Two-minute timeout because someone's getting treatment. You're just standing around, looking at the stands, thinking about your maths exam tomorrow. Throw-off – and you're not in the game yet. The first ball goes right past you.
Why breaks can be risky
Focus is like a light you have to keep switching on. During breaks, it switches off by itself. That's normal. The important thing is to have a switch to turn it back on.
Your switch in three steps
- Move: Take a few steps, jump briefly – body first.
- Look: Where is my opponent? What's the score? Who has the ball?
- Task: One word for the first action after the throw-off.
30 secExercise
Look outwards
When: When you only listen to yourself or look towards the stands – between two plays or before the throw-off.
- 1Find a fixed point: goal crossbar, line, ball.
- 2Look at him for 3 seconds without judging.
- 3Widen your view: where are my teammates?
- 4Define the first action.
Out of the game
After the timeout, score 22:22. The pivot bounces twice, catches the eye of the centre back, and tells herself "Screen." The first play runs through her.
Remember this
Switch on again after every break: move, look, one word.