How to Pitch a Fast Pitch Softball

Pitching in a fast-pitch softball game requires stamina, dedication, athleticism and quick yet calculated thinking. But even failing all that, one can pitch a few strikes by following these simple steps.

Steps
If you are naturally right handed, hold the ball in your right hand with your index, middle, ring, and little fingers on a straight seam, while your thumb grips the straight seam on the opposite side of the ball. Try to allow some space between your palm and the ball.
Place your feet on the pitching rubber with the ball of your right foot on the front edge (nearest home plate) and the ball of your left foot on the back edge. Your hips should be square to home plate.
Shift your weight back onto your left foot while bringing your gloved left hand and your ball-hand together and up toward your face.
In one smooth motion, extend your right arm down past your hip and bring your left arm in to your chest while placing your weight onto your right foot. This is the beginning momentum for your pitch.
Kick your left foot forward and push off the rubber with your right foot.
Pivot or "open" your hips so that your left side is facing home plate and your front is facing third base. Simultaneously with your foot movements, keep your arms straight and bring both of your arms up in front of you. The left gloved hand stops at about eye level and the ball hand continues its circle up until it is extended toward the sky.
Cock your right wrist back.
Bring both arms down quickly at the same time. Your right arm should cross in front of your "open" hips.
Snap your wrist forward, releasing the ball at the same time that the glove hand reaches your side.
After the snap, drag your right foot forward to your left(don't lift your foot off of the ground or it could be considered an illegal pitch), "closing" your hips. Your body should be square toward the plate again. Do not close your hips before you release the ball.
Follow through with your right arm bringing it forward and bending it at the elbow so that your elbow points toward home plate.
End your pitch so that your knees are bent and your glove is ready to field the ball in the event it is hit.

Tips
Practice, practice, practice.
The whole pitching movement should be performed seamlessly and quickly. The more momentum you can generate and maintain, the faster and harder your pitch will be.
Much of the stregnth and speed of the pitch is created from the legs. Many coaches characterize the stride off the rubber as an "explosion" rather than a "push".
To adjust the height of your pitch, adjust the snap of your wrist. The sooner the snap the lower the ball. Later equals higher.
Altering the "inside" and "outside" or lateral direction of the ball takes a bit more body coordination. Your throwing arm should be moving directly in front of your "open" hips, not quite grazing the front of your body. The exact direction of your body is determined by the direction of your step thus, if you step toward the inside of the plate, your arm, and consequently the ball, should follow. Stepping toward the outside of the plate should give you an outside ball.
Dragging your foot repeatedly through the dirt as each pitch requires can be exceedingly hard on footwear. You can buy a "toe protector" from many sports equipment stores for a couple bucks.
Always focus on control first...the speed WILL come!
Pitchers stand tall. At the end of your pitch you should be standing straight up. If you are not, your pitch could end up in the dirt.
If you pitch using only your arms, then the ball will be very slow. So really use your legs and hips by opening and closing hard.
Wrist snaps are very very important because the stronger your wrists are, the faster the ball will spin and the faster your pitch will be.

Warnings
It is imperative that after each pitch you are ready to field the ball. A head-level line drive back to an unprepared pitcher can be quite messy.
If you do not warm up and stretch before pitching you could injure yourself