travel violations
 

had an interesting discussion about traveling in AAU games this weekend with one set of refs. one team was continually establishing a pivot foot doing multiple jab steps then starting their drives off in the other direction with the pivot foot leaving the flloor before letting go the ball. After what seemed like the 20th such play and being that AAU you practically sit on the floor in most of these areanas I asked the ref as he was running by why it wasnt a travel. I coach, but not this team, so I am used to talking with refs and trying to understand the rules better, but i was given a snide remark from the ref, which is not unusual given the amount of grief i know they get. A bit later in the game a kid was setting up down low on two feet so no pivot established. he jumped off both feet in a whirl move turned the corner for a layup and again said something to the ref as he went by about use of the pivot feet and got another nasty remark about not knowing the rules.

after the game being a bit put off by the ref's tone went over discuss the plays with them to see if i was interpreting them incorrectly. was told by both ref's I didn't know what i was talking about and they called the tournament director who i had a nice conversation with and explained what I had seen. they wanted me tossed, but as i wasn't coaching this weekend just observing the director agreed with what i was saying and was going to have a conversation with the ref's after the following game. not sure how it turned out as i had to leave soon after. but still made for a fun few moments.

in any case arent both of these clear travels ?

Lifting you pivot foot prior to releasing the ball for a dribble is travelling.

Your post play description was too vague.

Whether the calls were missed or not, as a fan, you shouldn't be engaging officials during games. And when a game is over you shouldn't be addressing officials period, as a fan or coach.

I'm going to give this guy the benefit of the doubt, BNR. He appears to be looking to learn, not be a smart-ass.

I agree, though, the second description is too vague. "He jumped off both feet in a whirl move..." then what?

+1 +1 +1. Post on this forum to get clarification, never engage officials during or after a game.

a player with both feet on the floor jumps off both feet and whirls to the basket around the defender and then dribbles before coming back to the floor.

so when do you address officials to have discussions about plays? its not like there is a place to have the discussion about rules with any officials you will ever see again.

as a coach there is nothing worse than watching rules mistakes with ref/umpires never get corrected. In a local league you have a small chance of getting local coordinator to have a discussion . no chance in AAU type settings where most teams never go back.

If you are at a game and watch a rule get blown do you choose to say nothing or inquire after the game?

I ask on these boards to get clarity. how do refs fix their mistakes if noone every asks them? you can ask in a friendly tone , shouldnt the refs want to get better as well? I have had some great conversations with refs/umpires about rules over the years during and after games. Had some even say thanks for reminding them when the mess up a call. it doesnt have to by a non-civil conversation.

I'm guessing if they wanted you tossed you weren't politely inquiring why that wasn't a travel. If you seriously want to have a conversation with the refs, approach them in between games and say 'hey guys, help me out here, I have a question for you'.

Better yet, take some video and post it here ;)

99% of the time, fans who "ask questions" as you did from the front row aren't really asking to learn. You might be the exception, but you're going to be treated like the 99%.

thats exactly what i did. i waited until game over, they were on break. the two teams had left. my words were something like. Can I ask you for clarification on what a travel is with the pivot foot. I got the look that you get from someone who thinks they know more than you, but they said sure. I showed them the footwork i was asking about , they agreed it was a travel. one ref left to get the official and the other gave some snotty attitude and several snide remarks.

I have more connections to umpires than basketball

My only remarks during the actual game were while ref was about a foot away during a break "Blue thats a travel he already established a pivot foot".

hey its AAU there are hundreds a parents screaming about most every call and usually because one team is playing big city/street g-town type ball and the other is playing small town less aggressive and getting blown away.

but refs dont have to be rude to make up for the crowd?

1. If you're making enough of a nuisance to get my attention in an AAU game, you risk getting tossed.
2. A site director who refused to toss you for any reason wouldn't be getting officials from my association for long. Especially if his reason is, "the fan had a point." In this case, I'm probably tossing you for approaching me after the game combined with making a nuisance of yourself during the game.
3. If the first thing I hear is a polite approach between games, I'll engage. I'll tell you what I saw, but I'm not getting into a discussion, though. I'll tell you what I saw and what the rule is, but that's all.
4. Your description is of traveling, but the refs may have seen it differently.

Is the lack of discussion just because there is so much negativity at these events? I mean the amount of screaming at the refs amazes me at these things. Every call seems to get a yell. I tend to only question

AAU vs HS are called in a totally different way from my discussions with ref's who are actually friendly. Rules violations are not to be called. rough play is allowed and only marginally dangerous fouls will be called because the schedule must be kept. I have been flat told out by ref's there will be home cooking bias against out of town teams. Now in HS I think its more caused by crowd energy than any real bias but in AAU that seems to much more prevalent.

when you see the same violation 20-30 times in a game you do have to wonder why its never called.

I have done a coached of games. never had a T, dont scream or swear and I have refs who I have gotten to know pretty well and have great discussions with at these events who dont do any of our local games.

Potato / po-tah-to

And, if these refs had been some you "knew" then you'd more likely get an explanation (they saw something different; you are right but there was no advantage gained so they didn't call it at this level, ...)

But, when they don't know you, you start out by "questioning" from the stands and then approach them after the game, you've used up all your benefit of the doubt (which, frankly, starts at about zero for "strangers in the stands" at these types of events).

I don't think he's being a smart-a$$ at all, he has legitimate questions. But my opinion about engaging officials applies to all.

Nice or not, I don't want fans trying to engage me about plays while I'm officiating. I when I leave the court I don't anybody, fan/player/coach, approaching me about a game I officiated.

+1000

Peace

I officiate at a very busy AAU facility, the Boo Williams Sportsplex. They have a person in place to handle officiating questions/problems (he also happens to be the national head of AAU officiating) plus the group that does the bulk of the assigning usually has someone there.

I'm not interested in any conversations with fans about officiating at the game site b/c most of them don't go well. So I eliminate all the headaches with the trade-off being I might miss out on an ocassional pleasant conversation.

I have fellow officials and observers to let me know if they've seen something I might need to address. Plus I have coaches during the game who make sure to let me know if I've might have missed something.

Ex. Act. Ly.