Use your mulligan?

[Rich1]

I step in, toss it high, and take a half step backwards - all with a whistle in my mouth. I have never been bumped, hit, pushed or otherwise assaulted during this process in many years of reffing. The key is to keep room between the players, delay a bit after stepping in, toss it high from shoulder heighth, and pull back a little bit out of the way so they don't come down on top of you. It might not be how others would do it but this works for me!

[APG]

You might the first person I've heard (save for rookies) advocate keeping the whistle while tossing the ball...

I like my teeth intact...all it takes is a flailing arm to get ya...step back or not. Plus, you're still in the pocket when you're actually tossing the ball...which means a player can still get you on the way up.

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by Rich1

I step in, toss it high, and take a half step backwards - all with a whistle in my mouth. I have never been bumped, hit, pushed or otherwise assaulted during this process in many years of reffing. The key is to keep room between the players, delay a bit after stepping in, toss it high from shoulder heighth, and pull back a little bit out of the way so they don't come down on top of you. It might not be how others would do it but this works for me!

It works well for you until you get the bill for getting your teeth fixed.

The Officials Manual also explicitly says to remove the whistle before tossing.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Rich1

I step in, toss it high, and take a half step backwards - all with a whistle in my mouth. I have never been bumped, hit, pushed or otherwise assaulted during this process in many years of reffing. The key is to keep room between the players, delay a bit after stepping in, toss it high from shoulder heighth, and pull back a little bit out of the way so they don't come down on top of you. It might not be how others would do it but this works for me!

You are literally the only person I've ever seen advocate for this. There is absolutely zero upside to keeping your whistle in here, and the downside is huge. If you're teaching new officials this, you're doing them a major disservice.

[Rich1]

Not advoating it, just saying I have been doing it this way for a while. I do hear what you guys are saying and maybe I'll break that habit before I have a reason to bteak it.