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PopUp Quiz with Quips 'n' Quotes from this site.

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      Sliding is an important part of your offensive arsenal.  Learn to use it properly.  Always remember to relax when you slide.  The proper slide technique is with one leg tucked under the other forming a figure 4.  The outstretched leg should be slightly bent and above the ground about 6 inches, and your arms should be in the air with your fingers into fists.  Your back should be at a low angle to the ground, with your chin tucked down and eyes on the bag.  Start your slide about 8 to 10 feet before the bag, and don't slow down to slide.  Land on your thigh and butt, not your knee, and let your tagging knee relax as you slide to your foot.
     There are many types of slide.  The pop-up slide is used to continue moving, or at least be ready to, after the slide.  The hook slide is often used coming in to home, but can be used anytime you are trying to avoid a tag.  The head-first slide, because of it's high-percentage of injury, should only be done going back to a base, like in the case of a pitcher's pick-off move when you are taking a lead.
     Sliding allows you to run full speed at a base without overrunning it.  Don't jump into the slide.  Slide into it.  When you jump, your momentum is slowed as soon as you hit the ground.  You surely don't want the embarrassment of coming up short of the base. 
     When your lead foot reaches the base your lead knee bends to allow your butt to catch up. Don't let your foot lift off the bag until the umpire calls you safe and grants you timeout.  Remember you don't call timeout, you request it.  Time doesn't stop until the umpire or the rules indicate it does.
     You should be able to slide to either side of the bag.  When you slide it's harder to tag you out.  

Sliding Drills:  There are some good practice slides available, but, if your club can't afford them, a good size piece of cardboard will work just fine.  Refrigerator boxes can make excellent practice slides.  Certainly you would want to take your shoes off and put the cardboard in the outfield grass rather than the infield dirt, but this practice will save a lot of injuries for when you're ready to practice at the base or execute in a game.  The popup slide is not easy to practice on cardboard.

 Baseball builds character; be part of the construction crew.

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Last modified: December 05, 2002