Pitcher Stepping Back Before Pitch (NFHS)

[teebob21]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Is that the same argument used to keeping the step back legal in men's fastpitch?

In my experience talking with MFP players, the answer is yes, surprisingly. It came down to participation. Same reason we let them leap and all the other shenanigans that used to get called, I suppose. If I recall correctly, ASA tried to enforce the pitching rule on the men in 2002 or so. Several teams in my area at the time either quit, went to slowpitch, or switched to a unsanctioned league that had "throw it underhand from the circle" as the pitching rule. (<------ Sarcasm, but not by much.)

Purely anecdotal, I know. I don't speak for TPTB or the rule interpreters of any code.