How I teach Backcourt violations

[CoachP]

FWIW......this is a cut/paste of the quiz I started giving last year to my girls teams.(6th graders all the way to varsity) I'll now hafta throw in the newly worded casebook play. We then go over the answers on the court with demonstrations. You should hear the "what if's?" I get!

Is this a Backcourt Violation (over and back)?
(Answer Yes or No)


1) You are holding the ball in your frontcourt. You pass the ball to a teammate in the backcourt and she catches it. YES

2) You are holding the ball in your frontcourt. You pass the ball to a teammate who is in the backcourt. While the ball is in the air, your teammate jumps in the air, catches the ball in the air and lands in the frontcourt. YES

3) You are in the frontcourt, you pass the ball towards a teammate and the defense tips the ball into the backcourt. You go into the backcourt and get the ball. NO

4) You have the ball with one foot in the frontcourt and one foot in the backcourt. Your teammate has one foot in the frontcourt and one foot in the backcourt. You pass her the ball and she catches it without moving. NO

5) You have the ball with one foot in the frontcourt and one foot in the backcourt. Your teammate has one foot in the frontcourt and one foot in the backcourt. You pass her the ball. She jumps, catches the ball in midair and lands with both feet in the backcourt. NO

6) You have the ball in the frontcourt, you pass the ball to a teammate but it hits the referee (standing in the frontcourt) and goes into the backcourt. You go into the backcourt to get it. YES

7) You are taking the ball out of bounds for a throw in play at half court. You pass the ball to a teammate who is in the frontcourt, she jumps in the air, catches it and lands in the backcourt. NO

8) You are taking the ball out of bounds underneath our basket. You throw the ball way over everybody’s head and it goes into the backcourt. Your teammate goes into the backcourt and gets it. NO

9) You are taking the ball out of bounds underneath our basket. You throw the ball towards your teammate and it hits her hand and it rolls into the backcourt. Your teammate goes into the backcourt and gets it. NO

10) You pick up your dribble near half court. Both feet are in the backcourt. You establish your left foot as your pivot foot. You pivot around with your right foot and your right foot touches in the front court, then back into the backcourt. NO

[BillyMac]

A ten-second count continues when the defense deflects or bats the ball in the backcourt. When a dribbler is advancing the ball into the frontcourt, the ball maintains backcourt status until both feet and the ball touch entirely in the frontcourt.

During a throwin, even under a team’s own basket, if the throwin is deflected, tipped, or batted by an offensive player in the frontcourt to an offensive player in the backcourt; or after a missed field goal attempt or a missed foul shot attempt, if the ball is deflected, tipped, or batted by an offensive player in the frontcourt to an offensive player in the backcourt; these are not a backcourt violations. In both cases team control, a player holding or dribbling the ball, has not yet been established.

During a throwin or jump ball, any player; or a defensive player, in making a steal; may legally jump from his or her frontcourt, secure control of the ball with both feet off the floor, and return to the floor with one or both feet in the backcourt. The player may make a normal landing and it makes no difference whether the first foot down is in the frontcourt or the backcourt. These three situations are not backcourt violations.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by CoachP

9) You are taking the ball out of bounds underneath our basket. You throw the ball towards your teammate and it hits her hand and it rolls into the backcourt. Your teammate goes into the backcourt and gets it. NO

Coach,
I'm glad that you strive to teach your team the rules of the game along with the physical skills to play it. I would recommend that you get Tony to give you his backcourt quiz so that you can borrow some plays from that as well. Also, you should teach your kids the four-points system that we use as a basic checklist for backcourt violations.

Lastly, all of the answers that you provided above are correct. However, and it is unfortunate, but I frequently see #9 called a violation.

[CoachP]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Coach,
I'm glad that you strive to teach your team the rules of the game along with the physical skills to play it. I would recommend that you get Tony to give you his backcourt quiz so that you can borrow some plays from that as well. Also, you should teach your kids the four-points system that we use as a basic checklist for backcourt violations.

Lastly, all of the answers that you provided above are correct. However, and it is unfortunate, but I frequently see #9 called a violation.

The one that trips most of them up is #5. Probably because it sounds like a trick question after reading #4. I tried the "4 points" also, but the quiz with demonstration seemed to click in more girls.

My biggest thing a couple years ago was they assumed almost EVERYTHING was a violation. Meaning if the ball crossed the line, they were toast and would give up on the play while the defense gets an easy 2.

I saw #10 happen in a boys JV. The kid picked up his dribble, both feet in the BC, established left foot as pivot, touched his right foot in the FC, then back in the BC. After realizing he did this, and not waiting for the whistle that wasn't coming, he just dropped the ball and walked away. Easy 2.

[JoeTheRef]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Coach,

Lastly, all of the answers that you provided above are correct. However, and it is unfortunate, but I frequently see #9 called a violation.

I agree and this is probably why players think it's going to be a backcourt violation and don't recover the ball, because there are officials and I hate to say many, but more then enough call it a violation.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by CoachP

My biggest thing a couple years ago was they assumed almost EVERYTHING was a violation. Meaning if the ball crossed the line, they were toast and would give up on the play while the defense gets an easy 2.

"Giving up" is never the right answer. If you recover the ball, either you get to keep it, or it's a violation and the other team will get it, but at least you get to set your defense. And, if you touch it soon enough, the throw-in will be from above the FT line (instead of below it or on the end-line), which lessens the chance of scoring