USA Softball Council Meetings

[Umpire@1]

Anyone heard anything from the USA Softball Council Meetings? Rule changes?

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by Umpire@1

Anyone heard anything from the USA Softball Council Meetings? Rule changes?

Can't answer about the meetings, but rumor has it that USA is going to change the Illegal Pitch penalty to just a ball on the batter (which will align with NCAA and NFHS).

I've also heard that they are going to allow the pitcher to do something with their stride foot. Either they'll allow the pitcher to get onto the plate to receive the signal with the stride foot touching or behind the plate (like NCAA and PONY are doing next year) or allow the pitcher to step back and then step forward while delivering the pitch (like NFHS). I've heard two different people say it's the latter, but until I see the actual rule language, I'm hedging my bets that it's the former.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by Manny A

Can't answer about the meetings, but rumor has it that USA is going to change the Illegal Pitch penalty to just a ball on the batter (which will align with NCAA and NFHS).

I've also heard that they are going to allow the pitcher to do something with their stride foot. Either they'll allow the pitcher to get onto the plate to receive the signal with the stride foot touching or behind the plate (like NCAA and PONY are doing next year) or allow the pitcher to step back and then step forward while delivering the pitch (like NFHS). I've heard two different people say it's the latter, but until I see the actual rule language, I'm hedging my bets that it's the former.

Wouldn't it be nice if any change has exactly the same wording, so there is no interpretation/application confusion?

[Big Slick]

Originally Posted by Manny A

Can't answer about the meetings, but rumor has it that USA is going to change the Illegal Pitch penalty to just a ball on the batter (which will align with NCAA and NFHS).

I've also heard that they are going to allow the pitcher to do something with their stride foot. Either they'll allow the pitcher to get onto the plate to receive the signal with the stride foot touching or behind the plate (like NCAA and PONY are doing next year) or allow the pitcher to step back and then step forward while delivering the pitch (like NFHS). I've heard two different people say it's the latter, but until I see the actual rule language, I'm hedging my bets that it's the former.

I guarantee that USA will not make any rule about the stride foot . . . now the NON-PIVOT FOOT.

Yes, I'm being that guy. NCAA is the only rule code that calls the non-pivot foot the "stride foot." USA/NFHS/WBSC use pivot foot and non-pivot foot.

Maybe, just maybe, there isn't two pitching preliminary rules now.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by Big Slick

Maybe, just maybe, there isn't two pitching rules now (meaning: there is only one pitching rule - no new rule was added, just the female rule deleted).

Is that just your hope, a proposal, or an actual change?

[Big Slick]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

Is that just your hope, a proposal, or an actual change?

I am not one to confirm or deny, but (insert wink here)

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by Big Slick

I guarantee that USA will not make any rule about the stride foot . . . now the NON-PIVOT FOOT.

Yes, I'm being that guy. NCAA is the only rule code that calls the non-pivot foot the "stride foot." USA/NFHS/WBSC use pivot foot and non-pivot foot.

I'm simply referring to the foot that the pitcher strides with. I'm not quoting what a particular rule book calls it. And, quite frankly, it's a misnomer to refer to that foot as the "non-pivot" foot because the pitcher can legally pivot with that foot during her delivery.

[Big Slick]

Originally Posted by Manny A

I'm simply referring to the foot that the pitcher strides with. I'm not quoting what a particular rule book calls it. And, quite frankly, it's a misnomer to refer to that foot as the "non-pivot" foot because the pitcher can legally pivot with that foot during her delivery.

USA defines the pivot foot as "(fast pitch)The foot which must remain in contact with the pitcher's plate prior to pushing off." (Rule 1 - pivot foot). The other foot is the "non-pivot foot", which is referred to in rule 6(a) 1 c 1 (6a 1 c 2 is now removed) and in rule 6 2 H and I. So yes, words do have meaning.

NCAA introduced the term "stride foot" a few years ago. I'm not sure when, but I see this as really just wanting to be different. Probably around the time when a pitcher "goofy-footed" and everyone wondered if that was legal.

As to your semantic word play, yes, a pitcher can "pivot" on the non-pivot foot, but not in any motion or definition of the pitch. The same way Ross pivots the couch going up the stairs.

[Big Slick]

The playing rule changes for USA Softball are now available:

https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball...-SB/Governance

Of note to this thread:

Rule 6A, Section 1C: Both feet must be on the ground within the 24-inch length of the pitcher’s plate. The shoulders shall be in line with first and third bases. The pitcher shall take a position with their pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate and their non-pivot foot in contact with or behind the pitcher’s plate.

Comment: Allows female pitchers to start with one or two feet on the pitcher’s plate. This aligns the male and female pitching rule as it relates to foot placement.

Rule 6A, Section 1E: The pitcher shall bring their hands together for not less than one second and not more than 10 seconds before releasing the ball. A backward step may be taken before, simultaneous with or after the hands are brought together. The pivot foot must remain in contact with the pitcher’s plate at all times prior to the forward step.

Comment: Allows female pitchers to take a backward step from the pitcher’s plate, before, during or after the hands are brought together. This aligns the male and female pitching rule as it relates to stepping back from the pitcher’s plate.

This is the same as the NFHS rule. However, this is different than 2020-2021 NCAA, which does not allow any movement backwards after the pitcher position has been set.

And while we are at it:

Rule 6A, Section 11B&C, Rule 7, Section 5D: (Junior Olympic Fast Pitch Only) Eliminates the penalty of advancing a runner one base without liability to be put out from the effect of committing an illegal pitch.

Comment: In Junior Olympic Fast Pitch ONLY, when an illegal pitch is declared, the penalty is only a ball on the batter. We no longer advance runners in Junior Olympic Fast Pitch as part of the penalty.

This aligns with NCAA and NFHS.

[CecilOne]

Good job, Slick !!

[RKBUmp]

Every rule set except NFHS moved away from the step back years and years ago, why in the world would USA move back to it??????

[CecilOne]

For NFHS, "in Rule 1-5-1, the USA Softball All Games certification mark is now acceptable on bats"

Rule 3, Section 1A [1]: The official bat must bear either the ASA 2000, ASA 2004, ASA 2013 or the new approved USA Softball Certification Marks.
Comment: Adds two additional USA Softball Certification Marks to the list of Certification Marks allowed on approved bats.

The mark for "All Games" would apply.

[CecilOne]

The bat certification marks mentioned above are identified as "All Games" or "Adult FP & Slow Pitch"

Rule 3, Section 3A: The official softball must bear either the ASA Certification Marks, or the new USA Softball Certification Marks allowed on approved softballs. Comment: Adds USA Softball Certification Marks to the list of approved Certification Marks allowed on softballs.

There is a circular mark and a diamond shaped mark.
https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball...684E38AB3&_z=z

Which ball Certification Marks are for which games?

NOTE: These are for USA games, not NFHS or NCAA.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by RKBUmp

Every rule set except NFHS moved away from the step back years and years ago, why in the world would USA move back to it??????

Playing that game we all played as children, Follow the Leader

[Big Slick]

Originally Posted by RKBUmp

Every rule set except NFHS moved away from the step back years and years ago, why in the world would USA move back to it??????

USA technically never 'moved away' from the step back. That has been the men's rule for as long as I've been around (circa 1997). I think this is just a matter of not writing two separate preliminaries for genders. And to my knowledge, NFHS has not required two feet on (well, since 2000).

NCAA made the change this year for only one foot on, but they adopted the WBSC rule for preliminaries on the feet. That includes no step back once the feet are set.

But since the USA Male rule is the same as NFHS (in totality since 2016, once NFHS allowed the step back once the hand came together), USA just opened the preliminaries to all fast pitch.

It really isn't that big of a deal.

Now the big deal is when NCAA (and NFHS, and USA Jo/females) allows leaping, which is legal in WBSC.