In collaboration with all states and territories, Basketball Australia launched a nationally aligned Officiating Pathway and Curriculum on 26 February 2026, designed to provide clearer progression, stronger education, and enhanced support for officials at every level. Basketball NSW is excited to adopt and implement this National Officiating Framework and Curriculum.
Overview of the National Officiating Curriculum Framework
Basketball Australia has developed the FTEM-O framework (Foundation, Talent, Elite, Mastery – Officiating), a structured long-term development model that outlines the complete journey of a basketball official from entry-level community refereeing through to high-performance and international opportunities. The framework recognises that officials, like players, require progressive skill development, targeted support, and clear, consistent expectations at every stage. It provides a unified structure for aligning accreditation, tracking growth, and identifying talent, with the aim of strengthening capability, improving clarity, and supporting long-term retention across the officiating pathway. A full breakdown and visual diagram are available via Basketball Australia Pathways – FTEM-O framework Information
What are the key updates or modifications included in the new National Officiating Curriculum now being implemented in NSW?
Referee Pathway and what does that mean for my Current Grading?
The Referee Pathway has changed from Community Level through to International Level, and all existing gradings are currently being converted to the new Basketball Australia–recognised accreditations under the updated framework.
BNSW is working with all associations to ensure these changes are applied to every referee across the state.
For further information about the Referee Pathway and the new accreditation structure, CLICK HERE.
How will Referee courses be delivered going forward?
All Referee Courses will be going through Etrainu is the Learning Management System (LMS) used by Basketball Australia to deliver online
educational content to our community.
What courses are now on Etrainu for Technical Officials?
- Referee Courses – C1, C2 & C3
- Referee Coach – G1 (entry level) & G2
- Scoretable Courses – Basics of Community Scoretable & Basketball Australia Scoretable (Level 1)
- TOPM Courses – Technical Official Program Manager
What courses are being developed/Not ready on Etrainu?
- Referee Courses at the State and National level (S1, S2, S3 & N1)
- Referee Coach at the State and National level (G3, G4, G5, G6)
- Wheelchair Referee Course
Minimum Requirements with the National Framework
Technical Official Program Manager (TOPM) – By Friday 1st of May 2026 All associations must have at least one person who has completed the TOPM course on Etrainu.
Referee Coaches – By Friday 1st of May 2026 all Referee Coaches must have a Nationally recognised accreditation to perform the following area, completing Referee Accreditation On-Court Assessments and Referee Coaching any BNSW competitions.
Previous Association and or Community Level Referee coach accreditations will be required to complete the G1 Referee Coach Course on Etrainu.
Previous State, National and FIBA Referee coach accreditations will be required to complete the G2 Referee Coach Course on Etrainu. For this course to be allocated to you, you will be required to submit proof of your current grading.
Common Questions and Further Support
For queries regarding Technical Officials pathways at the community level, please contact your association’s TOPM. For any NSW‑specific information, you can reach out to Basketball NSW’s Technical Officials State Development Coordinator, Liam Mills, at liam.mills@bnsw.com.au.
Log in to QMS via etrainu, CLICK HERE