Former Colfax Hoops Star Has Switched To Whistles

It doesn't seem that long ago that Gary Edlund was swishing jump shots for Colfax High's boys basketball teams and earning all sorts of awards has a standout player for the Falcons.It was, in fact, 1974-75 when Edlund helped lead Colfax to a record of 27-7, win its first outright league basketball championship and finish the season with the No. 1 medium school ranking in SupCal as the area - from Benicia to the Oregon border - was then known in the Sacramento Bee's prep sports coverage.Edlund was the Pioneer League's Most Valuable Player that season and also was the SupCal medium school's Player of the Year. He also was selected to the Helms Foundation all-Northern California team and a few years back was joined by teammate Daryl East in being inducted into the Colfax High Hall of Fame.Following his college playing days at Butte College and Bethel University in Minnesota, Edlund took up coaching and was an assistant at College of the Siskiyous and while taking some classes locally did a stint in 1995 has the frosh boys coach at Colfax High.While coaching that season in Colfax, Edlund came up with an idea that just now is starting to take off."I remember the officials in this one game that season were just having a heck of a time with keeping track of the possessions in the game," said Edlund who is in the aerospace business and now resides in Irvine. "It was almost comical."With that in mind, Edlund thought, why not come up with a way that an official can keep track of the possessions in the game by using a piece of equipment?Currently, many basketball officials keep track of team possessions various ways including switching rubber bands from wrist to wrist or by switching items from pocket to pocket.Edlund, however, came up with the idea of attaching a color-coded switch that fits on an officials whistle. When the possession is with the home team, the switch is flipped to the white colored-side. When the possession goes to the visiting team, the switch is flipped to the dark side.Thus far the "Flip 58 Possession Switch" has taken off on the east coast and is currently making its way into California."We've improved it a lot since we first came out with it a few years back," said Edlund. "We're getting a lot of good testimonials."Edlund has a patent for the product and has received press in the "Referee" magazine. The cost of the product is $5."It's a pretty good deal," said Edlund. "I'm not trying to get rich off of it, just trying to help referees."The website for Edlund's product is www.possessionswitch.com.