[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Now to the remaining case, which is most important, and what Billy inquires about. Player who tosses the ball into the air and moves his pivot foot. We know from the traveling rule that the ball must be released prior to the pivot foot being lifted or a traveling violation has occurred, so we can ignore that part and focus on the sequence of toss and then move. In this case if the player touches the ball before it strikes the floor, then that is the old air-dribble which is illegal. Therefore, an illegal dribble is the correct call. (This is precisely why Mary S was incorrect to alter the type of violation from illegal dribble to traveling in the NFHS Case Book several years ago. The player isn't holding the ball and excessively moving his pivot foot. He is dribbling in an illegal manner while attempting to move on the court.) So a player who throws the ball in order to start a dribble, must allow it to strike the floor before touching it again. Doing otherwise has been deemed an illegal action and doesn't meet the definition of a proper dribble.

Thanks. Nice explanation Nevadaref, and a good history lesson. And that's the problem, ancient history. The only illegal dribble violation mentioned in the current NFHS rulebook in Rule 9 Violations is: 9-5 ILLEGAL DRIBBLE A player shall not dribble a second time after his/her first dribble has ended.

We do have this: 4-15: ART. 2 During a dribble the ball may be batted into the air provided it is permitted to strike the floor before the ball is touched again with the hand(s); but there's nothing about this situation in Rule 9 Violations.

I don't doubt the validity of Nevadaref's air dribble explanation, too bad it just doesn't match the current violations as written.

Stupid NFHS rules editors.

Is the air dribble related to the air guitar?