how to slide

[coach boots]

what is the best way to teach young girls how to slide many of these girls have never played before. Is it better to do it on the outfield grass or do you just put them on the hard gravel infield we play on. Any ideas drills would help.

 

[fastpitch]

I taught my DD on a slip & slide one summer. If you don't have one of those Schutt sliding mats I've also used exercise mats on the ground and they slid onto them in just their socks.

One thing at the younger ages is try to go slow and let them get comfortable. Try not to let them get scratched or it to be unpleasant. Definitely have them wear sliding pants or sliding pads when trying on the infield (or even grass). If they get hurt you will probably not be able to get them sliding again soon. Also teach them the position they end up in before you try to make them slide. good luck!

 

[Coach Al]

I learned in a clinic to make a game of it. Tell them that you are playing pioneers west and tell them they are all covered wagons. Have them take off their shoes and have them make a big circle on the grass. Have them do the crab walk( that's butt down) and move it the circle like wagons getting ready to camp. Have them stop and tuck one leg under the other leg in a figure 4. You tell them that it is the tong that the oxen are attached to. Now tell them how the pioneers were very happy to camp so they will throw their hands over their heads and yell whoppie! Have the start doing the crab faster and when you yell camp they set up their "tongs" as fast as they can and yell whoppie! Next you can have them do it from a standing position. I don't know if this is clear, but I use it with the younger ones and it works. From there you can go on to other drill.

 

[shockcoach]

I water the grass down her in the PNW, if it isn't already raining the day of sliding practice. We then go over the figure four position with them. I also want their hands up off the ground so their arms, hands or fingers don't get hurt. We accomplish this by handing them two bottle of water to hold during their slide. Then we line them up and start making some mud. I've also found that it's nice courtesy to let the parents know you're doing some sliding practice so they can bring them some change of clothes or extra towels/blankets to line the seats of their car with.

 

[Coach Lia]

For beginners, make it as fun as possible. One way is to wet the outfield grass where they will be sliding. Another would be using water slides you put at the garden. This will remove any fear they might have and they will find it a fun activity.

Make sure to teach them in detail on what to do. Most important is to teach them not to slow down and start with sliding without standing

 

[Hitter]

We start by teaching them how to slide by picking the foot they choose to put under them.

Two parents hold a pipe about 4 feet long and the player holds onto the pipe and swings under it to the ground. As they swing they fold one leg ( they choose which one ) and sit on their butt cheeks and then let go of the pipe and keep their hand up.

This is another important teaching point as to where the hands are held. This controls their balance and weight distribution as to the pressure and sliding quickly or if the hands are straight over their head it will slow them down. They can feel it them self by simply sitting there with the leg they choose to put under them and them move both outstretched arms rearward and they will change their center of gravity and they will see and feel their leg and foot rise up and more weight being transferred to their butt and upper body.

Finding that balance point is important in building their confidence to slide. Keep working them sliding using the bar until they get comfortable doing it. We like to use a gym floor and even when first using the bar have them do it without their shoes on as the shoes will grab or stick on the surface and they will not feel smooth doing it.

While they are on the ground we point out to them IF the knee is locked out they stand a good chance of hurting the ankle, knee or hip, so we encourage them to flex the knee when sliding into the bag. I will gently kick the foot so they feel the jolt of the knee when done incorrectly.

Then we take the opportunity to show them the pop up slide with the knee flexed and then moving the arms forward to shift their weight and we grab their hand and up they come.

Building confidence is very important as this is one of the major reasons for knee and and ankle injuries especially for females.

Now for phase two...the players have sweet pants on and fluffy socks and they stuff their pants legs into the top of the socks.

They line up and go under the bar first and we pull them up and they run and slide on their own to a small desk type plastic garbage can.

I have used this technique for many years and no one has ever been injured while trying it this way.

Before long they look like human hockey pucks on ice and see how far they can slide.

Take the time to point out most of the people that get hurt favor one hip over the other and are not sliding on both butt cheeks and the foot is not under the outstretched knee.

Point out the hip area raspberries and sides of the leg as to why it happens.

We use a similar method for diving back to the bag and diving for the ball.

Thanks Howard

 

[Mike]

Dalton ruer has a couple sliding videos that are pretty good, you can find him on here and pm him. He doesn't charge and arm and leg and I found them useful. We started them the way howard explained, but first we have them sit crossed legged and then tell them to stick there top leg out, not all will be the same. Shockcoach mentioned having them hold water bottles. We have them hold eggs in both hands, have only broken a few and they think its fun.

Mike