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The play you describe is legal in high school.
Take a look at the casebook 4.43.5B
Also note that the concept of a pivot is only defined with regard to a foot. There is no such thing as a pivot butt, knee, elbow, head, etc.
I believe you must look at the player's feet to determine traveling. In your case, if the player is spinning on her butt, consider how is she generating the power for the spin. Is she pushing off on the floor with her hands or feet? If she is using her feet to turn in circles I would call a travel if her foot movements violate the traveling restrictions in 4-43. ie pick up and put back down.
To support this claim I cite the definition of traveling in 4-43 and the definition of pivot in 4-33:
"Traveling is moving a FOOT OR FEET in any direction in excess of prescribed limits while holding the ball."
"A pivot takes place when a player who is holding the ball steps once, or more than once, in any direction with the same foot while the other foot, called the pivot foot, is kept at its point of contact with the floor."
These rules say nothing about moving your butt! Therefore, we must consider butt movements as unrestricted and legal. So, I say that if the girl sits up, then picks up both feet and holds them in the air, she may push on the floor with her hands and cause herself to spin on her butt like a top if she so desires!!! I would allow it as a legal play. Of course, one of my partners would probably call a travel, so my whistle is a moot point.
Also remember that if a player dives for a ball on the floor, obtains possession, and then slides, it is not traveling. Sliding is legal until the player's momentum stops.
Lastly, I will concede that this is definitely a gray area in the rules and that different officials will have different opinions on the play.
[Edited by Nevadaref on Nov 10th, 2002 at 04:01 AM]
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