Use of the whistle

ATR 5.10

When the Laws of the Game provide for a signal to be given, this means the sounding of a whistle. Verbal signals are insufficient and should not be used by themselves. A whistle is required for:
• every kick-off or penalty kick
• any free kick, throw-in, corner kick, or goal kick if the referee has held up the restart for any reason – for example:

- allow a substitution

- evaluate an injury

- card for misconduct
- a decision to change the restart
- enforce the minimum distance upon request of the team given the restart
- consult with an assistant referee, fourth official, someone in the technical area, or a player
• stopping play due to an offense
• signaling the end of a period of play
• evacuating the field in case of weather or other dangerous condition

Whistle at Work

The primary communication tool for a referee is the whistle. An effective referee learns how to make the whistle talk for them. Players, fans, and coaches know from the tone, volume, and length of the whistle whether the foul is a simple foul, a misconduct, or even a penalty kick.

Choose the right whistle – There are many things to consider when choosing a whistle.

• Form – There are two basic forms of whistles: (1) the traditional-style whistle that is typically used with a lanyard, and (2) the fingergrip whistle that allows the referee to carry the whistle without a lanyard.
• Tone - The tone of a whistle can be very different from one type to another. Some are very high-pitched and shrill while others are more sharp or penetrating. I recommend experimentation with a few different whistle types and find out which one works the best for you. “Best for you” means find the tone that makes the players respond to your whistle.
• Pea or Pea-less – A pea  whistle requires more air while a pea-less whistle which requires less air and produces a very loud sound.
• More than one - Carry two different whistles when you officiate. Because you may drop your whistle or it may be broken unexpectedly, and also because you may find it necessary to switch to a whistle with a different tone. For example, if you are working a match near other fields and the surrounding officials are using the same tone whistle as you, you may be well-served to change to a different tone that will help the players know when you are using the whistle and when the neighboring official is using their whistle. 

Choosing When to Blow the Whistle – Like every type of communication, use of whistle must be saved for a time when it is most effective. If the situation can be better handled by your voice or a simple signal then the whistle may be unnecessary and better used for a different situation. Referees tend to go through swings in their use of the whistle. Early in their career, referees are often hesitant to use their whistle and draw attention to their decisions. Later, they tend to use the whistle exclusively for every situation. This use of the tool for trifling events weakens its effectiveness when it is used for a major event. Not to mention, the constant tweet of the whistle upsets players, coaches, and fans. Finally, the referee learns when to blow the whistle and how to make it communicate effectively.

• Informational Whistle - A few short tweets of the whistle is used to inform players that they need to follow specific instructions. For example, a player is taking a free kick or throw-in from the wrong location and you want to let them know that they need to move to a different location. A variation of this whistle technique is used for major incidents like fights or bench unrest. In this case the same short blasts are used by with considerable more volume and intensity.
• Minor Offense - A single short blast is used to inform players of minor offenses like a push or trip that was not reckless or violent but still needs to be penalized with a free kick. Another example is the obvious offside whistle. 
• Misconduct - If a foul escalates to misconduct requiring the issuance of a caution or send-off, a long and hard whistle is used to make sure everyone is aware that you have seen the offense and are going to take care of it. This type of whistle brings play to an immediate stop and often stops potential retaliation or further misconduct. The length of the whistle varies with the distance the referee needs to travel to reach the point of the misconduct.
• Penalty Kick - Perhaps the most intense whistle is for a penalty kick. This whistle is usually extremely loud and long with the referee sprinting to the penalty mark to indicate the penalty kick. If this offense takes place late in the match, the referee’s fitness will be tested by the extended breath required to blow the whistle while sprinting to the penalty area.

Remember that the whistle is the referee’s primary tool of communication and an effective referee finds a whistle that meets their style of officiating and quickly learns how to make the whistle talk for them. Every player, coach and fan should be able to tell what event has occurred and what the repercussions of the event will be by simply listening to the referee’s whistle.

Whistle While You Work by Brian Goodlander