Why Shouldn't We Backtrack?

[Pantherdreams]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Another thing, lacrosse and soccer have extended offensive possessions that can go back and forth for the length of the field. Basketball possessions end up being confined to a 42'/47' by 50' playing area. There is no back and forth that would cause an official to have to retreat and move forward constantly like you need to in lacrosse and soccer.

Difficulty in baketball as others hav addressed is the likeliness of risk or injury by backpedaling. In field sports you are not at the edge of the field by coaches, benches and spectators. You are in teh middle of the field and following the ball relative to the position of play and players. Forward backward etc all forms of movement and space and place and can often be executed more safely.

In a gym you could hit a foot, a coach, a player, the wall much more easily. Also there is the immediacy. If you swallow your whistle in field sport because your off balance or gathering yourself the advantage ideas/ delay in calls can be expected or applied. In basketball if you don't call the double dribble or foul until 2-3 seconds after the play its a problem.

Finally I save all backtracking and packpedaling for dealing with the Mrs.