Softball drill
Figure four slide progression
Players learn the bent-leg, figure four slide sitting down: one leg tucked under the other knee, the front heel up, hands high and chin tucked, then lying back. It teaches the safe slide position before anyone runs into one.
At a glance
- Sport
- Baseball and Softball
- Skill
- Baserunning
- Ages
- 6U to 14U
- Players
- The whole team at once, in a row
- Time
- About 10 minutes
- Level
- Beginner
- Equipment
- Grass, smooth dirt or gym mats
- Indoors
- Yes
Most sliding injuries come from a handful of habits: putting a hand down, jamming the front foot into the ground, tucking the back foot under the seat, or letting the head snap back. This progression takes running out of it. Players sit on the ground and build the slide position piece by piece, so the coach can check every one of those details before any speed is added.
It is the first step of teaching sliding to any group, and a good refresher at the start of a season. The whole team does it at once in a row, and it fits on a gym floor with mats, on grass or on the infield dirt.
Setup
- Line the players up side by side, an arm's length or more apart, all facing the coach.
- Use grass, smooth dirt, or mats on a gym floor. Check the ground for rocks and holes first.
How to run it
- Players sit with both legs straight out in front of them.
- Each player bends one leg and tucks that foot under or behind the knee of the straight leg, making a figure four.
- Players lift the heel of the straight leg off the ground and pull the toes back toward the face.
- Players raise both hands high over the head and tuck the chin to the chest.
- On the coach's call, players lie back flat, keeping the hands up, the chin tucked and the heel off the ground. Then they sit up.
- Repeat with the other leg tucked, and let each player pick the side that feels natural. Do a few more reps on that side.
Coaching points
- The tucked foot goes under or behind the knee, not under the seat, where it can bruise the tailbone.
- Hands up high. Hands on the ground are how wrists and fingers get hurt.
- Chin to chest the whole time, so the head does not hit the ground when the player lies back.
- Front heel up and toes back, so the cleat skims the ground instead of digging in.
- Lie back on the seat and back, not on a hip.
Common mistakes
- Tucking the foot all the way under the seat.
- Putting a hand down to catch the fall.
- Letting the head drop back when lying down.
- Pointing the front toe down, so the heel and cleat would catch the dirt in a real slide.
Printable drill card
Take this drill to the field: the setup, steps, coaching points and equipment on one card, with the video's address to find it again. Free, no account needed.
Print the drill cardSmaller: half page or quarter page (PDF).
By age
Coach pitch and 10U
Make the hands-up part a game, like riding a roller coaster with both hands in the air. Keep the reps slow and check every player.
12U and 14U
Have players find their natural side early, then move on to a walk-through slide and the assisted sliding drill once the seated position is clean.
Next: Free wristband generator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which leg should a player bend in a figure four slide?
Whichever feels natural. Have every player try both sides sitting down and pick the one that is comfortable, then practice that side. Either leg is fine as long as the tucked foot sits under the other knee.
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