Handball Practice 14 - Interaction of Back Position Players with the Pivot: Shifting, Screening, and Using the Russian Screen

The small group play of the back position players and the pivot is an important offense element in almost each age group. The basics of interacting with the pivot should already be established in the training of youth teams. Positioning and screening play an important role here. The first three training units in the book provide different options of interacting with the pivot.

With increasing age, the space for team play gets smaller. This leads to more challenging running paths for the back position players and higher requirements for the pivot’s screening.

Particularly in adult teams, the physical characteristics of the pivot play a role, too. The last training unit focuses on achieving positional advantages by positioning the physically stronger pivot next to a physically weaker defending player (mismatch).

The courses of each training unit are set up step by step and have numerous supporting notes.

JÖRG MADINGER, born in Heidelberg (Germany) in 1970

Since July 2012: A-License, DHB

Since February 2011: Handball club trainings, coaching (training and competitive areas)

November 2011: Foundation of the Handball Specialist Publishing Company (Handball Fachverlag) (handall-uebungen.de, Handball Practice and Special Handball Practice)

May 2009: Foundation of the handball online platform handball-uebungen.de

2008-2010: Youth coordinator and youth coach, SG Leutershausen (Germany)

Since 2006: B-License

Editor's note:
In 1995, a friend convinced me to join him in coaching a handball youth team (male, under 13 years of age).

This was the beginning of my career as a team handball coach. Ever since I enjoyed working as a coach and had high requirements concerning my exercises. Soon, the standard pool of exercises wasn't enough for me anymore and I started to modify and develop drills myself.

Today, I coach a broad range of youth and adult teams with different performance levels and adjust my training units to the individual needs of the teams.

A few years ago, I started selling my exercises and drills online at handball-uebungen.de. Since, in handball training, there is a tendency towards a general athletic training that focuses on coordination work - especially in the training of youth teams -, a large number of my games and exercises can be applied to other sports as well.

Get inspired by the various game concepts, be creative, and rely on your own experiences!