Advice for the 1st Year: Free Throw Violations
 

Hi persons! (zero gender-bias)

I'm looking for some advice on managing free-throw violation whistles/signals.
It seems that every time I am the lead administering free-throws, I have to do a mental summersault or two trying to figure out.. ok, white is shooting, immediate whistle if one of these two white jerseys go early, but delayed for blue... i'll use my arm towards the table for delayed, and my arm toward the basket for immediate...

sometimes i end up blowing the whistle on a delayed where the shot goes in... ack!

it all feels very awkward. i'm thinking that i will develop a concise system ultimately, but maybe i can get some insights from vets that will help me get there quicker.

Slow down and focus. If a player steps in, take a second to process whether his/her team is shooting. No reason you can't blow your whistle a second later after you recognize which team is shooting.

What Snags said...

If you have shooting team violation, just blow it dead and don't worry about which hand/arm you are using...there, that takes one thing to think about out of the mix! ;)

I do like you do. While waiting, I go over in my head, "white, delay".

Yep, it may help you to shorten up your conversation with yourself, like Mregor illustrates. I tell myself -- after I've administered the throw -- "blow red, hold white." or "hold white, blow blue." as the case may be. And if you're determined to use different hands, then maybe just quickly flex the proper hand as you're doing each part of your self talk.

Just curious, why the hand near the table for delayed? In two person, as L, I would think you'd want to use the one away from the table so your partner can see it better. He's the other only person on the court, or off, who knows what that signal is for.

"White Whistle"
 

I do the opposite. If white is shooting, as I'm waitng for the shot, I say to myself "White Whistle". That has helped me to blow the whistle when the "offensive" team violates, and to delay the whistle, when the "defensive" team violates.

Come up with your own routine, and stick to it.

Great ideas. Had an IW on one tonight. Then I got to toss a 2nd jump ball a bit later.

If you're the lead, you should only be watching 3 people. The defensive player closest to you and the bottom 2 players on the opposite side of the lane. That should simplify it. You should only sound the whistle when the player in the second spot opposite you comes in early.

Ot!
 

That should cost you a cool beverage. Shame on you!

Mregor

Exactly. You should only be watching one A player. You've got the two bottom defenders and A2 on the opposite side. No arm signal for A2.

Maybe I am missing something here, but for immediate violations the only thing you do is blow the whistle and raise your arm vertically as with any violation - you don't extend it, fist closed - as with a delayed lane violation. The horizontal extended arm is for delayed only.