Whistle at first horn
 

One of our big dogs recommended this when I worked with him last year, and I adopted it immediately. So have my partners. An easy "tweet tweet."

Guess what -- huddles start breaking when they hear the whistle much more effectively than when we come in simply saying, "First horn."

Book mechanic or not, it's worked really well for us, and our association's training program included this -- no surprise, since the big dog was teaching at the time. :p

I concur. I wait a few seconds after the first horn then hit my whistle. Works like a charm.

Our horns were slow last night, so I did it a couple times to speed things up.

For Little Dogs Like Me
 

Something that has made it a lot easier to "bring 'em otta the huddles" we discovered from video evidence of last year's games...
In the past, when a timeout was granted, most officials inevitably reported it to the table right away and got the clock started way before the players had any realistic opportunity to even make it over toward their bench areas. Then, when the first horn went off, they barely got the deserved time from the timeout requested. Yep, we had a hard time getting them to come out and resume play.
This year, having had it on the agenda of a rules meeting, some in our area started taking our time with that report to the table. That is, timeout is requested, then granted, then the reporting official backs out to the midcourt area to signal to partners and the other coach what kind of timeout was requested, then after players are observed crossing or making their way to the benches, the report is given to the table and the point and verbal "Start the Clock" is issued to the timekeeper.
Now, that sounded a lot more elongated than it really is in real life, but the result we're enjoying is this: when they get full value out of the timeout requested, they're very easy to bring out of the huddles to resume play.
Perhaps this is how others in other areas have been doing it all along, and we were behind the curve.
But this is working well for us the first few games of the new season and I thought it might be worth mentioning.
If not, disregard. If so, try it.
Arf...arf. :D

Never used the whistle to hurry folks out of the huddle before. Never even heard the suggestion. Interesting.

As for Freddy's point, I was always taught to let the teams get near or to their benches before signaling the timeout and to start the clock. Don't know how much that works, but, it does give them the full amount of time.

I'd try anything that works......including putting the ball down at the spot and starting my count......which I will do too. ;)

Been doing it that way (sort of) for as long as I can remember. I don't start the report and have the clock started until they are actually at their benches or at least had plenty of time to get there. The rest of the process, while a good idea, doesn't really affect what you're waning to accomplish...getting them out of the timeout at the end.

This is how we do it. Even if I start my report early, I hold off on starting the clock until both teams have had ample opportunity to get to their benches. I won't wait for the lollygaggers, but that's rare and the coach normally deals with Johnny C. Lately.

We already do it this way.

It's not a "hurry up" tactic for us. The horn blows, the covering officials hit their whistles before the usual "First horn" and what it does is gets people moving towards ending the timeout.

I noticed it on Friday when I worked with two new partners and I forgot to mention it during the pregame (I was the R). We had a team that wouldn't even start to stir until the second horn. Unless I was covering and blew the whistle. Some coaches get really absorbed by the timeout and the whistle for some reason jars them into action.

Same thing as long as I can remember too.

Had a euro professional league official give me a pointer about this very thing this week. He suggested that after a timeout is requested and granted, that the partners get together quickly and determine who's ball it is where the ball will come in at. THEN report the timeout and start the timer. I tried it this week and I rally like it. By time you finish your pow wow with the P, both teams have had sufficient time to get into their huddles. I like the whistle suggestion and will try it this week.

Officials (all) need to know the length of the TO and where and how (spot, run, FT -- including number and the shooter) the ball will be put back in play. You can do that with eye contact -- you don't need to get together.

Been doing that for years without the "coming together" part. I look to my parnters to confirm the throw-in spot and advise them of the length before reporting to the table. Re-confirm throw-in spot as I head to my time-out position.

Yeah what Bob said. I didn't mean physically get together in a huddle but just communicate the information before reporting the TO, not after during the TO.

I don't start the clock until everyone's in the huddle.

Usually, I'll get an assistant's attention and point out the throw-in spot (and if it's on the end line in the backcourt whether the thrower-in can run the end line).

Take a few extra seconds at the beginning of the time out and you won't have to rush teams as much at the end.

Yep...more or less...at least near the huddle.

Hmmmmmm....kinda like "crying wolf isn't it?";)

Usually a whistle means ball is ready for play (after a TO)...not excactly true in this case, since the team still has 15 seconds left of their TO.

It's no wonder the "huddles start breaking when they hear the whistle"...but, hasn't your crew just shorted the team the benefit of a full TO?

I guess if your whole association is doing it this way...it's consistent.

But, maybe the teams in your association are going to get spoiled with these whisltes and are getting set up for failure when they go outside of your service area.

Just a thought.