Taking a step back
 

NFHS rules. HS varsity.

Pitcher would start with both feet on the plate, then as she started her pitching motion with her hands together would take a step back.

Your call?

Rita

Sounds like an illegal pitch, if her hands were together before the step back. The step back must be prior to, or simultaneous with, the hands coming together.

Rita, Fed rule 6-1-2b is pretty clear on this: "Any step backward shall begin before the hands come together. The step backward may end before or after the hands come together."

Am I missing something?

As BU, I had a good coach comment that happened this week, for calling an illegal pitch for starting her step back after her hands came together.

The coach said, "How can you call an illegal pitch for starting her step back after her hands came together, when her hands didn't come together?"

Oh, the fun of umpiring.

Nope. But you and I started umpiring about the same time and we both know that some things are called more stringently than others. The former (retired) varsity coach was yelling from the bleachers that there was nothing illegal.

The next question is: What qualifies as a step? This same young lady's foot would slide back as she put her weight back as she started her motion.

Rita

When her foot VISIBLY loses contact with the plate.

Nothing says her foot has to start on the plate.

Rita

Rita,
I don't judge dropping the heel as a step back.
I judge peceivable movement backward (away) from the pitcher's plate as a step.

PS:By "away from the pitcher's plate" plate, I am referring to direction, not contact with. ;-)

Huh?

THIS does:

NFHS in the OP.

Yes, Rita, bad assumption on my part; so instead, a "step back" is moving the foot farther from home plate.

Yes, bad assumption on my part; so instead, a "step back" is moving the foot farther from home plate.

Cecil and I were on a different plane and understood each other.

Rita