Cap tip to Jens Terkelson who pointed us to a link on the Czech Softball site to ISF materials on the new pitching rule point of emphasis.
Click here for a powerpoint presentation – in Czech – but with photos that show legal and illegal pitching styles.
Click here for an enormous zip file – 120 Mb – which includes nearly three dozen explanatory video clips like the one below.
In addition, there is a note from ISF Director of Umpires Bob Stanton, reproduced here, with some illuminating comments on the new rule’s interpretation.
Pitching Presentation
A power point presentation explaining the new pitching rule with embedded video has been produced by Softball Australia and edited for the international Softball Federation (ISF).
The ISF has adopted the presentation with their permission and we would like to acknowledge their contribution.The ISF would also like to acknowledge the contribution of Softball Canada and Softball New Zealand in the development of the interpretation of the pitching rule.
The presentation is in power point and is designed to stimulate discussion and give a standard direction through the international softball fraternity.
The ISF Pitching Points of Emphasis 2010 (see www.ISFsoftball.org for the bulletin) is presented in a step by step slide presentation and then video or photos are used where possible to better explain the interpretation of the rule.
It is important to note that this presentation has not been put together to have more illegal pitches called, it is merely a tool to clarify the interpretation of pitching actions both legal and illegal.
Coaches and players should be aware pitchers who do not have a continuous pitching arm motion are illegal. Pitchers cannot stop in their motion, land, push a second time and throw.
Umpires are reminded, if after a few pitches they cannot decide if the pitcher is illegal, that they should stop concentrating directly on the pitcher and spend more time on the game itself.
Coaches and players are also requested to move on with the game.
We all must remember the rule is written to allow the pitchers to pitch and we should not be looking to find illegal pitches in the game.
I hope you find this presentation helpful.
Yours in Softball
Bob Stanton
ISF Director of Umpires
The way I read continous motion a sling-shot pitcher is illegal, thus one of the greatest in history, Harvey Sterkel would not be able to pitch in the ISF. Go back to the old rule. If the intent is to give more scoring in the game, outlaw drops, curves and change-ups. Then make the pitcher put the rise ball in a 6″ area at the letters.