Maybe the bit about Trail initiating a rotation was based on the fact that a Center official with on-ball pressure between the 3-point arc and the division line can initiate a rotation by moving above the play, becoming Trail and having the Lead move across the lane. In this case, the Trail would be performing the role of the absent C official, and Lead would take over Trail's job.
I'm also surprised that many veteran officials, and even some evaluators do not know about ball-side mechanics. However, I'll still look to make ball-side strong side, whether in a 2- or 3-person crew, with partners who know, or don't know. If my partner chews me out for going ball-side, I'd sit there and think to myself that he doesn't know what he's talking about (like the JV veteran in another thread relating communication with one's partner to wearing the same color of shoelaces
).