Have you ever been given the WD bib and rolled your eyes? Coaches, do you put your weakest player there? Well think again folks! Good ol' Wing D, as I like to call it, is a vital position and its importance is often significantly disregarded by most.
Playing predominately in the position of GK, let me tell you, the work of the WD definitely does not go unnoticed on me! This underrated position makes or breaks the defence end, and I was recently reminded of this, having played with a phenomenal WD. The work she did out front, made a major difference to how the defence end functioned as a whole. It was remarkable (and you can bet that I most definitely made sure she knew of her impact).
To put it simply, (and I mean simply), the main role of the Wing Defence is to shut down the Wing Attack - BUT this is a classic example of the old adage - 'easier said than done'. For when you have a good look at all the work this position has to do, it is a wonder that one has time to breathe.
Let's have a read through some of my rapid-fire WD instructions:
"STICK. LIKE. GLUE. You're a tagger! Apply pressure and chase all game. Defend all attacking moves of the WA - at the centre pass, around the goal circle and throughout the centre and goal thirds. Be annoying! Apply pressure with one-on-one defence. Limit the amount of possessions the WA has per game. Hands up over the pass! Hands up! Hands up! Block the vision of the passer and force it high, to create intercept opportunities. Stay in play. Force the WA to adjust their game and expose their weaknesses. Keep them off the circle edge – be between the thrower and the circle. Always. Force them to the pockets and go for intercepts. Be ready to pounce along the circle edge. Outside arm. Confuse the space. Great defensive work from YOU, the WD, significantly reduces the pressure and workload of the GD and GK. Wink and send secret messages to C at centre passes and switch players when necessary. Around the circle edge, communicate to your defenders - you are their eyes. All four positions MUST work together to create a stronger defensive unit. Go for intercepts – have a go – keep up the pressure! Always recover quickly to defend the space. Mix it up! Sag back into the goal third and pick up the shooter as she comes out. Be ready at all times to pick up any tips or deflections created by the circle defenders and be ready to change quickly from defence to attack, create space and play a supporting back up role for the attackers down court."
Got all that?! What a ninja huh?! I'm sure you can agree, they most certainly tend to fly under the radar, and not get the praise they deserve.
So, next time someone hands you the Wing D bib, remember, its an honour!
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