How to teach girls to slide?

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Jan 24, 2011
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Apparently , sliding doesnt come as naturally to girls as it does to boys (I dont ever remember anyone teaching me how to do it.) So , what techniques do you guys use to teach sliding to your teams? What are your main coaching points? BTW, my team is a
14u team.
 
Oct 19, 2009
1,827
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I start with the kids on all fours, the palms flat on the ground, feet flat on the ground Rear end sticking up. Then they kick their legs between their arms and throw their hands up over their shoulders, left leg straight out and the right leg tucks under the body. I have them do it on the infield dirt and you can also do it on a slick wood floor, as long as mom and dad are ok it. Then we have a slip and slide party and practice sliding on the slip and slide. That usually gets them started in the right path.
 
Oct 23, 2009
967
0
Los Angeles
Sliding mats (foam pad with thick sheet on the top which moves with the player) are very helpful when teaching girls how to slide. Some of the keys to basic sliding are a) lots of speed; b) bend one knee (probably left knee for righty); c) you can have the girls hold plastic water bottles in their hands so they keep them up (i.e. hands not dragging on the mat or ground when sliding), d) the bulk of their weight should be cushioned by their bum and back, not their bent knee, so they need to learn fto slide leaning far back.

Once they get comfortable sliding on the mat, have them slide into home plate (not initially at 2B or 3B because of the hard bag). It takes lots of practice to time the slide just right so they don't slide too early or they slide too late. Once they are comfortable sliding at home plate, move on to 2B & 3B.

By the way, never too early to teach kids how to slide. I remember when my DS was in t-ball (5YO) the coaches taught all of the kids to slide. They loved it. With 14 YO girls, I see where you might be apprehensive to slide if they have not done it before. Good luck, make it fun, and practice this skill a lot! Of course there are more advanced techniques such as "slide bys", "pop-up slide" and "head first slides" but only once they have mastered the basics.

Forgot to mention: they should wear sliding shorts or softball pants and a knee pad. The last thing you want happen is they get injured and will not want to slide.

Peppers brings up a good point, you can demostrate on the ground the position they should be in when sliding.
 
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Nov 8, 2010
90
6
Slip n Slide!

IMO no better way to introduce sliding to the younger players! just break out the slip n slide on a hot day and watch what happens! You obviously have to spend a little time discussing and demonstrating the technique - which you can do fairly quickly and then let them try it! For the players that still aren't comfortable you can have a coach stand on either side of the slide and the players grabs their hands while getting into the sliding positions...bonus is this also teaches them to keep their hands up.

Inside - best option is the shutt sliding matt. a little expensive but about as good as gets for inside practice.

Outside - we have used the cardboard idea both in the grass and on the dirt.
 
Nov 5, 2009
549
18
St. Louis MO
My DD started with the slip n slide as well. Dalton Ruer at Cross Training Softball has a good series of DVDs on teaching the short game. One of them deals specifically with sliding and diving.
 
Apr 25, 2010
772
0
Use two sheets of cardboard in grass outside . Then do the same thing in the dirt. Get them over the fear of sliding.

This is what we did. It also helps if one the girls has a younger sibling who loves to slide. Have the sibling come to sliding practice. It kind of "shames" the older ones into really trying hard. I know it sounds bad, but it works. I promise. My 12yo is proof. The summer before last, she would not slide. Not for love nor money. Then her little sister started sliding all over the place just to "one up" her big sister. Well, big sister couldn't have that and now she's a sliding fool!
 
Jun 24, 2009
311
0
Apparently , sliding doesnt come as naturally to girls as it does to boys (I dont ever remember anyone teaching me how to do it.) So , what techniques do you guys use to teach sliding to your teams? What are your main coaching points? BTW, my team is a
14u team.

The easiest way is just find one or two older girls that know how to slide correctly. You would be amazed what a team can learn in fifteen minutes.
 
Oct 3, 2011
3,478
113
Right Here For Now
Another suggestion for indoors: Go to a local lumberyard or large box store like Lowes and get 3 of the 4x8 sheets of 1" thick insulation foam board. Lay two of them down side by side with the shiny side up. Sprinkle with baby powder. Lay second sheet down with the shiny side down directly in the middle of the first two. Have the girls slide on the top piece of foam board. It offers some cushion and the foam boards slide easily; especially with the baby powder. The kids have a blast on this.

As noted above, arms and hands should be up. I teach my girls to make fists and put them flat on their chests and pretend their elbows are wings to keep the elbows, wrists and hands off the ground. Also, their toes need to point straight up towards the sky so they don't catch a cleat and break an ankle.
 
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