The Ref Stop

How do you hold your whistle?

S

SammyT5

Well-Known Member
Level 7 Referee
Recently noticed that a lot of referees hold their whistle in slightly different ways. Some, (me included), have it on a lanyard, which they then either wear around their neck or wrap around their wrist. Some prefer to hold their whistle loose, which seems like insanity to me. I think I even saw a ref on a local pitch the other day wearing his whistle on a wristband type thing. I’ve even noticed that the positioning of the fingers is different for different people, some grip the whistle on the side, and some grip it towards the end.

I think I personally tend to go with a lanyard, and alternate where it is depending on how I’m feeling. How do you hold your whistle?
 
The Ref Stop
Between my thumb and index finger, two whistles together on a lanyard round my wrist
 
For years and years, I used a wrist lanyard. I heard people talking about just holding it and thought they were nuts. i noticed professional refs just holding it. And finally gave it a try—two whistles tethered together. Once I tried it, I never went back. The loose whistles mean I can hold them in either hand. Being loose means, on rare occasion, I can leave the whistle in my mouth without keeping a hand there. My finger slips through a ring on the tether while I write (unless I had a reason to keep it in my mouth).

I think the wrist lanyard is the best bet for starting out, but I’ve Now been just holding it for about a decade, (Ive never tried the finger grio, as I hate having my fingers pinned together—but that’s purely a personal preference).
oh, and as far as dropping it, I’ve dropped it a grand total of once—when I badly sprained my ankle in a hole on the field while sprinting.
 
socal lurker said:
For years and years, I used a wrist lanyard. I heard people talking about just holding it and thought they were nuts. i noticed professional refs just holding it. And finally gave it a try—two whistles tethered together. Once I tried it, I never went back. The loose whistles mean I can hold them in either hand. Being loose means, on rare occasion, I can leave the whistle in my mouth without keeping a hand there. My finger slips through a ring on the tether while I write (unless I had a reason to keep it in my mouth).

I think the wrist lanyard is the best bet for starting out, but I’ve Now been just holding it for about a decade, (Ive never tried the finger grio, as I hate having my fingers pinned together—but that’s purely a personal preference).
oh, and as far as dropping it, I’ve dropped it a grand total of once—when I badly sprained my ankle in a hole on the field while sprinting.
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100% this

I discovered the holding technique around 20 years ago when my lanyard broke during a game
Had no choice but to hold whistle
Never given me a single issue
 
Wrist lanyard that then hold two whistles. Most of the benefits Socal Lurker describes, plus the option of just letting go when noting cards - in the winter my fingers get stiff very easily, so I need all the flexibility for writing legibly that I can get!
 
GraemeS said:
Wrist lanyard that then hold two whistles. Most of the benefits Socal Lurker describes, plus the option of just letting go when noting cards - in the winter my fingers get stiff very easily, so I need all the flexibility for writing legibly that I can get!
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Can only echo this!
 
I'm a new ref, and feel I'd drop my whistle. So I made a contraption. A coil wrist bracelet with a loop of ball chain attaching the whistle to the bracelet. So I hold the whistle comfortably, but can drop it when needed. The bracelet has a pretty sparkle to it too - it's kids' jewelry. ✨WhistleBraceletClose-up.jpg

Also, I'm brand new to this forum. It looks like a great place to learn and ask questions. Thanks to those of you who help run this!
 
MiddleAgedRookieRef said:
I'm a new ref, and feel I'd drop my whistle. So I made a contraption. A coil wrist bracelet with a loop of ball chain attaching the whistle to the bracelet. So I hold the whistle comfortably, but can drop it when needed. The bracelet has a pretty sparkle to it too - it's kids' jewelry. ✨

View attachment 5908

Also, I'm brand new to this forum. It looks like a great place to learn and ask questions. Thanks to those of you who help run this!
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Where to start.....

As a newly qualified referee you might be aware of law 5.

if not, the short version is, you are prohibited from wearing jewellery.

Might be why such traditional things aa the lanyard are in circulatiom

So either this is a fishy fishy post and am biting, or, no, absolutely your Dragons Den effort is a sure fire no
 
MiddleAgedRookieRef said:
I'm a new ref, and feel I'd drop my whistle. So I made a contraption. A coil wrist bracelet with a loop of ball chain attaching the whistle to the bracelet. So I hold the whistle comfortably, but can drop it when needed. The bracelet has a pretty sparkle to it too - it's kids' jewelry. ✨View attachment 5908

Also, I'm brand new to this forum. It looks like a great place to learn and ask questions. Thanks to those of you who help run this!
Click to expand...
Just go out and buy a whistle lanyard you tight-fisted git!! :rolleyes: :D
 
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