OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE STRATEGIES IN HANDBALL DURING THE TRANSITION PHASE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF EXPERIENCED COACHES

ABSTRACT

The aim of this work was to map counterattack and defensive return strategies adopted by four experienced handball coaches, whose speeches were tabulated, analyzed and interpreted based on the Collective Subject Discourse (CSD) technique. The DSC showed that coaches exploit the counter-attack strategy when possible and consider some relevant aspects such as early and systematic departure of the players (to the counterattack) and press when the opponent recovers the ball and the anticipated return of the players (the defensive return). Have been suggested four operational principles of counterattack (ball control, search for free zones, search for numerical and spatial advantages, throwing from favorable zones) and four defensive return (pressure on the ball possessor, early returns, protection of more effective zones, organization of the defensive system). The identification of those operational principles of the transition phase can guide the specific training process.

Keywords:
Sport pedagogy; Handball; Transition phase; Strategy.