Recruitment
How do I find the right contact details for my local association?
If you are already with an association, check the website for an official's representative or EOI form. Otherwise, reach out to the general office details or competitions manager. On game day, you can also find a game day supervisor or official’s coach to enquire. If you are looking to join an association, you can jump on your state/territory’s website.
What makes someone suitable to be recruited for officiating?
Basketball Australia sets the minimum age as 12 years - this aligns with a high school student age and therefore a baseline level of schedule management, communication and teachability. Persons also need to have enough availability to perform their training and game appointments, as well as suitable means of transport.
Why do I attend a face-to-face clinic if the course is online?
Face-to-face clinics are important for reinforcing the concepts learnt during online training and also provide a secondary suitability screening point. Officials are put in charge of managing a game and therefore need to demonstrate maturity and concentration.
What information do I have to provide and where will it be used?
Officials are required to be registered in various databases such as eTrainu and HUDL for your education, PlayHQ/Basketball Connect/GameDay for your membership registrations and in some instances a third database for game appointments. A condition of your registration is agreeing to provide your data to the association, state, Basketball Australia and third parties. Your data will be used for purposes such as performing compliance checks, managing accreditations and for statistical insight for planning and funding purposes.
Registration
What is a “primary association”?
Officials often engage in games across a few associations once they progress to higher level of accreditation. This may be due to availability of a suitable level of game, variety of educators.
What are the other uniform / equipment items that I need to purchase?
Referees are required to have black shorts, black socks, black shoes and a whistle (N.B. some associations may require pants not shorts). Scorers will need black bottom half (pants, skirt, dress shorts) and a pencil case with pens, ruler and a time.
Practice
What will I do in my 10 games as a trainee who is shadowing a trainer?
Basketball Australia has released a guideline for the first 10 games as a trainee referee and scorer. This provides clarity to the trainee, trainer and supervisor on what topics will be covered each game.
- May move up sooner than 10 games
- Discretion of referee coach
Can I be trained privately?
It is in the best interest of an official to receive coaching through state/territory approved coaches, engaging in a state/territory approved program/initiative. This ensures the coach holds required certifications/training and has the approval of the state/territory for their coaching methodology and content.
Assessment
Is there an average time it takes for an official to progress to not needing the trainer and/or passing the practical assessment?
Generally a recruit who commences their shadowing at the start of a season would expect to demonstrate full competency by season end. However, this is largely dependent on the commitment of time and effort made by the official, as well as the officials learning capability and maturity. No two officials are the same and everyone’s journey will be slightly different.
Can I only get my practical assessment sign offs at my primary association?
Your primary association has the most visibility of the overall picture of your progress and commitment. Should you have any concerns that your primary association is not assessing officials frequently enough, you should speak to the Technical Officials Program Manager in your first instance.
With your primary association’s permission, you can have BA approved coaches complete sign offs at associations you visit, however the final approval is required to be submitted by your primary association.
What is involved in the practical assessment?
A Basketball Australia approved referee coach or appropriate level scorer/statistician will use a form to assess criteria associated with that level of accreditation. There are two sign off methodologies available:
- Multiple Sheets - assessor will complete a new sheet each time and once a set number of sheets have been done by different assessors, the program manager will compare and determine if all competencies have been demonstrated.
- Single Sheet - one form will be used with a date and initial marked against each competency as it is shown. Date also noted when an official was seen, but no further competencies could be signed off.
Accreditation
Why is there a 6 month period before I can be assessed for my next level?
An official needs time to solidify the competencies they have demonstrated and experience more game situations before progressing to the next level. This ensures a solid foundation before adding the next level expectation.
