As I have gained experience I notice that I am beginning to do what I did as a player and that is slow the game down in my head as it is happening.

However, when I do this, I also catch myself, it seems, blowing the whistle late. Not like 3 seconds after a foul but it just feels like a long time. I know I am not thinking about what I am seeing. I am seeing and reacting. I got that part down. Is this normal?

At the risk of not being clear, I just feel like I blow the whistle too late after a play.

An NBA referee told me to:

1. See the play
2. See the foul
3. Know where the ball is
4. Call the foul

All in all I think that this is good advice and probably means that you areseeing the whole situation. Your whistle is probably not as late as you believe.

That is what I think too. I teach, and there are times when I feel like I have let a lesson go way to long and it has been about 20 minutes, not the 35 or so I believe. Maybe I am bad at mental time!

I'm not an experienced official (second year), but one thing I've learned is that it's much better to have a slow whistle than to have a fast whistle.

Did any of you start your career with too quick a whistle, and have to force yourself to develop a slower whistle? I'd think that would be a tough transition to make. How were you able to make the change?

I think the majority of starting officials have a very quick whistle. It is driven by the fact that they want to appear competent and "on top of it." They lack the confidence to hold the whistle until the play runs its coarse.

It takes an extremely late whistle to be questioned. If the "delay" allows you to see the whole play, you can make the right call and be confident with it.

I just got back from my three game morning and I noticed I was a bit quicker today. Either that or I did not notice the time...The play of the game sort of dictated it also.

Dsturdy5
 

I sincerely doubt that your whistles are as late as you believe them to be. Do not feel like you need to speed up, unless you have a credible mentor observe and instruct you to be quicker with the whistle.

The debate will rage on in basketball about late vs. quick whistles. Always know what you are calling. Anticipate the play, not the call. I've been burned with too quick of a whistle. "32 white, thats on you, " then lower voice to him , "bad call"

At the same time assignors are looking for officials that have confidense with the whistle. Are you calling the foul as it happens or are you waiting for the play to develope further. Can you blow the whistle with .05 seconds of the ball touching a line? Call volleyball and get some practice. Have a slow whistle on the the roubounding action before the shot goes in. Have quick whistle when the foul is obvious.

Wow! Do you say that immediately,Tim,without anyone even questioning the call first? If I was 32 white and you said that to me,the first thing out of my mouth would be "then whyinhell are you calling it?". The second thing out of my mouth would be "Coach,do you know what the refereee just said.....?" I really don't think that it's a good idea to admit to a bad call immediately after you call it. If it's that close,change the call-just like the other,similar thread that going on now.