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Before you go to your game, you need to spend a couple of hours (6 is better) in front of a mirror practicing your signal mechanics. You don't need a whistle (you can blow or just whistle yourself), but you do need to get used to several things:
1. Hearing yourself talk out loud. Sounds silly, but you'd be surprised how many people have never done it and it feels weird the first few times. Don't yell, but project your voice.
2. Making the foul presentation (Red 31, hold -- or hack, block, player control, etc. -- run through them all) with your hand giving the number. Do this for every color imaginable and every legal number -- especially 0 and 00. Use the book for guidance.
3. Simultaneously blowing and lifting your hand into a fist or open palm (and then do a few for a jump ball). Run through all violation signals a couple of dozen times each -- make your hands into a fist while doing the travel signal; it looks cleaner.
4. Get into a habit of saying the color when you are pointing for the direction after a violation like out of bounds. In front of the mirror, stick the open hand up then point, saying "white" or whatever other colors.
Do this NOW and I guarantee you your mechanics will be better than any first year's.
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