Netball Shooting: Accuracy vs Attempts

You've sweated up a storm on the court and it's the end of the 4th quarter.  After shooting 100% over the course of the game, you're feeling pretty proud of yourself and skip off the netball court.  Congratulations, a perfect shooting record is a wonderful thing!
However there is a difference between only shooting 8/8 goals and shooting 32/32 goals over 60 minutes of netball.   If you're shooting 8/8 goals are you being an effective netball shooter?
The old adage is "Quality over quantity" but to be an asset in your team ensure that both your quality (accuracy) and quantity (attempts) are both at high levels.  Hey, who said this netball shooting caper was easy?
Generally speaking, each game you should look at setting goals which encourage you to:

• Shoot with at least 75% accuracy
•  Aim for at least 8 attempts per quarter.

Naturally there are quite a few variables to consider when looking at your shooting stats, which may effect the number of attempts you make each match:

• There are two shooters in the circle, are you both sharing the shooting role evenly?   If your netball team has taken a strategy where the GS is a holding shooter, the GS will have more attempts than the GA who is running around playing almost a mid-court role.  NZ used this effectively in the past when Irene Van Dyk was the main GS – she would pop up 50 attempts per game and her GA would attempt 15 shots.
• The strength of the opposition – sometimes getting the ball into the goal third can be a struggle, let alone the goal circle, hence the low number of attempts.
• The pace of the game? Is it a high scoring/ low scoring match, filled with turnovers?

These are some of the variables, but as a netball shooter it is your JOB to do anything you can to put points on the board for your team.  If you're wearing a GS or GA bib remember that "You miss 100% of the shots you never take."
In training matches aim to mix up your shot location. You need to practise your mid to long-range shooting so when the pressure hits during a big game you'll have confidence to shoot the ball Up and In!  Always remember to follow your shots in for the rebound.
You want quantity and you want quality:  Shooting 24/36 goals is MUCH better than shooting 12/12.