ISF Fastpitch Pitching Rules 2010Rule 6

An Explanation

ISF Fastpitch PitchingRule 2010

• This presentation has been provided to assist in understanding the changes to the ISF Fastpitch pitching rule adopted at Congress 2009

• It includes the ISF Points of Emphasis clarification issued January and April 2010

There are five main changes or rewording to the ISF FP Pitching Rule

1. Strengthening the requirement that the feet must start and maintain contact with the plate at all times

2. Strengthening the Two Second Stop, no movement

3. The pitcher can be airborne/leap (both feet off ground)

4. Hands must separate before or as the pitcher pushes off from the pitcher’s plate

5. Fluent continuous motion

New Rules

• The hands must separate before, or as the pitcher’s pivot foot leaves the pitcher’s plate

• The pitcher may be airborne causing the pitcher to leap through the air with both feet off the ground

There are six basic features clearly outlined in the ISF Points Of Emphasis

• Contact with the pitcher’s plate

• The signal

• Preliminary to the delivery

• The start of the pitch

• The delivery

• Step and release

Contact with Pitcher’s Plate

• The pitcher must start with both feet in contact with the pitcher’s plate

• The feet do not have to be on top of the plate

Contact – Heel and Toe - Legal

Pivot footLeading/Stepping foot

Legal

Contact – On top of plate

Contact With Pitcher’s Plate

• The catcher must be in position to receive the pitch

• The pitcher may not be off the side of the plate

• Video - Off the side of the plate

• The pitcher must take or appear to take the signal from the catcher while in contact with the plate

• The hands must be separated and the ball may be in the bare hand or in the glove

• Video - Signal

Signal

Video - Signal

Preliminary to Delivery

• After taking the signal the pitcher must come to a complete stop with the hands together

• The body must be motionless with the hands together for a minimum of two seconds and a maximum of five seconds

• Video - Legal stop

Video. 2 second stop - LegalVideo - Stop

Video - No 2 Second Stop - Illegal

Preliminary to Delivery

• Holding the ball in both hands to the side of the body, or above the head is considered legal

• Video - Side of body & above the head

Video - Side of the body – Legal

Video - Above the head

Preliminary to Delivery

• During the stop the pitcher may move the ball in the glove to grip the ball

• Video - Movement 1 & 2

Video – movement in glove - Legal

Preliminary to Delivery

• During the entire preliminary process the feet must remain in contact with the plate - the contact may be heel and toe

• Video - Heel and Toe

Video - Preliminaries

Preliminary to Delivery

• The pitcher may not step back or twist back with the stepping foot at anytime

• Video - Twist back and step back

Video - Twist back

Video - Step back

Start Of The Pitch

• The pitch begins with separation of the hands, or with any motion that may be considered part of the wind-up

• Video - Start of pitch

Video - Start of the pitch

Start Of The Pitch

• The pitcher may remove himself from the pitcher’s plate, prior to separating his hands or starting the pitching motion, by stepping backwards off the plate

• Video - Removal from pitching position

Video - Removal from pitching position

Video - Remove from pitching position

Start Of The Pitch

• The pivot foot may slide across the plate providing contact is maintained

• Lifting the feet a minimal distance, “clearing the cleats” to allow foot movement is permitted

The pivot foot must push off from the pitcher’s plate…

1. Both feet in contact. Pivot foot legally rotates.

Start Of The Pitch

2. Both feet in contact. Pivot legally slides forward and may legally rotate.

3. Both feet in contact. Pivot legally slides forward and may legally rotate.

Video - Feet sliding across plate

Video - Pivot footslides forward

Start Of The Pitch

• Lifting the pivot foot and resetting the pivot foot creating a rocking motion is illegal

• Video - Rocking motion

Video - Rocking

Start Of The Pitch

• Lifting the heel of the pivot foot and using the front of the foot (ball/toes) to push off is legal

• Video - Heel lift

Video - Heel lift

Start Of The Pitch

• The heel of the pivot foot may lift, allowing the pitcher to twist on the ball of the pivot foot and then push off, providing the foot does not move forward off the pitcher’s plate

• Video - Pivot foot twist

Video - Twist

Delivery

• The pitcher may drop his arm to the side and to the rear before starting the windmill action

• The pitcher’s arm may pass the hip twice, however there cannot be two full revolutions.

• During the delivery there cannot be a stop or a reversal of the forward motion

• Video - Stop in motion

Video - Stop in forward motion

Delivery

• The pitcher after having the ball in both hands may not remove one hand from the ball, take a backward and forward swing and return the ball to the glove

• Video - Returning the ball to the glove

Video - Returning the ball to the glove

Step and Release

• The pitcher may take one step with the Leading/Stepping foot simultaneous with the release of the ball

• The step must be forward and within the 61cm (24inch) width of the pitcher’s plate

• Only the Leading/Stepping foot must land within the width of the plate

• Video - Width of the plate 1 & 2

Video - Width of the plate 1

Video - Width of the plate 2

Step and Release

• Both feet must remain in contact with the pitcher’s plate until the forward step is taken (the stepping foot should be the first foot to leave the plate)

• Pushing off from a place other than the pitcher’s plate, prior to separating the hands, is a crow hop and is illegal

Step and Release

Illegal – Pushing off from a place other than the pitcher’s plate

Video - Crow Hop

Video - Movement

Step and Release

• It is legal to drag, leap or hop and then land and throw, as long as the original push starts from the plate

Legal - pushing from the plate Legal - Still in contact with the plateeven though hands are together

Legal - Hands have separated & leaping. Legal - The pivot foot may land and push

Legal - Provided there has been no stoppage in the action and fluent continuous motion.

Step and Release

• The pitching hand with ball must begin separation from the glove when the pivot foot loses contact with the plate or ground

• Video - Legal separation

Video - Separation 2

Video – Separation 3

• Both feet may be off the ground, leaping. However, the hands must be separated

Step and Release

Step and Release

• The pitching arm must maintain constant motion throughout the push off and landing, or the end of the push off.

• Once the pitching motion starts, the pitching arm may not stop in its motion

• Video - Illegal action, constant motion of the arms not maintained

Video - Static arms

Video - Stop in action

Step and Release

• After beginning the pitching motion, the pitcher may hide the ball behind the glove; however, the hands must be separated and all movement of the pitching arm must be fluent and continuous

• Video - Hiding the ball

Video - Hiding the ball

Step and Release

• The pivot foot may land and twist during the follow through with the release of the ball, provided there - Land has been no stoppage in the motion or delivery

• Video and twist

Video - Land and twist

For further information or discussion on any matters from this presentation please contact your Director of Umpiring or Trainer

Acknowledgments

• Softball Australia

• Softball New Zealand

• Softball Canada

• The Players and Assistants