

Two basic leads

• Straight lead. You decide the exact moment to go, then move with strong, explosive steps directly towards the thrower. The defender can only guess when and where you'll run.
• Diagonal lead. You drive on an angle to the free side — away from your defender. Take off from your outside foot to drive out on the angle quickly.

Land on the outside foot

When leading to the right or left, land on your outside foot as you catch. Leading diagonally to the right, land on the right foot; leading to the left, the left. That lets you pivot on the outside foot and turn away from the defender (see how to pivot and how to land).

Choose the right space

World Netball's coaching card asks: how often do you see a player lead straight at the player with the ball, or into a group of other players? Before moving, look ahead for spaces that are free of other players, and take account of where your teammates are. The aim is to balance the court, not overload one area — see how to create space.

Before a lead, World Netball's manual suggests considering:

• the spaces available;
• where you're starting from in relation to your defender and teammates;
• the timing of the movement;
• whether the space is so limited you need a preliminary movement — a dodge or a move away — to create it first.

Timing

Timing is what makes a lead work. Start it when the defender least expects it, and when the passer is ready: World Netball's material notes that the thrower has to choose the exact moment to release the pass, or even a well-timed run won't link with the ball. Arrive too early and the defender has time to recover.

Timing is also easily thrown off by pressure, stress or anxiety, so practise it in conditions that feel like a match, not just unopposed.

Change of pace

A lead doesn't have to be a flat-out sprint from the start. A change of pace — walking or jogging, then exploding — upsets the defender's rhythm. If they commit to your first movement, a sudden change of speed forces them to readjust, and that's when you accelerate away (see change of direction).

How to practise

Start with a passer and a receiver: the receiver leads straight, then diagonally to each side, landing on the outside foot each time. Add a defender, then a second attacker so the receivers have to balance the space between them. Centre pass tactics shows how leads are combined into set plays.

Sources

All information on this page is given to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing (October 2026), after referring to the official sources below.

• World Netball: Foundation Coaching Manual — "Attacking Skills": straight and diagonal leads, timing and change of pace.
• World Netball: Foundation Coaching Cards 3, 4 and 5 — leads, getting free, timing and space awareness.