Pitcher Stepping Back Before Pitch (NFHS)
 

Using NFHS rules for Fast-Pitch Softball.

I have a questions about a pitcher taking a step backward before stepping forward to deliver the pitch.

I will do my best to describe what she is doing.

-With pivot foot on the rubber and non-pivot foot either toeing the back of the rubber or slightly behind the rubber, hands down by her side; ball in hand.
-Prior to the pitch, she will take a small step backward with her non-pivot foot while bringing her hands together.
-Once hands are together, she will begin her step forward with her non-pivot foot and start her delivery.

Have one coach that complains about it every game claiming that it is wrong and that you can't take a step backward. Claims to have sent a video to several pitching coaches that she knows in SoCal and Kansas (I think) and they all agree that it is illegal.

As I understand the rule below, it is a legal pitch.
NFHS 6-1-2b states "Any step backward shall begin before the
hands come together. The step backward may end before or after the hands
come together."

She steps backward as she is bring her hands together.

Am I right or wrong?

Nfhs as long as she steps back prior to the hands coming together or while the hands are coming together she is fine. Once they are together any step must be forward.

That coach isn't much of a high school coach. Unless y'all play using another rule set, the movement you describe is legal under NFHS.

You are right. However, NFHS is the only organization that I know of that allows the backward step, and most of the best high school pitchers here do not use it, since it is illegal in ASA, NCAA, etc. I see one or two pitchers a year who use it, and they are always from the smaller rural or small town schools.

If the coach did not specify a context for the advice from the pitching coaches she consulted, I'm not surprised they would say it was illegal.

And, as stated, if the coach doesn't recognize this movement as legal, she is not much of a high school coach.

I see some pitchers use it--it should give them a little more power.

The drawback is it is not legal in any other element. Early this year, college pitcher starts out with the step back. Illegal. She asks what she did wrong. Base umpire tells her--she says I did it in high school.

What did the BU say after that? "You aren't in HS anymore"

Legal in HS. We had several umpires who do both ASA and HS that have repeatedly sent in proposals to the NFHS to get this rule changed to conform to the rules used in all rule sets. Every time the response has been no. They have responded with a reason for not changing it, but to me it is an excuse to be different and nothing more.

For me I really don't care how different the rule sets are. The rules are the rules. In volleyball the FED rules compared to USA's DCR, it's like two different games. Same in wrestling, FED uses folkstyle while USA is freestlye or greco.

This is no different that when a setter who has been playing club vb all spring and summer while setting contacts the net and is not called for a fault. Then comes highschool and she's getting dinged everytime she contacts the net. I guess for me ignorance of the rules is not an excuse.

Know the rules and adjust accordingly.

I'm not sure but knowing this umpire the conversation was likely "Your not in Kansas anymore"

For what it's worth.....

NFHS rules are written for a specific subset of players (HS aged youth)

These rules are written with two primary intentions - safety and participation.
For softball, the rule makers have decided that it is easier to pitch using the step back. To them, making the game easier to play will increase participation.

That is the main reason behind NFHS continuing to allow the pitcher to step back.

You are mistaken about their explanation. The rules committee, based on member feedback, strongly believes participation would be lessened in areas where the pitchers are so ineffective now with that added advantage that they would simply stop playing if the rules changed. Their official statement is that high school softball is not meant solely for the elite athletes, nor simply as a feeder to NCAA. And that is how they honestly feel.

This year's committee will (in June, I understand), consider a proposal to make that one of the "state adoption" options for the future. That should help in states where the members (or state administrators) believe the rule should be changed. It would be interesting to see how many actually would adopt the tougher pitching rule if it is their decision.

I know that Florida uses FED rules for HS softball, but have adopted a state rule to not allow the backward step. They apparently didn't wait for the committee to make it a state option.

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

NFHS does allow states to alter rules in defined trial periods to present results to the rules committee and members to attempt to persuade rules changes. Florida, in fact, did that with 43' years ago before the national adoption. To my knowledge, they petitioned and were initially refused; and they did wait until permission was granted, so I don't think is a member being a renegade.

I suspect this is part of a trial; and to present statistical basis, not just guesstimates as to the overall affect to batting average, pitching statistics (and if any schools dropped the sport as a result of their actual ineptness).

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.