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.

Interesting, this question came up at our association meeting and the interpretation we were told is that coaches should be breaking the huddle at 15 seconds and play will resume at the second horn. I am kind of torn on the issue as I feel as long as the huddle is breaking at the second horn and team s are moving to their spots, that is good for me. They get to use their full time and the game gets back under way quickly.

I have the same reporting philosophy when reporting time outs to the table as Freddy. And, I transfer that philosophy to football, as well.

They should be breaking at 15 seconds, or getting ready to, anyway.

The odds of me putting a ball on the floor are about zero, but I'm going to do my best to keep everyone moving.

I am never putting the ball on the floor. I will give a DOG if the delay is long enough to become an issue and then follow up with a T if the problem persists.

Unofficially I'm sure?

Yes, as unofficial as one can be while informing the offending coach and letting him know to get his players on the court and ready to play. ;)

You have ROP in effect in both FED and NCAAW. You can have a DOG first in NCAAW, but not in FED.

No T;

I hope this isn't in a Fed game.

Yeah, I forgot that the warning isn't an official Fed mechanic. This is something we have been instructed to do in most of the conferences I work in. Warning, then ROP, then T.

Sure, I like to warn them, but it's not a "DOG" warning (at the FED level). It's just, "coach, timeouts are running a bit long, I need them ready to play at the second horn."

I've also found that it's extremely helpful (and practically required here anyway) to get into the huddle after the first horn. It's working here, I only put the ball down once or twice a season, and then only in ms level. High school coaches get it and are more likely to complain about the other team lagging than to try to stretch out a TO themselves.

And then, it is still not a T. You just put the ball on the floor again. If they want to give up a possession by being slow resuming play, that is sufficient. The problem takes care of itself.

Thanks, forgot to address that part.

...I believe the exact words are, "A warning signal for the teams to PREPARE to resume play is sounded with 15 seconds remaining." (5-11-2,3)

So that would go along with your "or getting ready to, anyway" statement...

but, somewhat different than "they should be BREAKING AT 15 seconds"...IMO.

A whistle at the 1st horn should keep your odds at about zero...;)

Although in FED, there is no DOG "warning" for delaying the throw in after a time out (ROP), if one or both teams commit a 5-sec violation, and then continues to delay, a "T" is warranted.
7-5
ART. 1

When a team does not make a thrower available, after a time-out (as in 7-4-4) or the intermission between any quarter (as in 6-2-3), the resumption-of-play procedure is used to prevent delay. The administering official will sound the whistle to indicate play will resume. In each situation:

a. The ball shall be put in play if Team A is ready or it shall be placed on the floor.

b. The throw-in count shall begin and if a violation occurs, the procedure will be repeated for Team B.

c. Following a violation by one team only, if that team continues to delay when authorized to make a throw-in, it is a technical foul.

d. Following a violation by both teams, any further delay by either team is a technical foul.

Caseplay
7.5.1 SITUATION A:

The administering official has reached a five-second throw-in count on Team A after placing the ball on the floor when A was not ready to resume play following a time-out. What happens next?

RULING: The violation is administered and the ball is made available to Team B for a throw-in, at the same spot. If a Team B player is not in position, the same procedure is followed. If both teams have violated, a technical foul will be assessed for any further delay by either team. Team A must now have a thrower available, plus all other players on the court and Team B must be on the court ready to play also. If either or both teams are not in compliance immediately, a technical foul shall be charged.

COMMENT: Each different time a team has delayed returning to the court after a time-out or between quarters, the resumption-of-play procedure should be used. However, if a team refuses to play after technical fouls have been assessed, the game may be forfeited. (4-38; 5-4-1)

I'm not all that concerned with a few seconds here or there. I know that if the team hasn't broken the huddle on the SECOND horn, I'm going to remind the coach to move things along.

The whistle usually gets them stirring, but if it doesn't, I'm just doing what I've always done -- getting in the huddle, encouraging them to break, etc.

Not putting the ball down unless a team is really insistent on not breaking until the second horn repeatedly -- or defiant.

...I'm in this choir and singing right along with ya! ;)

Rookie Dude:

I am with holding comment per the "whistle at first horn" but a team does not have 15 seconds more to its TO. Both teams are to be ready to play by the second horn.

MTD, Sr.

I've tried this recently and it does work. It seems like when teams hear the whistle just after the first horn, it gets them stirring around and they end up coming out of the huddle either at the second horn or very close to it. It seems like when you don't use the whistle, they won't even start to stir until the second horn sometimes.

Their timeout is either 60 seconds or 30 seconds long. The horn comes 15 seconds before that time limit. So they aren't getting "15 seconds more to its TO". They are getting their allotted time. Making them leave their bench area at the first horn is taking time away from them.

I am guessing that after the second horn you wait for both teams to break their respective huddles and move out onto the court and a thrower comes to you to receive the ball from you, meaning that the teams are not ready to resume play by the second horn as required by rule.

MTD, Sr.

Disagree that they don't have 15 more seconds. They absolutely do if you're blowing the whistle after 45 seconds of a 60 second time out.

You are guessing wrong, then. Total time between the second horn and the time we put the ball in play is probably 5 seconds or less. But I do not make them leave their bench area at the first horn. Being ready to play does not mean that you have the thrower standing beside you already.

What I am about to say applies to both 30 and 60 second timeouts. The warning buzzer is just that: It warns both teams that the ball will be put into play in 15 seconds; it means that the both teams are to be ready to play in 15 seconds. When the second horn sounds the administering official is to place the ball at the disposable of the team entitled to make the throw-in.

The administering official should not have to wait for team(s) to break it or their huddles after the second horn is sounded.

MTD, Sr.

Doing what I think you're suggesting...putting the ball immediately at the disposal as soon as the second horn hits...would amount to career suicide if one wants to do more than middle school ball. I agree we don't want to let teams delay the game too long after the 2nd horn, but realistic appliciation of the rules around timeouts and resuming play from that timeout dictate that you WILL wait for a short period of time to let teams break their huddles.

Of course, this is all IMO...and YMMW.

We are required to do this. I have had more than 1 occasion in a loud gym where the teams did not hear the horn….You need to ensure that the head coach makes eye contact with you as you yell in the huddle, "First Horn, White". This way there is no reason you not to envoke resumption of play if needed.

I have been away from the board for a couple days...

Sooooo...not trying to pile on, Senior....but, what Adam, rockyroad and APG said.;)

I've adopted this over the last two weeks and found it to be largely successful. A quick tweet as I'm walking over to the huddle after the first horn and teams are much more likely to be breaking the huddle as the second horn sounds.

I'll say again...

Of course "it", (a quick tweet), should work...

But, doesn't it feel like your fudging a bit?

A "quick tweet" is usually done RIGHT BEFORE play is about to begin.

What happens when the next crew does not blow the whistle at the first horn?

Do these teams come to expect a whistle before they break?

Nope, not fudging at all. I'm a Wisconsin season ticket holder and those D1 officials tweet on the first horn all the time. Good practice, IMO.

I don't give a quick tweet before beginning play -- I give a pretty good blast of the whistle, then.

At the end of time outs, we have several "tools" to use to get the teams out of the huddle:

1) 1st horn (oftentimes, that does not work by itself).
2) a quick/short whistle "very near the huddle" (I ALWAYS use this).
3) verbally saying "1st horn" (I ALWAYS use this as well).
4) since we know who the floor captain is....I use his name to get their attention: "Captain Steve! 1st horn - LET'S GO!" (in general, people listen better when you use their first name - it gets their attention).
5) as a last resort, i'll lean INTO the huddle and blow my whistle again. A FOX40 whistle a couple of feet from someone's ear usually does the trick (they usually do anything they can to avoid it happening again!).

Try them out in your next game....you may find them helpful.

Find / get the name of "the TO Coach". Similar to the "get back" coach in FB.