I was told that you are only supposed to blow your whistle once for any reason. I have been watching the D1, and I notice they are constantly blowing 2, 3, or even 4 times. Was I told incorrectly? Is there a time when you would blow it only once or blow more than once???

Thanks for your help...

--Denny

Understand this.......
 

Over the years things have changed. Officials used to do things that today are not accepted. Unfortunetly many of the older officials are allowed to do things that younger officials could never do. The bottom line is that officials at that level are good officials for the most part. And getting them to do things that they have never done is very difficult. I guess the question should be, should we allow them to do things they always have done, or do we only allow officials that cannot change to still officiate? I have an opinion, but I know that I will get shot down for it.

I understand that, but...that didn't answer my question.

I just attended our state basketball tournament. I have been a registered official doing high school contests for the past six years. What I notice about the older officials is the type of signals they make. Rarely do they adhere to the signals for fouls shown in the manual. Also, why is it that the older officials call so little traveling and three second violations? Also, they allow the game to be much more physical than I do. They don't get alot of flack from the coaches, either. I haven't noticed the multiple whistles, though. Keep up the good stuff on the site.

I did answer.
 

There is no reason other than the guidelines have been changed from when many of these officials started officiating. We are talking about guys that have been officiating for 20 or more years in many cases. You see mechanics that are not taught to newer officials because they expect different things today.

Look on ESPN Classic and watch one of those old games and watch the mechanics. You will have your answer there. I really do not know how else to answer your question other than that.

It could be.
 

Denny,
The older officials are allowed the tweet, tweet, tweet, because they do not have enough air to fill the Fox with only on breath.
mick

You still missed my question
 

"Was I told incorrectly? Is there a time when you would blow it only once or blow more than once???" Those are my questions. Is it incorrect for a new official to blow the whistle more than once? If so, is there any time where you would?

--Denny

Re: You still missed my question
 

Denny,

I was told to use only a single blow.

But, sometimes, the excitement of the game, and the noise of the crowd, and the fact that the players may not have stopped, all combine for the reflex of making multiple tweets as an exclamation point, or more.

mick

Thanks, I have been told so many things by quote un-quote 'vets' that have turned out to be wrong. This board has helped a great deal...

--Denny

Denny,

Give me a call so we can get together this week.

The only time I can see using multiple whistles is when you have a two players wrestling for a ball after the whistle, two plyers getting in each others face, or a fight.

Multiple whistles
 

I try to give a single blow for fouls. Sometimes I come out with mutiple whistles because I don't take a breath first and don't have enough air for a good strong blow. I also tend to do mutiple tweets for something unusual. Most often, when you blow the whistle for a foul, the players and coaches and crowd are expecting it. When you blow for a travel, carry, foot out of bounds - it's not expected and the multiple tweets help attract attention, especially in a loud gym.

The CCA mechanics book does address blowing the whistle more than one time. I don't have my book with me, but I believe it states to blow the whistle more than once when something out of the ordinary happens. In my opinion, this doesn't totally expain the situations in which the multiple whistle is used. It is often used in traveling calls when a player is moving rapidly toward the basket. The official simply wants to emphasize that the play is dead to prevent further action from occurring. The most common situation is when players are physically tied up in a held ball or in a fouling situation. The official is then trying to prevent the player's actions from intensifying.

Do you know where I could get a copy of that book, or if I can find it online?

http://www.honigs.com/catalog/basketball/page5.html

I think double tweets are useful when need to get the attention of the players, I think that it should be used with the same discretion as selling a call! Over use defeats the purpose!

AK ref SE

Am I wrong to do this?
 

I usually blow the whistle once for all fouls and obvious violations but blow the whistle several times for violations where a player is moving with the ball (carry, travel, etc)

Is this wrong? I've never had anyone complain about it.

Re: Am I wrong to do this?
 

Mike,
I only blow once. I don't feel much need to sell calls unless I think I may have kicked it slightly. ;)
I like to call fouls and violations matter-of-factly, as part of the game, not as surprises.
But if multiple whistles is good for you, keep doing it.
mick

Yet another question
 

I worked three games last night and felt that I had to blow double whistles a lot for violations. I could hardly here my own whistle, my question then is... is this a bad mechanic if someone were out watching me? Or would they say that the noise factor would be taken into consideration?

Re: Yet another question
 

Denny,
If you are worried about multiple-tweeting to stop a play (<i>and I, personally, would not worry about it</i>), what you can try to do is close down on the play more quickly as you are blowing that Fox. That'll get the players attention.
You are using a <b>Fox</b>, aren't you?
mick

whistle
 

Estimates please. How many times, in an average B.B game, does an official blow the whistle?

Question: Would you use a electronic whistle? If it fit well on your hand and wrist and was not cumbersome.
A speaker disposed on the backhand side of the unit, and a momentary switch on the lower palm area on the front of the unit. To "blow whistle" you would simply close hand and press switch with fingertips.

This would free hands and mouth. Be much cleaner and sanitary. No lanyard around neck and no fumbling around to sound whistle. Would not have to rely on the breath of winded official.

Would you use one? TIA

Re: whistle
 

There really is no way to tell how many times I blow a whistle per game. It depends on the violations, fouls, timouts, and any other reason that I have to blow the play dead (like last night I had a kid go screaming across the gym floor).

As far as an electronic whistle, I would be hesitant to use anything electronic with everything that can go wrong.