Valkeen whistles

[Kent Ref]

I heard one of these yesterday and i've decided they are brilliant.

I've been on ebay etc and the whistles all have different codes in the description. I also read there are different whistles from valkeen for different sports.

Which letter or code is the one for football?

Thank you.

 

[Ross]

I’ll dig out the code later but be careful with eBay, an awful lot of fakes out there

 

[Kent Ref]

thank you

 

[Ross]

You want the RA0030-KS

 

[Kent Ref]

£40.59 - sound too cheap or right price?

 

[santa sangria]

That's about right. One caveat: the first one I got came with finger grips, the second one didn't. The finger grips (3 different sizes) are fantastic IMHO and help justify the price.

 

[one]

I am fairly sure the -KS has finger grip. You can also buy the finger grips separately for a relatively low cost. Agree about they usefulness. I also have it on my Sonic blast as my second whistle.

 

[RobOda]

The finger grips (3 different sizes) are fantastic IMHO and help justify the price.

Don't they get in the way of swapping the whistle to each hand?

 

[one]

I only have one whistle hand and never had the need to swap. In fact the grip removes the need if you ever had one. It allows you to do anything you can otherwise do with the whistle in (outside of) hand.

 

[santa sangria]

Don't they get in the way of swapping the whistle to each hand?

No it’s easy, easier than with a lanyard IMHO.

I tend not to swap hands in big football, as said above, no need. But in futsal I swap hands when necessary for the hand counts and it’s all dandy.

 

[JH]

How do you find writing with the finger grips?

 

[RobOda]

I only have one whistle hand and never had the need to swap. In fact the grip removes the need if you ever had one. It allows you to do anything you can otherwise do with the whistle in (outside of) hand.

Guess we're taught differently? The advice I've heard is that you never have your whistle in your signalling hand. So, swapping the whistle between hands is fairly constant.

 

[JamesL]

Guess we're taught differently? The advice I've heard is that you never have your whistle in your signalling hand. So, swapping the whistle between hands is fairly constant.

Impossible for me. As I have my whistle on a wrist lanyard so swapping hands would prevent me from being able to do the signal

 

[Justylove]

Impossible for me. As I have my whistle on a wrist lanyard so swapping hands would prevent me from being able to do the signal

Me neither, nor do any referees I know swap the whistle between hands.
I used a wrist lanyard for 5 years and for the last year I’ve had the Valkeen with a finger grip.

I find the finger grip is better for me, coupled with the fact that i find the Valkeen is easier to control in terms of variance of whistle tone, it’s a match made in heaven for me.

 

[JamesL]

Me neither, nor do any referees I know swap the whistle between hands.
I used a wrist lanyard for 5 years and for the last year I’ve had the Valkeen with a finger grip.

I find the finger grip is better for me, coupled with the fact that i find the Valkeen is easier to control in terms of variance of whistle tone, it’s a match made in heaven for me.

I use a Valkeen too. Just on a lanyard.

 

[socal lurker]

I used a wrist lanyard for years. When I first heard of referees just holding whistles, I thought it was daft. But when I saw white badges doing it, I thought they just might know something I didn't and tried it. I never put a lanyard on again. (I have two whistles with a ring between to make it easy to hold. No one every told me not to signal with the whistle hand (as others have noted, with a lanyard there is no option), but I find myself swapping the whistle between hands and very rarely signalling with the whistle hand.)

 

[one]

Guess we're taught differently? The advice I've heard is that you never have your whistle in your signalling hand. So, swapping the whistle between hands is fairly constant.

Hadn't heard of this before but i can see why why you may be taught that way. Possibly a crisper looking signal? A quick image search on the internet will bring up plenty of top refs signaling with whistle in hand.

But in futsal I swap hands when necessary for the hand counts

Always left hand for whistle for me and right hand for hand count. Although the way the grip holds, it is possible to do hand count with whistle in hand.. Is there a need for hand count to be with different hands?

How do you find writing with the finger grips?

I hold pen with right hand and notepad/scorecard in left (whistle hand). Its never been a problem.

 

[RobOda]

Possibly a crisper looking signal?

The reasoning was twofold;

Firstly, you could maintain the signal if you needed to use the whistle again for whatever reason, and secondly, so that you'd have your whistle hand free and can utilise the whistle quicker in case something kicks off.

To be fair though, it's very old advice and I've not been told that since I returned to refereeing so it might not even be a thing anymore.

 

[santa sangria]

Always left hand for whistle for me and right hand for hand count. Although the way the grip holds, it is possible to do hand count with whistle in hand.. Is there a need for hand count to be with different hands?

We are taught to count so that you can easily see/face play. So, counting a goal clearance to your left, standing in line with the edge of the D, use left hand so your hand doesn't get in the way of the rest of the field. Kick-in from next to you on your left, count with the right hand so your counting hand does not obscure the near corner. That way you can stay side-on and still see the whole of the active area where players are.

 

[one]

We are taught to count so that you can easily see/face play. So, counting a goal clearance to your left, standing in line with the edge of the D, use left hand so your hand doesn't get in the way of the rest of the field. Kick-in from next to you on your left, count with the right hand so your counting hand does not obscure the near corner. That way you can stay side-on and still see the whole of the active area where players are.

Been out of futsal training circles for a few years now in favour of making up for not spending enough time with my better half during football season. So I haven't been up-to-date with the latest trends.

Makes sense for the finer points of doing thing however I have never had any issue with my counting hand getting in the way of my vision or anyone seeing the count. Arm is always next to my ear and hand well above my head.