Little travels

[Back In The Saddle]

Perhaps this has aleady been discussed at length, if so I apologize for bringing it up again.

I was talking with a co-worker who also refs some lower level games and we got on the subject of travels. We had different takes on the subject, and his take has really got me thinking.

My take: It is common to let "little travels" go. I don't see anybody around here calling them. I don't hear opposing coaches asking for those to be called. What I mean by "little travel" are things like when a player on the perimeter receives a pass with a defender on him, he'll step away from the defender or to the ball, catch the ball, then bring his trailing foot together with his newly-established pivot. Then, after the defender backs off, the player with the ball will trade pivot feet. There is a definite pause in the action as the defense repositions and the offense sets up for the next pass. So there's this natural pause, and no advantage is gained by trading pivot feet. Another example is when a player catches a pass in while stepping, with his back foot still in contact with the floor. Then he steps with his pivot to bring his feet together to go up for a jumpshot. I have come to accept that, at least around here, nobody calls these and nobody really wants them called.

His take: A properly skilled player is a player who has spent time in the gym and paid the price to learn to perform these actions without traveling. It's unfair to this player to allow less skilled players to get away with these little travels. Aside from the fairness issue, there is the advantage issue. On the "gathering for a jumpshot" scenario, it is to the shooter's advantage to step together to begin generating momentum. To allow the player to travel while doing so gives him an advantage.

What are your thoughts on the matter? Do you call these little travels? Do they not happen in your area (presumably because they are consistently called?) Is this a natural consequence of the "dumbing down" of fundamentals and we should adjust to it? Should we be more diligent in calling them?