HS Rules questions

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1. Can a pitcher under NFHS rules step back with their non- pivot foot from the pitcher's plate?

2. Let's say the JV team has a saturday double header (Varsity is off) but is down a coach due to schedule conflicts? is a varsity coach allowed to be a base coach?

3. What are the rules on a Varsity coach coaching a summer team?

 

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1. Can step back as long as hands are apart.

2. Yes a varsity coach can coach at all levels (JH, JV, V)

3. If there are less than 4 players from the same school they have unlimited contact till the no contact period in August. If more than 4 girls they have 10 days contact days.

 

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Any female pitcher wanting to excel in fastpitch today should never be taught to step back - it's illegal in most sanctions (except for the example LK described).

The pitcher is required to either take, or appear to take, a signal and have separated hands prior to pitching. The ball can stay in the glove or pitching hand at this time. The pitcher then needs to bring her hands together for 1 to 10 seconds before releasing the ball. Prior to taking a forward step, both feet have to stay in contact with the pitcher's plate in women's play, according to ASA. Prior to the step in men's play, a backward step may be taken while hands are brought together or after hands are brought together. (Probably where the confusion comes from)

The pitcher cannot make movements that resemble pitching without delivering the ball. The pitcher also cannot stop forward motion after separating the hands. A pitcher is required to take one step forward toward the batter with the non-pivot foot. This has to be simultaneous with releasing the ball.
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However, a pitcher CAN step back removing both feet from the pitcher's plate prior to hand separation to stop the pitch. (similar to a baseball pitcher from the stretch position)

IMO, two of the biggest things that impede a pitcher's progress is misunderstanding/teaching the step back, and being taught to close their hips on delivery - or "slam the door".

 

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Why closing their hips?

 

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Why closing their hips?

It has to do with advanced research and teaching of driving through on a direct "power line". I'll leave the detailed explanation to a qualified pitching instructor (which I'm not).

 

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1. Can step back as long as hands are apart.

More precisely, the rule is "Any step backward shall begin before the hands come together. The step backward may end before or after the hands come together."

 

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More precisely, the rule is "Any step backward shall begin before the hands come together. The step backward may end before or after the hands come together."

So what I'm getting here is: The pitcher starts with both feet on the pitcher's plate (hands apart), then may step back with the non-pivot foot, bring the hands together and immediately start their forward pitching motion? Is there a 1 - 10 second pause, and if so, where is it required?

 

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More precisely, the rule is "Any step backward shall begin before the hands come together. The step backward may end before or after the hands come together."

So what I'm getting here is: The pitcher starts with both feet on the pitcher's plate (hands apart), then may step back with the non-pivot foot, bring the hands together and immediately start their forward pitching motion? Is there a 1 - 10 second pause, and if so, where is it required?

The only required pause is between taking their position on the plate and bringing their hands together (i.e. 'taking' a sign). The hands may be motionless or moving while they are together. Even though NFHS rules say "the pitcher shall bring the hands together in front of the body for not less than one second...", umpires for most sanctions have been instructed to only require they touch and I've never seen a pitcher called for not keeping them together long enough.

 

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Why closing their hips?

When they slam the door you will typically see the hand, the ball and the hip all move together like a gate swinging shut. What a pitcher should be trying to make happen is the sequence of various points of resistance firing in order from the ground up through the body starting at toe touch / heel plant and moving through the hip, shoulder, the upper arm, forearm and hand. Like a string of firecrackers going off. At release, studies have shown shoulder angle should be around 45 - 52 degrees.