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Sept. 17, 2009
Fox 40 Sonik Blast Whistle Debuts at MU-SIU Game
By Chris Spencer
Huntingtonnews.net Photographer
Huntington, WV (HNN) -- Conference USA Head Official (white hat) Rich Kollen made history on Sept. 5, 2009 at 4:30 p.m. when he blew into the new Fox 40 Sonik Blast whistle to start the Marshall University and Southern Illinois football game making it the first time the new whistle was used at any event in the Untied States.
Of the some 24,000 fans at the football game some may have heard the distinct louder pitched whistle and others may have not noticed or been aware of it.
The new Fox 40 Sonik Blast whistle is so new it is not listed on the company web site and no news releases have been forthcoming. The whistles are being tested and evaluated and are of limited production and almost secret.
Six of the new Fox 40 Sonik Blast whistles came to well known and experienced local high school basketball official Kevein "Bo," Anderson for testing and evaluation. He also officiates some college basketball games.
Anderson said, "Over twenty years ago Fox 40 came out with the first pealess (ball inside spins to make noise) whistle. I was one of the first officials to use it in this area."
"Several years later there is more technology with bigger crowds and games. Two years ago they came out with a new Fox whistle called the sonik. it was not working properly. I was one of the people that contacted Fox 40.
"I said look there are two ot three things wrong with this whistle. One side of it sounded OK and it was hard to blow and the other side did sound good at all.:
"We went back and forth for a year or so and they tried to tweak it. They sent me a couple of the tweaked versions. They did not work well either."
Anderson contacted Fox 40 again and asked for someone that actually designed the whistles. They gave me the name of Paul Groleau the product and sales manager.
Anderson said, "Paul called me in April and said there was something new in the works and I was really going to like it and I would not be disappointed. We went back and forth with e-mails the past few months. They told me they wanted me to be part of the test."
In July Anderson received a picture of the new whistle in what is likely to become the latest generation of whistles named the Fox 40 Sonik Blast.
Anderson was told the Fox 40 Sonik Blast would be going into manufacturing in about a month and that he could test the new whistle. About two weeks ago at the end of August Anderson received six of the new designed whistles.
Anderson has volunteered his time to evaluate the new whistles.
He said, "They were the first to hit the Untied States. The only other one that was in the US was when Fox 40 Company Founder and C.E.O Ron Foxcroft had one at a convention to show. It was a prototype."
"When they told me they wanted me to part of the test I wanted to see it used at a large event or game. It happened Marshall University was having their first home game with Southern illinois University."
"I contacted Marshall and told them what I wanted to do. That was fine with them. I called Conference USA to see who the white hat would be at the game."
In making that call to the Conference USA supervisor, Anderson remembers saying, "You are going to think this is a strange call and don't look the Fox 40 Sonik Blast up on the Internet because you will see nothing about it."
"The Friday before the game I got a phone call and Rich Kollen was on the other side of the line saying he was the white hat for the football game and he would be glad to be part of this test."
"I guaranteed him he would be the first to use the Fox 40 Sonik Blast at an arena or sports athletic contest in the United States."
"I met with him on Saturday morning and spent some time with him explaining on what I was doing.:
"Rich used the whistle for the whole game. I met with him after the game and his quotes were, It is absolutely the best whistle he has ever used. It is the most comfortable, loudest and the easiest to blow."
"He is very impressed with it. He will now use it for the rest of this year. He also referees college basketball Today (Sept 12) he is working a nationally televised game between Wyoming and Texas. i hope to get back with him and how that went."
"Fox 40 will be sending me more whistle to allow me to test and get more officials involved. That is how I ended up with this whistle."
What does an official look for in a whistle?
Anderson answers, "Obviously if you get a large crowd you need a whistle that will stop the game -- especially in a high school game. We don't have the luxury of where the game clock stops when you blow into a whistle that is connected to a microphone."
"You need the whistle to be heard at a football or basketball game where there is a large crowd or in a small gym It it is a noisy crowd you need something to get everybody's attention."
"Another thing officials wlll like about the Fox 40 Sonik Blast is that it is easy to blow giving a lot more loud noise with out much effort at all."
"When you are running up and down the floor an easier to blow whistle will make it a lot better in conditions like that."
"Also we look for comfort in holding it in the mouth. The Sonik Blast has a very nice lip to it."
"With the combination of easy to blow, by far this is the loudest whistle manufactured now and the lip makes it almost a compete package."
The cost of the new whistle is expected to be around $10.00.
Anderson said, "Fox 40 has really worked hard to getting this whistle to be right I think they have done a fabulous job with it and I let them know that."
"I have not used it in a game yet, but I know that will be the best thing that I have used. There is no question that by far this is the best manufactured whistle in the entire country. To me it sounds double of the old whistle."
A brief live demonstration by Anderson outside the gym shows clearly the difference with the new Fox 40 Sonik Blast and the older version. The sound is much more high pitched with more of a tone to it and louder.
Anderson said: "The difference is like wow. There is really no comparison. They are hoping the Sonik Blast is the next generation of whistle and it will over take the older version as far as sales go."
Anderson estimated that it will be at least a month before the Fox 40 Sonik Blast will be for sale in the United States.
Anderson noted the only other time the new Fox 40 Sonik Blast whistle had been used was at a couple of CFL football games and that came about because the CFL official works at Fox 40. His reviews were extremely favorable.
Fox 40 International, Inc. is located in Canada and has a United States office. They sell a variety of whistles and products. Their website address is www.Fox40World.com.
Company founder Ron Foxcroft was recently inducted into the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame in June. He is a former college basketball official who has officiated NCAA Championship games and Olympic games.
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