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BECOME A REFEREE

Referees and technical officials are a crucial part of our game, and we are committed to providing quality education programs, we run courses throughout the year with development pathways in place for all officials.

SAY YES TO OFFICIATING!

Become a Referee

Why become a Referee?

There are lots of reasons why people get involved in refereeing. Some of the common reasons are:

  • Friendships: Officiating creates and sustains friendships that last a lifetime
  • Keep Fit: Officiating will keep you fit both physically and mentally
  • Opportunities for all: Officiating is open to everyone; you just need to be ready to have fun
  • Income: Officiating allows you to get to do something you love and get paid for it.
  • Life Skills: Officiating requires a unique skill set, communication skills, time management, dedication and teamwork. These same skills can equally be called upon on the job, in school or at home.
  • Stay Connected:  Officiating is a fantastic pathway for basketball fanatics who want to experience the game from a new perspective. It offers a connection to the sport that is completely different from playing, coaching, or spectating, and it’s incredibly rewarding to contribute to the game we all know and love.

Get ready to challenge yourself and start one of the most rewarding jobs you’ll ever have!

The first step in the journey to becoming a referee is completing our entry‑level C1 Referee Course. The C1 course consists of self‑paced e‑learning modules and an on‑court, in‑person clinic that will provide you with the basics and the confidence you need when taking the court for the first time.

For more information about the C1 in-person clinic, please see below.

Upcoming Referee Courses
Basketball NSW

Officials Pathway

C1 Referee (formally Association Community Referee)

Suited for anyone looking to become a referee.
This is an entry level introductory referee course consisting of self‑paced e‑learning modules and an on‑court, in‑person clinic that will provide you with the basics and the confidence you need when taking the court for the first time.

Course information below;

 The minimum age to register for the C1 Referee Course is 13 years.

 C1 Referee course learning outcomes includes;

  • The self‑paced e‑learning modules covers Referee Mechanics (positioning), General Principles, Violations, Contact Principles, Fouls, Game Administration, and Personal Referee Qualities.
  • The in‑person clinic walks referees through hands-on practical concepts in key areas, including Referee Mechanics (positioning) and Administration, Violations, and Fouls. The in‑person clinic is crucial to ensuring that referees are prepared and have confidence when taking the court for the first time.

Step 1 : Basketball Australia Etrainu Self Paced Online E-Learning 

This self paced E-Learning includes online modules and exam questions throughout. 

LOG IN OR SIGN UP – Go to basketballaustralia.etrainu.com , If you already have an etrainu account – log in If you don’t have an account, click “Sign up here” , Unsure? Click on “Forgot Password?” 

 Once Logged in to Etraniu – Click the “Training Library” button on the left-hand menu On the tile “Basketball Australia – Officiating” tile, click “View Courses” button Find the tile for your area and enrol into the “C1 Referee Course” 

Step 2 : Enrol on Etrainu for a Practical In‑person Clinic and attend.

Referees will only be eligible to register for a clinic once the Etrainu Self‑Paced Online E‑Learning Modules have been completed.

To Register to a in person clinic – Go to basketballaustralia.etrainu.com and log in, Click the “Training Event” button on the left-hand menu, Search for your suburb and “C1 Referee In Person Workshop” 

Step 3 : Shadow Referee & On Court Observation Assessment

Once Step 1 and Step 2 are completed please reach out to your local associations TOPM (Technical officials Program Manager) and they will organise you to take the court where you will be supported by an accredited referee coach, who shadows you on court and provides mentoring until you are ready and confident to officiate on their own. Once you as a referee has demonstrated competence and confidence to officiate junior games independently, an On‑Court Observation Assessment may be conducted by an accredited referee coach.

Please note – Referees can’t take the court until both Step 1 and Step 2 are complete.

Step 4 : Participant to Upload On Court Observation assessment Etrainu

Once the participant of the C1 course has achieved and marked as competent on the On Court Observation assessment sheet they are to take it from the accredited referee coach and provide a copy to their association’s TOPM (Technical Officials Program Manager). The TOPM is responsible for checking that the On Court Observation assessment is completed accurately and confirming the participant is marked as competent before the material is uploaded to Etrainu by the participant of the course.

C1 Accreditation Obtained and Complete 

Once the C1 Accreditation is obtained the Referee earns their stripes and officiates in Junior League domestic competitions (10 – 14 year age groups). 

C2 Referee (formally Association Development Referee)

Suited for anyone 14 years old or older, who has previously completed the C1 or the previous community referee course, whether it be to develop your skills to referee domestic (local) competition referee or become a BNSW Junior Waratah League referee.
The minimum age to register for the C2 Referee Course is 14 years.

Course information below;

 C2 Referee course learning outcomes includes;

  • The self‑paced e‑learning modules covers more advanced material that’s offered in the C1 including Referee Mechanics, General Principles, Violations, Contact Principles, Fouls, Game Administration, and Personal Referee Qualities.

Step 1 : Basketball Australia Etrainu Self Paced Online E-Learning 

This self paced E-Learning includes online modules and exam questions throughout. 

LOG IN OR SIGN UP – Go to basketballaustralia.etrainu.com , If you already have an etrainu account – log in If you don’t have an account, click “Sign up here” , Unsure? Click on “Forgot Password?” 

 Once Logged in to Etraniu – Click the “Training Library” button on the left-hand menu On the tile “Basketball Australia – Officiating” tile, click “View Courses” button Find the tile for your area and enrol into the “C2 Referee Course”

Step 2 : On Court Observation Assessment

Once a referee has demonstrated competence and confidence to officiate the appropriate games for the accreditation level independently, an On‑Court Competency Assessment may be conducted by an accredited referee coach.

Step 3 : Participant to Upload On Court Observation assessment Etrainu

Once the participant of the C2 course has achieved a marked as competent on the On Court Observation assessment sheet they are to take from the accredited referee coach and provide a copy to their association’s TOPM (Technical Officials Program Manager). The TOPM is responsible for checking that the On Court Observation assessment is completed accurately and confirming the participant is marked as competent before the material is uploaded to Etrainu by the participant of the course.

C2 Accreditation Obtained and Complete 

Once a referee obtains C2 Accreditation, they are eligible to officiate in domestic competitions, specifically: U10 – Open-age groups, excluding the highest domestic division. BNSW Waratah Junior Leagues, including: U12 & U14 Boys & Girls, U16 Girls.

This accreditation represents the minimum requirement for referees who wish to officiate in these junior representative competitions.

C3 Referee (formally Association Intermediate Referee)

Suited for anyone 15 years old or older who have previously completed the C2 or the previous Development level referee course. 
The minimum age to register for the C3 Referee Course is 15 years.

Course information below;

 C3 Referee course learning outcomes includes;

  • The self‑paced e‑learning modules cover more advanced material than what’s offered in the C2 including, Referee Mechanics, General Principles, Violations, Contact Principles, Fouls, Game Administration, and Personal Referee Qualities.

Step 1 : Basketball Australia Etrainu Self Paced Online E-Learning 

This self paced E-Learning includes online modules and exam questions throughout. 

LOG IN OR SIGN UP – Go to basketballaustralia.etrainu.com , If you already have an etrainu account – log in If you don’t have an account, click “Sign up here” , Unsure? Click on “Forgot Password?” 

 Once Logged in to Etraniu – Click the “Training Library” button on the left-hand menu On the tile “Basketball Australia – Officiating” tile, click “View Courses” button Find the tile for your area and enrol into the “C3 Referee Course”

Step 2 : On Court Observation Assessment

Once a referee has demonstrated competence and confidence to officiate the appropriate games for the accreditation level independently, an On‑Court Competency Assessment may be conducted by an accredited referee coach.

Step 3 : Participant to Upload On Court Observation assessment Etrainu

Once the participant of the C2 course has achieved a marked as competent on the On Court Observation assessment sheet they are to take from the accredited referee coach and provide a copy to their association’s TOPM (Technical Officials Program Manager). The TOPM is responsible for checking that the On Court Observation assessment is completed accurately and confirming the participant is marked as competent before the material is uploaded to Etrainu by the participant of the course.

C3 Accreditation Obtained and Complete 

Once a referee obtains C3 Accreditation, they are eligible to officiate all domestic competitions and BNSW Waratah Junior Leagues. This accreditation represents the minimum requirement for referees who wish to officiate in these junior representative competitions.

S1 Referee (formally Association Advanced Referee)

Suited for C3 level referees who are 18 years old or older, to develop your skills to referee higher levels of BNSW Waratah Leagues.

Referees need to be nominated by BNSW Junior League Referees Program Managers to be eligible to complete the S1 course. 

The minimum age to register for the S1 Referee Course is 18 years.

Referee Course currently Still Under Construction 

S2 Referee (formally State Development)

Suited for referees who are nominated by the BNSW Officiating Team who are deemed ready to develop their skills to referee higher levels of Waratah Senior Leagues.

Referee Course currently Still Under Construction 

S3 Referee (formally State)

Suited for referees who are nominated by the BNSW Officiating Team who are deemed ready to develop their skills to referee higher levels of Waratah Senior League and NBL1.

Referee Course currently Still Under Construction 

N1 Referee (formally National Development)

Suited for referees who are nominated by the BNSW Officiating Team who are deemed ready to develop their skills to referee NBL1.

Referee Course currently Still Under Construction 

N2 Referee (formally National)

Selection via Basketball Australia, WNBL and NBL, in consultation with BNSW.

N3 Referee (formally FIBA)

Selection via FIBA in consultation with Basketball Australia

Frequently Asked Questions

What do we do if there is no C1 in person clinic at my association?

C1 in‑person clinics can be completed at any location listed on the training calendar.

If the closest clinic is too far to travel, please fill out the enquiry form below and one of our team members will get back to you with a suitable solution to move forward.

What is the document upload part on Etrainu on the C1/C2/C3 Referee Courses?

The document upload refers to the on‑court assessment, which is the final step in gaining your accreditation. The on‑court assessment is to be completed after the Etrainu self‑paced e‑learning modules and the in‑person clinic for participants completing the C1 Referee course only.

Referees may only attempt the on‑court assessment once their association TOPM has confirmed they are ready for that level. Once the on‑court assessment is marked as competent by both an accredited Referee Coach and the association TOPM, the participant then uploads on Etrainu the on‑court assessment for final approval to receive the relevant accreditation.

How long after completing one level of accreditation, can I move up to the next accreditation level?

If you are refereeing at Community Level, BNSW recommends that referees speak with their association’s TOPM about their progression before registering for the next level of accreditation.

If you are refereeing in BNSW State Competitions, BNSW recommends that referees discuss their progression with their BNSW Program Manager, who will nominate them to complete a State‑level Referee Course.

Please note that some referee courses have a minimum age requirement. There is no set timeframe for progression, as it is based on the referee’s performance and readiness to advance.

Do I have to pay for the new courses, if I have previously attended a course through the old curriculum?

If you completed the old Association Community, Association Development, or Association Intermediate course between 1 October 2025 and 1 March 2026 and have not completed the exam component, please submit an enquiry below and our Officiating Team will advise you on the next steps.

The cost involved in transitioning to the new system will depend on where you completed the old course and which course type it was. A member of our team will explain this after your enquiry has been submitted.

Please note that the S1 course and the old Association Advanced course are currently under construction. BNSW is working with Basketball Australia to develop an interim solution for this course until the new S1 is released and online Etrainu.

What is a TOPM? What is their role at local Associations?

TOPM stands for Technical Official Program Manager, which is the new terminology replacing what some associations previously referred to as a Technical Official Program Coordinator, Referee Coordinator, or Referee Appointments Manager, depending on the association.

The TOPM leads the recruitment, training, and development of referees, scoretable officials, and statisticians. They oversee program delivery, mentor referee coaches, and ensure alignment with national standards. With strong leadership and strategic planning, they play a key role in building capability and supporting officials across all levels of basketball.

Becoming a basketball referee is the easiest call you’ll ever make!

Please complete the online form below and one of our staff will be in contact with you to match you with the right course.

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