FED pitching rules
 

I have a rec league pitcher who is taking lessons from a local varsity sofball coach. He is teaching her to bring her hands together (to adjust her grip for whateve pitch she is going to throw), then take a step back and then deliver the pitch. I am a little confused about rule 6-1-2b. It says that once the hands come together and are in motion, the step must be towards the batter. It also says that any step backward shal begin before the hands come together. The first part implies that if the hands are brought together but are not in motion, the pitcher could step backward. The second part seems pretty clear. I don't see anything in the case book on this. I have not seen the players HS games, but her dad has told me that the pitchers routinely take a step back after the hands come together and it is never called illegal. I don't see how this is legal. Am I missing something?

All I can guess is the step back occurring concurrently with the hands joining.

Once the hands are brought together the pitcher may not step back. The step back must be prior to the hands touching or while they are brought together. Not sure why a pitching coach would even be teaching this style. Fed is about the only rules set that still allows it.

If this coach/dad has routinely seen pitchers in Fed games step backward after the hands have come together - and no illegal pitch is called - then this coach/dad is seeing umpires not doing their job. It is illegal and you are not missing anything - at least with this.