Sliding Mats

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How many have a creative way of teaching sliding without doing it on the field and do not have a Schutt Slide Rite mat?
http://www.mysoftballcoach.com/softball-sliding-mat.html


We have used large sheets of cardboard and beach towels. Also have seen tumbling mats with tarps on them. Any other ways?

 

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The web link isn't working,
we use blankets in the hall way of my home, I ask the parents to do the same.

 

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link should be working now. Changed to a different one. Thanks! I like the hall way idea. My wife may not. We'll do it when she goes out to get us Gatorade!!

 

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We use those Gymnastic type Mats in the Gym. Players are required to wear Socks and Sweat Pants and not the Jogging or Warm-up type Pants
I have seen these actually melt those fabric's made of Nylon or Polyester during sliding practice.

Also remember to coat the Mats with Talc Powder, Baby Powder works
just as good ( Will need at least a couple Bottles) and this helps when the players are in the Figure 4 Slide, you will need to coat the Mats with Powder every so often as it will be wiped off after a few players slide.

We also use those large Dust Mop that the janitors use to clean up the Powder afterwards. Kinda messy but the players enjoy it, and the parents chip in to help with with the clean-up. This would work just as well outside with out the clean-up or in a garage, don't believe I would recommend it for inside a house. It's a Great thing to do on cold or rainy days.

Figure-4 Sliding Only!
Caution! The Gym Floor will becoming slippery when the Powder is applied to the mats and the players track it on the floor.

When it's hot in the Summer, I use a Slip & Slide for Sliding Practice the Team has a Blast! Remember to tell them to bring a change of clothes and a towel.

HAVE FUN!


FASTPITCH! Anything else, And you're playing to SLOW!

 

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This may seem mean but I taught my team that was 12 at the time to slide in about an hour.
have them wear long socks sliding shorts and shorts NO LONG PANTS
Have them slide on the gym floor NO SHOES.
it will not take long before they quit bouncing off the floor and glide smoothly

 

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thanks. I agree it can be a quick fundamental to teach.

 

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the fact they dont like the bouncing off the floor part is the key
It teaches them not to jump in the air and to go full speed smoothly
with a mat you dont feel the result of jumping

 

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This may seem mean but I taught my team that was 12 at the time to slide in about an hour.
have them wear long socks sliding shorts and shorts NO LONG PANTS
Have them slide on the gym floor NO SHOES.
it will not take long before they quit bouncing off the floor and glide smoothly

I remember playing basketball 30+ plus years ago, how is it you eleviate floor burns and lower back problems while the players are sliding on the floor? Sure would save me alot of extra work and clean-up.



FASTPITCH! Anything else, and you're playing to SLOW!

 

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Last summer we used the "slip and slide"...the girls loved that!

 

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Last summer we used the "slip and slide"...the girls loved that!

Nice, we'll steal that one for warmer days.

 

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Have used the two sheets of card board on top of each other. Plus we hold a bat between two coaches they must grip it and go rear down. We do not teach to slide on the side.

 

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Les

I used moving blankets and got on a hill off a flat. They would run across the flat and start downhill and slide into 2 moving blankets.

I had myself and another parent stretch out the 2 blankets each time.

Plenty of padding and easy to slide down hill. Worked on the legs being right.

Some of them took there shoes off to slide better.

The girls that are on the heavier side, made it comfortable for them learning this way.



Straightleg

 

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Sleeping bags are great. They give the slide a gently movement with the nylon side up.
Good luck!

 

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We teach the mechanics of the slide first by using a thunder stick bat (it is about .750 inches in diameter used for cage work)...two coaches hold the bat and the player puts both hands on the thunder stick and swings under the bat being held by the coaches. We have them choose which leg they prefer to put under them for the figure four slide first. As they begin to swing under the bar they put that leg under them and land on their butt evenly and then release their hands from the bar. We have them keep the hands held high and ask them to move their hands back further and in this position you will see their balance shift rearward and their outstretched leg begins to raise off the floor a little. We want them to understand how they can control their body as they are sliding. We then walk around to the front of them and gently kick their outstretched leg so they get the idea not to slide to the bag with a stiff leg otherwise it could result in ankle, knee or hip issues. We then offer them a hand up and say on three I am pulling you up as you have a flexed knee and if your momentum from sliding is sufficient you can do a pop up slide. Keep repeating this in my opinion before you attempt doing it even on the mats or whatever you are using until they get the idea. We did this with Laura Berg at the clinic in Oct. on astro turf.

We then progress to diving back to the bag using what we term a crawler move and then the hook slide.

 

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Howard,

"Foundation" first... I'll let you know how this goes.