Softball pitchers’ pivot foot no longer required to stay in contact with ground

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Softball

The National Federation of State High School Associations passed a rule allowing softball pitchers to disengage both feet from the playing surface when delivering a pitch as long as the pivot foot is not replanted prior to the delivery of the pitch at its Softball Rules Committee meeting in Indianapolis June 11-13.

Previously, the pivot foot was required to remain in contact with the ground.

“An additional topic the committee discussed was whether a pitcher gains an advantage by having their pivot foot airborne versus having it remain in contact with the ground,” Sandy Searcy, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the NFHS Softball Rules Committee, said in a statement. “Our rules have traditionally allowed for flexibility to accommodate the differing skill levels of high school athletes. This change allows for exploration of different styles of pitching during student-athletes’ developmental stages.”

The committee also passed a rule that permits electronic information to be transmitted to the dugout from anywhere outside of the live ball area. The rule does not stipulate where the video is recorded or how it is transmitted.