Over & Back?

[CMHCoachNRef]

Originally Posted by sseltser

Thanks for clarifying. I suppose that makes sense.

So are you of the opinion that the following plays should not be violations?:

1-While Team A is advancing the ball from their backcourt, A1, in the backcourt, passes to A2, who jumps from the frontcourt, catches the ball and lands in the backcourt.

2-While Team A is advancing the ball from their backcourt, A1, in the backcourt, passes to A2 who is standing with 1 foot in the frontcourt and the other foot off the floor. A2 places his foot on the floor in the backcourt.

I'm just curious as to your thoughts and what you think is fair.

Also, it seems that a team is restricted by one of these two things while they are in team control: a) not being able to go back into the backcourt; or b) having a 10 second backcourt count. My opinion is that when you make a change to the backcourt rule (exceptions excluded because they don't involve team control), then you probably must make a corresponding change to the 10 second rule to enable the count to be continued. I think this might make for some very confusing verbiage, but I might be wrong.

1. Correct. Current rules, even though the ball never crossed the division line, a backcourt violation has been committed. I maintain that this was not the intent of the original "over and back" (term***) rule.

2. Correct.

These situations occur frequently during games -- especially when a team is running a trapping press of some kind. I maintain that these situations were never the intent of this rule. Just because the defense causes the attacking team to be in close proximity of the division line should not cause violations until the ball and the player is in the front court.

These situations are still difficult for the commoners (spectators) to grasp. Most coaches understand this rule as do most officials.

Of course, I still think that the "last touch first touch" back court violations are the worst in this group. Requiring PLAYER CONTROL in the front court to establish front court status would eliminate these calls. ZERO percent of commoners (spectators) understand this rule and virtually none of the uncommoners (coaches) understand it.

EVERY SINGLE TIME I make this call, I (or one of my partners) must explain the call to the offending team's coach. If it is NOT called, virtually NO COACH will complain (until the rule is changed, I still will).