Pivot Foot Heel on Front of Pitching Plate?

[halskinner]

Ok. To summarize (for ASA), her pivot foot heel should touch front of plate and her stride foot toe touches the back of the plate for maximum separation of right and left feet. I think this stance would also help with push off of the STRIDE foot since it is not directly on top of the plate but toe is in contact with the back of the plate so the ball of the foot is pushing off the dirt and not directly on top of the plate (i.e. a better grip than on hard plastic) which my DD is currently doing with stride foot?

A heel touching the front of the pitcher's plate does not constitute a shoe 'on' the plate; that is a heel against the plate. Unless they have changed the rules since I last looked some part of the pivot foot must start off 'ON' the plate. The vertical front surface of the pitcher's plate is not considered part of the plate.

The rear vertical surface of the pitcher's plate IS considered part of the plate. You ARE allowed to start with the stride foot shoe only touching the rear verticle surface of the pitcher's plate.

Hal

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

If you look at Jennie's feet in this picture, her pivot foot heel is up OFF the rubber and she is pushing off from the dirt, that is, from somewhere other than the pitcher's plate; an illegal act.

Hal - That was another question I have. If she starts with her pivot heel in contact with the rubber, as long as she drags the foot forward, along the ground that is not an illegal pitch is it? In the picture, I assumed she started with heel on ground touching plate but lifts it to start her rocker motion, but front foot is still on ground. I would agree with you that using the pitching plate to maximize push off seems optimal to me.

 

[halskinner]

Hal - That was another question I have. If she starts with her pivot heel in contact with the rubber, as long as she drags the foot forward, along the ground that is not an illegal pitch is it? In the picture, I assumed she started with heel on ground touching plate but lifts it to start her rocker motion, but front foot is still on ground. I would agree with you that using the pitching plate to maximize push off seems optimal to me.

To drag something it must be pulled toward you from behind (the rear). As long as it is behind the body when it is dragged forward of the rubber, it is legal.

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

To drag something it must be pulled toward you from behind (the rear). As long as it is behind the body when it is dragged forward of the rubber, it is legal.

Sorry, I am not following you. Do you think the pivot heel stance, as suggested by Hillhouse, is a legal pitch? Thanks.

 

[halskinner]

Sorry, I am not following you. Do you think the pivot heel stance, as suggested by Hillhouse, is a legal pitch? Thanks.

"To drag something it must be pulled toward you from behind (the rear). As long as it is behind the body when it is dragged forward of the rubber, it is legal." I dont understand what that statement has to do with what Bill teaches.

I guess what is legal to some is whatever you dont get called for. An instructor in my area was teaching his students to 'Skip'. He did that because the blues in the area were not calling it. All of a sudden the blues DID start calling it and he had to change what he taught. I never taught my students to do anything that was not legal.

You might gert away with some things on the local level and have a really rude awakening occur at a regional or national tourney.

 

[cshilt]

Just to be clear, what Hillhouse teaches is 100% legal. In all associations the pivot foot must start in contact with the pitcher's plate which is what is suggested. The actual rule states that the pivot foot must remain in contact with the ground. If a hole has been created, the pivot foot may drag no higher than the level plane of the ground.

See ASA Rule 6-1-E-2, 6-3-G, and 6-3-I

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

Just to be clear, what Hillhouse teaches is 100% legal. In all associations the pivot foot must start in contact with the pitcher's plate which is what is suggested. The actual rule states that the pivot foot must remain in contact with the ground. If a hole has been created, the pivot foot may drag no higher than the level plane of the ground.

See ASA Rule 6-1-E-2, 6-3-G, and 6-3-I

Ok, that was my question, as long as the pivot foot starts in contact with the plate, it can drag forward off of the plate along the ground and still be a legal pitch. My confusion was that Bill teaches "heel" touching front plate with the heel lifting off of the ground during the push off. The toe still drags towards home.

 

[cshilt]

Ok, that was my question, as long as the pivot foot starts in contact with the plate, it can drag forward off of the plate along the ground and still be a legal pitch. My confusion was that Bill teaches "heel" touching front plate with the heel lifting off of the ground during the push off. The toe still drags towards home.

Correct. Also note that this is a style choice and you should do what works best and is most comfortable for your DD.

 

[halskinner]

Here is the rules quote I got from an umpires board.

FED 2010
Rule 6-1…Prior to starting the delivery (pitch) the pitcher shall take a position with the pivot foot on or partially on the top surface of the pitcher’s plate and the non-pivot foot in contact with or behind the pitcher’s plate. Both feet must be on the ground within or partially within the 24-inch length of the pitcher’s plate.

Rule 6-2c…About the pitch: the pivot foot may remain in contact with or may push off and drag away from the pitching plate prior to the front foot touching the ground, as long as the pivot foot remains in contact with the ground and within the 24-inch length. Pushing off with the pivot foot from a place other than the pitcher’s plate is illegal.


ASA 2010
Rule 6-1…Before starting the delivery (pitch) the pitcher shall comply with the following:
6-1-A…When taking the pitching position in contact with the pitcher’s plate…..
6-1-C2…(Female) The pitcher shall take a position with both feet in contact with the pitcher’s plate.
6-1-E2…(Female) Both feet must remain in contact with the pitcher’s plate at all times prior to the forward step.
6-3-I…Legal Delivery (Women’s and all JO Play) In the act of delivering the ball…..It is not a step if the pitcher slides the pivot foot across the pitcher’s plate toward the batter, or if the pivot foot turns or slides in order to push off the pitcher’s plate, provided contact is maintained with the plate.
6-3-J…Pushing off with the pivot foot from a place other than the pitcher’s plate is illegal.

I have posed this question to the NorCal ASA UIC and await his response, if I get one.

"in order to push off the pitcher’s plate, provided contact is maintained with the plate."

This is the big kick finish question. If the heel is only touching the front of the pitcher's plate AND the pivot point for the foot is the ball of the foot, how can you be pushing off from the pitcher's plate when the ball of your foot is way in front of it and you are pushing off of the dirt and NOT the plate?????

Hal

 

[jofus13]

You gotta love pictures of elite pitchers breaking the rules