by Carissa Johnson

Created on: July 10, 2009

Sliding is a very important skill for girls to learn when playing softball, especially at a higher level. It improves their confidence and threat to the opposing team, and increases their chances of a safe, successful game.

Proper Form-From Head to Toes

There is a right way and a few wrong ways to slide feet-first. The wrong ways include sliding with neither or both of the feet extended; encourage kids not to slide on their knees like a rock star or treat it like a Slip-and-Slide.This is unsafe and she should not joke around with it.

Allow me to walk you through each part of the body, then I will explain the entire motion from start to finish.

The most common way to teach athletes how to position their legs is the "figure 4." One foot should be tucked behind the opposite knee when going down, forming a number 4. It does not necessarily matter which foot goes where; typically this doesn't depend on what hand they throw with. Encourage her to do whatever feels most comfortable and instinctive.

The hands should never make impact with the ground; it is too easy to injure fingers or wrists this way. The athlete's arms should be up in the air above her head during the slide. This is often difficult, as it is instinctive to cushion the impact on her rear with her hands, but if you must, have her hold a bat in her hands and keep it in the air until she gets it. For younger girls, a light stick would be slightly safer.

The head should not hit the ground; the athlete should be mostly on her back with her head slightly elevated. Never should her upper and lower body make anywhere near a 90 degree angle.

The Action

The slide should start at a distance from the base or plate slightly larger than the athlete's height. If she slides too soon, she probably won't make it. If she over-slides and jams her leg against the base, she is susceptible to dangerous injury. It may take a while to get the timing down for herself, but soon it will be instinctive. When she nears this distance, she should kick out her leading (straight) leg and let the momentum take her to her rear gently, forming the figure 4 with her legs. Demonstrate a few times and allow her to practice until she is confident in the initial impact with the ground, which sounds threatening at first. She should put her hands up and lean back when she hits the ground and she will slide gracefully into the bag, avoiding the incoming tag.

Preparation for the Big Time

A special sliding pad can be used to teach girls to slide, or just a piece of cardboard that will slide with her on the grass. Build confidence and technique here before you take her to a real base. Practice sliding with bases, as home plate does not give a good gauge as to where her foot would stop on second or third base.

Equipment

When teaching girls to slide, it is very important that they wear equipment suited for their task. Kneepads designed specifically for sliding are a must-have, as well as compression shorts. Knee-high socks are often worn in softball and prevent scraping of the shins. Softball cleats are also very important, as they prevent slipping on the dirt. However, be extremely careful when sliding with metal spikes on the bottoms of the cleats; the metal gets caught in the dirt easily and I have seen too many high school varsity and college level girls catch their cleats and end up with a sprained ankle or a twisted knee. In a game-situation sliding practice, helmets are required, as always.

Sliding is a fun part of softball, and if you can get your girls to enjoy it, they all will be able to be safe on base more often, make close calls more inclined toward them in the umpire's mind, and in the long run, win more games. Happy sliding!

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