[WestMichBlue]

I don’t have a problem with the pitching distances, which advance from 35’ to 43’ as the pitcher gains physical strength and ability. Note that batters have shortened the pitching distance by as much as 5’ by crowding the front of the box; if they aren’t concerned, why move the pitcher back? Improved batting skills are closing the gap between pitchers and batters. I don’t see a high school team worth it’s salt that doesn’t have at least one .500+ batter, and many have two. My granddaughter, a shrimp of a girl with no power, still batted over .300 at JV ball.

If anything, you might shrink the circle from 16’ dia to 14’ and not allow the stride foot to land completely outside it. This would cut down on the big push and probably minimize the illegal (or perceived illegal) actions associated with it. May be a moot point as more younger pitchers are going away from the long leap ‘n drag style in favor of a more controlled pitching motion. (Which is a further indication they can no longer overpower the hitters and must focus more on position and movement of the ball.)

I agree with Mike on allowing a step back. NFHS allows it; ASA does for Men and JO Boys; time for ASA to allow it for the girls. IMO, the ASA rule is cause for many of the leaping issues. With both feet tied so close to each other (4” apart), the ASA pitcher tends to drive her body up and out for the forward drive. The HS pitcher, starting from behind the plate, tends to drive her body forward (level, more than up).

A simple wording change and minor modifications can eliminate all the Illegal Pitch confusion.

1. Crow Hop – Go with NFHS definition that CH is a re-plant of the pitching foot. The ASA “re-push” just confuses the issue. Then get the timing right! The ISF has it right; a CH occurs when the pivot foot replants before the stride foot breaks contact with the plate. (Or, if we allow the step back, then “before the stride foot passes over the plate.”) Modify ASA 6.3.h and NFHS 6.2.c with “Replanting the pivot foot prior to the stride foot passing over the plate is illegal.” Then you can throw away all the POE junk on CH. This is simple and does not require much judgment. If the pitcher picks up her pivot foot and puts it back down, you can see it from almost anywhere on the field and you can call it.
2. Leap. Right Mike, legalize it. Use the Men’s rule requiring toe down. Simple to call. If we also shorten the pitching circle, the leap will become inconsequential.
3. Stride foot outside the 24” length. This is one we umpires must really start calling. Younger and younger pitchers are driving way outside and throwing the screwball pitch back into the batter. I recommend parallel chalk lines defining the 24” width bisecting the 14’ circle. While they will quickly get rubbed out where the stride foot is landing, enough will be left at the front and back of the circle to provide sight lines from home and 2B to visually line up where the stride foot is landing.

The KISS theory as applied to softball pitching rules.

WMB