Quicker whistle, any advice?

[lukealex]

I'm in my second year of officiating high school and have been asked and have asked about getting Varsity games. I have been told that something that will hold me back is that a couple of the Varsity guys think I need a quicker whistle. How can I achieve this? Any advice?

[RefNVa]

Drink a couple of Red Bulls before your next game! Seriously, in my opinion, your whistle will be quicker as you become more comfortable on the court.

[Hartsy]

I have heard you need to anticipate the play, but not the contact. This may help you in foul situations. You can get in position to see what you need to see, when you need to see it.

Other than that, I have found it just takes time. Work as many games as you can, and keep asking for advice.

[rainmaker]

It's very possible that as soon as you feel like you're really getting a quicker whistle, someone will tell you that you need to hold the whistle a little.

I've come to realize that on violations you do need a pretty quick whistle, but on a lot of fouls you can let the play develop a little and try to let the players play through. That's more true the higher up you go.

As usual, I recommend going to watch as many top level varsity games in your area as you can. Try to see 8 or 10 during the season. Watch carefully how others in your locale are quick or slow on an infraction. Try to feel a rhythm to it. Especially, go see the folks who told you to be quicker. It's at least remotely possible that they say one thing and do another. Their words don't necessarily represent the reality of how they do it themselves.

Ask around a little about general philosophies on this topic. And as you are trying to move up, find a good mentor who you can talk to about these things. This is the best tool for improvement.

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by lukealex
I'm in my second year of officiating high school and have been asked and have asked about getting Varsity games. I have been told that something that will hold me back is that a couple of the Varsity guys think I need a quicker whistle. How can I achieve this? Any advice?

You need to explain what they mean, or what you think they mean by you "need a quicker whistle".

[Junker]

I'd like to know exactly what they mean as well. I've always been taught that a patient whistle is better than a too quick whistle. I prefer the just right whistle, just as I like my bed, chair and porridge just right.

[Junker]

I don't have a fast whistle, I don't have a slow whistle, I have a halfast whistle. You have to read it out loud. Saw it on a sign somewhere, although not with whistle.

[alfreedog]

Originally posted by lukealex
I'm in my second year of officiating high school and have been asked and have asked about getting Varsity games. I have been told that something that will hold me back is that a couple of the Varsity guys think I need a quicker whistle. How can I achieve this? Any advice?

I am in my second year of officiating and i've been told to have a patient whistle as well as a quick whistle as well as a no whistle. I came into this field with a passion and now that I have gotten better politics is what I am battling most of the time. I do admit I have move up the ladder fairly quickly(I am doing college in my second year) but it still amazes me the many different interpretations you encounter almost every game. So I decided to chew on the meat and spit out the bone when necessary. Gather in all info for benefit and discard all leftovers. As a young official you are constantly told what to do, how to do it, where to go, where not to be, where to stand, how to stand, how to look, how to be patient, how not to be fast and last but not least when to blow. So listen well and have much consideration and understanding. Don'b be arrogant, don't be stupid and don't be ignorant and the only way not to be those things is be "SILENT" and say OK.

[blindzebra]

A little slow is better than too quick.

The most important thing is having a strong whistle and crisp dead ball signals.

[crazy voyager]

mines too fast, I get some calls when I call it late though, but not many, I can live with lots more rather then do like now when I call it to fast.

but it's nothing a little excperience wont help correct

[tomegun]

I think the speed of your whistle should vary; you might be getting told some things to slow you down. I would think that you need to see a lot of plays since you are in your second year. Achieving a comfort level on the court can't be done, for the most part, in two years. That even holds true for an official in an area like Metro DC where there is a ton of basketball. However, there are officials that just get it naturally. If you are a natural, I would say keep on doing what you are doing!

[mick]

Originally posted by Dan_ref

You need to explain what they mean, or what you think they mean by you "need a quicker whistle".

Dan,
My guess is that those Varsity guys meant "more whistles, sooner whistles, before the basketball game becomes a wrasslin' match.

Seems quite common for a new/young official to say to himself, "I shoulda got that one. Oops! ...Shoulda got that one too!"

mick

[crazy voyager]

yes, we should name that effect, hm, a nice name anyone?

anyway, I know how it is, that's how I ended up 4 or 5 games ago, I missed two many calls, and the game got out of my hands, in the end it recuired me to blow fouls and I had to T a coach too before I got it back under control, but I hate to lose a game like that

[refnrev]

[Dan,
Seems quite common for a new/young official to say to himself, "I shoulda got that one. Oops! ...Shoulda got that one too!"

mick
[/B][/QUOTE]
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Mick,
The flip side is that a lot of newer officials also have too quick of a whistle and either have too many inadvertent whistles, stand by too many anticipated but never occuring fouls, etc. A mistake I see in some guys (and one lady) is that they won't put enough air into the whistle and it makes their calls look unsure and wimpy. I told my partner Tuesday night to fill up his whistle. It sounded like a 99 cent toy. I didn't know a FOX 40 could be that quiet!

[mick]

Originally posted by refnrev
[Dan,
Seems quite common for a new/young official to say to himself, "I shoulda got that one. Oops! ...Shoulda got that one too!"

mick

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Mick,
The flip side is that a lot of newer officials also have too quick of a whistle and either have too many inadvertent whistles, stand by too many anticipated but never occuring fouls, etc. A mistake I see in some guys (and one lady) is that they won't put enough air into the whistle and it makes their calls look unsure and wimpy. I told my partner Tuesday night to fill up his whistle. It sounded like a 99 cent toy. I didn't know a FOX 40 could be that quiet! [/QUOTE][/b]

YU.P.
I don't disagree, refnrev.
mick