Working the whistle.
 

Ok.. so I'm about to do my first game within the next week or 2. I've been studying my rules and my mechanics clinic is on Nov 3rd.

My question is this... How do you guys work the wistle. Its one of the things not covered in the book. When to blow the whistle.. how many times... so on and so on.

any whistle tips would be welcome.

Thanks

1. Blow it with confidence. Not too long and not too soft. One blast unless you have a potential dangerous situation and there is no response by players. Get a Fox 40 whistle. Do not use a Pea whistle.
2. Any violation
3. To signal Jump ball
4. Any foul
5. After any lengthy delay to signal the ball becoming in play
6. After a TO or intermission to signal ball becoming in play.
7. After a made final FT if there is a sub.
8. At start of game if tossing the ball to signal the game is about to begin.
9. Out of bounds
10. Any time the clock needs to stop

Don't blow it for general substitutions - call them in.

Anything else fellow posters? (My apologies to JR if I missed anything or if he likes to blow it long) :D

A few years ago I worked with a rookie on his first game. He was a football ref also. He started sounding his whistle after every score because that is what they do in football - DON'T DO THAT.

You started a thread a couple of days ago that had some good information in it: http://forum.officiating.com/showthread.php?t=38959

Oh I know.. I was specifically looking for whistle mechanics. Thats why the new thread. ;)

I know it seems silly, but its important. At least.. I think its important to work the whistle correctly.

It is important. Your whistle can convey confidence, it can convey uncertainty, it can convey arrogance ("look at me!"). In general, your whistle should be sounded with a single, sharp blast. Most new officials don't blow the whistle strongly enough. Go ahead and really blow it!

You should blow the whistle anytime you want the clock to stop, any time you want play to stop (even when the clock is already stopped), or any time you are about to start playing after a delay. (The delay could be a time-out, an intermission, an injury, a bookkeeping problem that had to be resolved, etc.)

In my first year, a vet told me to blow the whistle like you were in an arena with 20K screaming fans....I wasn't putting enough air in it and it wasn't sounding confident....

Pretty much what KS said....

On the subs...if you need to get their attention at the table if you are opposite floor, I will give a couple of quick chirps and wave them in.

Make strong calls and "sell them" with good mechanics....After you get your first call, you'll settle in...

Last bit of advice I can give you is just slow down....the game isn't going anywhere without you....no need to hurry on reporting....when you do blow the whistle, repeat the offender's # and the offended to yourself as you walk to the table so you remember who the call is on and who your potential shooter is....Nothing like heading to the table and having a brain fart on the player who committed the foul....Not that I've ever had that happen! :D

One other whistle tip...I had an ACC official tell me that your resumption of play whistle after a time out or intermission should be a fraction longer than your standard foul or violation blast. I guess his point was that it's a "Hey, we're ready to play" indicator to everyone within earshot. Not sure if that's standard practice, but it does seem to sound a little better to me, anyway.

Is this a reference to Congress? :rolleyes:

It can be...or it can be sports fans in a gym...or management of a company...a group of protesters...the audience at the Emmy Awards...Anna Nichole's Former Lovers Support Group...The OJ Fan Club...possibilities are really endless :D

SWEET!!!:D Never a dull moment....

Similarly (if you've worked football), in basketball, you keep the whistle in your mouth at all times.

Great tips...
I have a tip for newbies concerning "working the whistle".

Don't hold on to it like a pacifier. Many new officials either keep the whistle in their mouth (after they have blown it) or walk around holding the whistle in their hand.

Blow the damn thing like ya got a pair...and then be rid of it. ;)

Except on Jump Ball situation and when you take a pee!!.;)

I'd like to add, the whistle may be blown to get your partner's attention if you want partner to wait to administer the ball.

• sub at the the table waiting to enter.
• question from table.
• stuff on the floor.
• not enough players.
• too many players.

:)

Do not echo a partner's whistle.

Just curious as to how many of you out there ever use the "staccato" whistle technique? If so, for what do you use it. I use it sometimes for a travel but that's about it.