Kai What do you think the strongest merit of sliding is?

Cliff Unquestionably the strongest merit of sliding is the incredible safety advancements sliding provides for those who skate. There wouldn't be any serious skaters near my age without the use of slider gloves and the techniques they allow.

Kai Where did you get the idea for the slide clinics?

Cliff I've been teaching anyone interested for over 25 years. I saw so many needless injuries, something had to be done. It wasn't until recently however that I decided to teach clinics on a professional basis. I had been through the gamut of sponsors and most often I them left unsatisfied. The sponsors never seemed to beleive in my ideas or sliding. If they said they were interested, they would say that the time isn't right at the moment. It was difficult to trust many of them so I decided to run my own programs. This way, I don't worry about fattening the wallet of someone else who uses my ideas without properly compensating me.

Kai How many have you done?

Cliff I've taught countless individuals how to slide. As far as the clinics go, I started with a grass-roots clinic for the readers at "ncdsa.com", about five or six years ago. Then after trying unsuccessfully to get together with a past sponsor to promote sliding, I went on my own. I talked to those who were interested at the 2003 World Slalom Skateboard Championships. It didn't take long before I was on a flight to the UK! Michael Stride helped greatly in organizing the trip. He hooked me up with the guys at "Lush Long Boards", from Sheffield, UK. They organize many free rides and invited me to the Spring session. It was at the Lush Festival that I held a slide clinic for riders who wished to remain after the free ride. It was such a success that I longed to return for another visit. First, I had to travel to Australia for a three week job down under. I took my board with me and stayed an extra week to skate and teach those who needed help with slide techniques. Three days after my return from Australia, I was back on a plane to the UK again. This trip took me to St. Albans for a weeks stay with the crew at "Essence". They are my clothing sponsor and great sliders. Pete Connley who owns Essence won the last slopestyle/slide contest we had at the Falmouth clinic. St. Albans is beautiful and the people are great! Falmouth is in Cornwall and that's where the Falmouth slide crew is located. It is also where Jon Warburton lives. He helped along with the Falmouth crew is organizing the slide clinic there. Jon also put me up for my time in Cornwall. Thanks to all who helped on my trips! The students are loving the clinics, the following contests, and the eventual parties we have. Even now in the early stages of scheduling and running these clinics, it amazes me how the entire scene is going off! There is a huge list growing of those who want me to run clinics in their home towns.

Kai Where will the next ones take place?

Cliff Currently I'm about to take a vacation and travel to Costa Rica. Two weeks of surfing in the middle of our Winter is going to be great. After my return, around the end of January, I will be running a clinic in San Luis Obispo, CA. I have also started getting ready to run another clinic in San Jose, CA for the riders of the Bay Area here in CA. Pat Chewning wants a clinic in Oregon and I should be trying to re-schedule one I couldn't make for those in Colorado last year. I am planning another clinic with Joe Lehm of "Timeship Racing", in Albuquerque, NM for this year also. This has been a grass roots effort so far, but I'll be working on my web-site as soon as I return from my vacation. In the plans is also another clinic or two in the UK again sometime this year. When the web-site is up and running, I will then have a calendar of events for all to check out. This will help greatly to schedule and run clinics for the many others who wish to have them in their area.

Kai Any idea how many people have been your slide students?

Cliff I truly have no idea how many riders I have taught to slide? At first I taught individuals, then more at the clinics. I know many have learned the techniques from articles, videos etc. More than any other factor, the internet has helped the growth of this slide movement. To be able to reach so many so easily is fantastic!

Kai What do you think the biggest slide hurdle is for most of your students?

Cliff Personal fears and mental blocks. Sliding is VERY easy to learn! The equipment is inexpensive. The sport is possible for all skaters to learn. We see students of all ages and both sexes. Once a student can ride, stand in a side stance, crouch down completely in a side/surf tuck, then they can learn to slide in minutes with the proper instruction.

Kai That thrasher article http://www.geocities.com/sk8sanjose/coleman_thrasher.jpg has anything changed in the way you teach the slide style? Do you still explain it the same way?

Cliff I am really happy with the article and the lessons printed within it! The only thing that has changed or is different is the definition of a "Layback" slide. What we used to call a Layback, is really a switch stance Coleman slide. A true Layback slide is a Coleman slide, but instead of using the downhill hand as the sliding hand, the rider places the uphill or trailing hand on the road surface when sliding. If any rider reads and follows the information in that article, they should be sliding in a short amount of time. I have all of my students read the article and send them home with a copy.

Kai Do you see slide contests in the USA like they have in Europe and Brazil as a possibility?

Cliff Sliding contests are here and will continue to grow in size and scope in the future. The first slide contest was organized by myself with the help of Don Bostic. This took place in about 1978. Don currently runs "World Cup Skateboarding". He runs the skateboard and snowboard competitions at the X-Games and many other international events.

I run two contests at each clinic. One for the new students after class and another for those who are more skilled. Sponsors have been great with schwag for the winners.

Kai If you choose to follow that line of questioning, What sort of judging criteria could be used what action could be taken on a grass roots level to start a sliding competition stateside?

Cliff It's good to have at least three judges. In any judged event, it's hard to get everyone to agree on what was the best performance. With three judges or more, it helps to assure a fair an acceptable score for each competitor. Each judge scores on a scale of 1 to 10. The scores are averaged and the winners are determined. In slide contests, we allow any deck, wheels, trucks and so far slide gloves/clothes etc. Each rider must have safety gear, ie, slide gloves, helmet and pads, both knee and elbow.

Kai Where do you see sliding going in the future?

Cliff Sliding is becoming it's own unique style of skateboarding. Just like Vert, Streetstyle, Freestyle and Racing, Sliding will apply to other styles of skateboarding, but will go on in it's own direction also. Sliding is not so costly for the television networks to cover. It takes less crew to cover and contests would be more cost effective to produce. This should lead to more video coverage and other coverage will take place also. The BBC is interested, many books have just been released covering the sliding scene, the latest being "Scarred for Life". Magazines are covering the sport. I see more of this as time goes by.

Cliff I will be hoping to help the Worlds Winter athletes improve their skills in the off-season by offering sliding as a cross-traing method. It's is a lot less expensive than traveling to the opposite hemisphere to train. Sliding a skateboard is very close to snowboarding, and sliding quad roller skates is like skiing on asphalt. Much more so than in-line skating. Snowboard and Ski associations, send me an e-mail!

Kai Who do you see besides yourself as a highly influential slider?

Cliff SERGIO YUPPIE! His featured part in Gravity's "Flow" video has inspired many around the world. Regarding others, the Brazilians and the UK riders are at the top of my current list of influential sliders. I plan on traveling to Brazil this year to run a "Cliff Coleman Downhill Slide Contest later this year".

Kai What slide gloves you using?

Cliff I use "Timeship Racing" slider gloves. I use UHMW slider pucks exclusively. The UHMW last for years.

Kai What are you riding as a slide deck?

Cliff Most freestyle sliders want a deck that is long enough to accomodate a shoulder width stance. They don't want too much extra length to try to spin and maneuver. It is also very important to have a kick tail at one or both ends. Racers equipment differs however. They like their decks a little longer and often don't have the kick tail. Freestyle sliders like hard wheels, 95 to 100 durometer. Racers will be found on wheels that are much softer. They would range between 75 and 85 durometer.

Kai In your travels with the sliding clinics and such, any sessions that stands out in your mind?

Cliff I love to travel and have enjoyed many sessions with many riders! The two trips to England were just awesome. The Lush crew is a great bunch of guys with great products and great areas to ride. The Essence crew doesn't quite have the geographical terrain that is up North of them, but they have a few good spots and the area where they live, St Albans, is fun to visit. Plus, they are the best people you will ever meet and I can't wait to get back on another trip. Cornwall, the Falmouth/Cornwall area has some of the best sliders and most exciting scenery anywhere. There riding abilities and the fact that they are such great hosts makes Falmouth a must for traveling sliders.

Kai What can someone do to get a sliding clinic set up?

Cliff By the time this article comes out, I should have my web-site up and running. Then it will be just a matter of scheduling. For now, any interested parties can e-mail me at: "Sk8fast at sbcglobal dot net".