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.

 

[briand]

We have a mat out in the grass with a base at the end. It is a sheet that you would hang in a shower so it is pretty slick. The girls have to take their cleats off but they seem more willing to slide with it.

 

[Ade's Dad]

We use a large piece of cardboard on the grass . The easiest way to teach is find an older girl that can slide properly . The girls will be sliding good in about 5 minutes,but if you dont have that resource here is a link that describes the basic proper method as i understand it.
Softball: sliding, couple steps, youth softball

 

[jinjet95]

When my daughter was 9, her team learned to slide using a slip-n-slide and mud. Now that she's 13, mud sliding day at the high school camp is still her favorite. I thought I'd share our favorite picture.

 

[CoachKevin]

What I have done is explain what a propper slide looks like. Those that didn't know how to slide went over to the side with 2 coaches. The 2 coaches would support the player under her armpit and do a few walk throughs on how to place the legs. Then they progressively got faster and faster until the girl can feel what she needs to do. Typically within 15 minutes they are sliding on their own. Then we work on the finer details after they aren't afraid anymore.