The seasoned veterans, that my partner and I are, learned from a rookie this past week...
In the middle of the first half of a Varsity game.... My partner blows his whistle and as he verbally gives the call, we all watch as his whistle goes skidding across the floor..
Now we know that we should carry an extra whistle, an extra lanyard, even an extra shirt... But when the whistle hit the deck, it was the loop on his shirt that had broken.... He tried to play on, but after the third time the whistle hit the floor and being beat across his cheeks by his smitty, he was ready to stop the game and go in search of the schools administration who also governing over an ongoing soccer match...
But to our rescue came one of our rookie officials and saved the moment by providing a regular around the neck lanyard!
Thanks Chuck!
One more thing that we can add to our travel bag....
jc

Another idea would be to steal the method used by some NBA officials and simply not use a lanyard. When you blow the whistle, make it a habit to put it in your pocket to give visual signals. It takes some getting used to, but it actually slows you down and prevents you from having that swinging lanyard syndrome.