How to use your whistle?

[btaylor64]

I was just wondering if everyone blows the whistle differently for different plays or sitches (i.e., block/charge play. Do you double tweet? Triple tweet? or do you use one tweet all the time?) So on and so forth. Do you feel like the way you blow the whistle can better emphasize the call being made if it needs a little more sell? Discuss and I will sit back and listen.

[ChuckElias]

I try pretty hard to use only one tweet for everything. There are times, however, when I double-tweet. These seem to be plays that surprise me or that happen really quickly; like a travel right before contact on a block/charge.

I've also been told that if you have something happen unexpectedly or at a critical time (like a TO away from the ball in the last 5 seconds of a game), that you should blow the heck out of the whistle.

Welcome to the forum!

[Official99]

You should always have a nice strong whistle. You will see some officials use a double or tripple tweet for their travel calls. I find myself doing this, but it is just out of habit at this point. I've also had an evaluator from the Patriot/Ivy League write a negative comment because of the double tweet. If you are begining, just blow one whistle.

In a call where you are trying to sell it, I think a whistle that last a little longer than your normal whistle will help. But blowing it five or six short tweets, I think just makes you look like an idiot!

Just make sure your whistle can be heard by all.

[Back In The Saddle]

Originally Posted by btaylor64

I was just wondering if everyone blows the whistle differently for different plays or sitches (i.e., block/charge play. Do you double tweet? Triple tweet? or do you use one tweet all the time?) So on and so forth. Do you feel like the way you blow the whistle can better emphasize the call being made if it needs a little more sell? Discuss and I will sit back and listen.

In HS we're supposed to use a "single sharp blast" for all whistles. However I make two exceptions: held balls, where I will tweet tweet tweet while I close on the play; time out, where I use a single long tweet.

[Bad Zebra]

I was at a camp last summer where the staff advocated a longer blast when signalling a time out and returning a ball to live action after a time out. Anyone ever heard this? In other words, yout "time out" whistle should be different than your standard foul/violation blast.

[crazy voyager]

I've been told to never ever do double or tripple tweets. One hard call is enough, the only exception I do is for time outs when I usually call one long signal. But I don't do the double or tripples, and I don't think you should either. Many whistles and you risk just sounding silly insted of firm when you make a call.

[tmp44]

All single, short, strong tweets unless otherwise necessary. Held balls, or loud gyms where it appears no one has heard the whistle may be exceptions, but rare.

I will sometimes use a longer whistle for a time out...kind of a habit. But unless otherwise needed, never a double or triple tweet. As evaluators at camps have told me, we're officials, not train conductors.

[btaylor64]

I am very glad I have asked this question and thank all of you for the replies. I use my whistle as another "tool of the trade" or tool to help me express different plays and different situations. I personally feel it can help you emphasize a play of more importance, or when there is a double whistle and I know that I want to take the play. I have yet to go to a camp where, what I call utilizing my whistle, has been brought to my attention, but it is very helpful to know. Thanks.

P.S. I use a longer blast for my time-out as well.

[garote]

I double on travel calls only....everything else is a single...trying to break the habit but having a heck of a time doing it.

[mick]

My Foxes works just fine.
One tweet always stops play.
mick

[Luis]

I found many double tweet on travelling especially in USA. Personally I only do once and may be multiple for fight(I officiate under FIBA rules, and the book says only blow once...). The most impressive thing to me was that I saw a FIBA ref blowing 10 times very rapidly for a lay-up charging, excellent mouth skill but silly enough like training puppy.