Watch
First thing is to always keep your eye on the ball throughout the game. Watch the players is a second skill you need to develop, but your main objective is to know where the ball is at all times and to anticipate where it will be passed by judging the distance and its speed. High balls which are thrown at a distance, offer the best opportunity to be able to cover ground.
Keep your focus on how the ball bounces off the ring when a shot is made and where it goes which is dependent on where it makes contact.
Space
Try and get as close to your opponent as you can, and make them work for every ball. Hassling can be a very useful technique in this sport.
By filling the spaces in the goal circle, the player is able to create excellent opportunities for carrying out the technique of hassling. Players should use their outside arm.
Fast Feet
Agility and speed are vital to a defender. These skills are often associated with people who are not very tall. However, if you players are short, then they should spend some time practicing their ups. More important than height in this position is maneuverability.
Ups Practice
If a player is not tall, they should practice their leaping skills which are important in developing muscles that will help them jump higher. This will make their intercepting and assaulting shot goals much easier.
Position
Placing oneself where you expect the action to be will allow you to be in right position to cut off an incoming pass. A player, by being aggressive and going full force ahead for these opportunities makes attackers uncertain, which leads to errors.
Reaction
Players need to keep on your toes, figuratively and literally. Staying flat-footed tends to slow you down.
Chat
If something seems to be important to your teammates, make sure to call it out when the play is down the court. As all the other defenders are focused on their opponent and where the ball is, they do not really comprehend what is
happening on your side of the court.
General Tips
A fact is that players who are tall goal shooters are often lazy. Use it to your advantage.
Practice
Surprise: Try and actually practice goal shooting by performing defensive drills regularly. It becomes a reflexive exercise and helps you hone your attacking, reaction, rebounding, as well as hand-eye coordination skills.