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How To Referee Basketball
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Being a basketball referee can be a fun activity in which someone can also make some extra money. There are many important things to consider when you referee a basketball game. To begin with, it is necessary to know all the rules of the game of basketball, and particular rules of games or leagues that one might be refereeing. Second, it is necessary to know when to apply the rules and how to enforce them, treating players, coaches, fans, and other officials with respect and fairness. Also, it is necessary to have the right equipment referees need to use. Let’s start by taking a look at the basics, what referees:
Table of Contents
- What are referees?
- What do referees do?
- How do officials call a foul or violation?
- How to Become a Referee
- Referee Equipment List
What are referees?
Referees are a type of official.![]()
They control all aspects of the basketball game. There are six different types of officials.
- The Crew Chief (x1)
- The Referees (x2)
- The Official Scorer (x1)
- The Trained Timers (x2)
Depending on the game, the number of officials involved in a basketball game can change, but regardless of how many people are working, they must act together to guarantee that the game goes along smoothly and fair.
What do referees do?
Basketball referees must know all the game’s rules and regulations because they are the ones responsible for enforcing them, keeping the final result fair. Referees must call fouls, check for violations, award scores, and keep the game under control. The team of officials must decide what each member will be responsible for doing during a game, or which area of the court they will center their attention on. Sometimes referees will need the assistance of other officials to decide on a call, and thus they may have to gather and talk about the play.
All that is so that the fairest outcome is achieved, and to make sure the game is being played within the rules.
Some of the violations called by referees include:
- Traveling / Walking
- Double Dribble
- Goaltending
- Carrying
- 3-second violation
- 5-second violation
- 10-second violation
- Technical Fouls
- Personal Fouls
How do officials call a foul or violation?
When an official spots a violation, his or her will blow a whistle to indicate that the action must be stopped. Naturally, everyone’s attention will turn to referee who blew the whistle, in this where another part of being a referee comes in; referees must signal what violation was committed and by who. To do that, referees do signals with their hands and arms, therefore, all referees must know the signs, their meaning, and when to do them.
Being a referee is not easy. It is impossible to please everyone or get every call right, so referees will often face confrontation from fans, players, coaches, and even parents.
It is important for referees to not let missed calls or complaints influence on other calls throughout the game. If that happens, people start to question decisions more often, the referee loses credibility, and the game becomes chaos, because players and coaches of both sides will be talking too much to referee. To not let that happen, referees must make every call with confidence, and with a body language that shows that. Even if referees are not sure if a call they made was actually the right one, they gotta act as if they were 100% certain, not giving players and coaches room to complain more than necessary. However, that must be done while keeping composure and respecting everyone involved with the game. If the situation gets out of hand, referees can rely on technical fouls to control the nerves on the court.
How to Become a Referee
Referees are required in basketball games of all levels, without them there is no organized basketball. Regardless of the level of basketball you want to referee (youth, college, NBA), you have to start from the bottom.
Many recreational centers require referees to youth games, and that is a good place to start. A good idea is also to become a member of the National Association of Sport Officials, they do trainings and can certainly help you become a better referee. Starting from the bottom, you can work your way until becoming a full-time referee for the NBA, or simply have some fun officiating local high school games.
Referee Equipment List
There are quite a few pieces of equipment that basketball referees must have in order to do their job. Take a look at them here:
- Black athletic shoes
- Black athletic socks
- Black beltless slacks
- Striped black and white shirt
- Good, loud whistle
PRO TIP: When purchasing your equipment, remember that you are going to be running and sweating while working, so buy comfortable and light clothes.
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How to Become a Recreational Basketball Referee | Work
By Steve Milano Updated September 16, 2021
Becoming a recreational basketball referee can be a rewarding hobby and earn you extra cash while you have fun.
The requirements for becoming a basketball ref vary by league but usually require taking a test to prove you know the rules. You might also be tested on your physical fitness.
Taking a course or earning certification prepares you for the role, so you avoid blowing calls during games. Like other sports officials, you might also need to carry liability insurance. Youth league referees might be required to pass a background check.
Check Out Leagues
The first step to becoming a recreational basketball ref is to contact the league or leagues where you want to ref. You must follow their rules for qualifying as a ref, and they will tell you how to go about getting approved. The simplest route to getting started is typically to go through a youth basketball referee training program.
If possible, go to some games at these leagues and watch how the refs work. Introduce yourself to the refs and tell them you’re interested in becoming a referee.
Not only can they tell you what you need to do to be approved, but they can also give you tips on what to expect during games, what your schedule might be, and other helpful information.
Contact Training or Certifying Bodies
Once you’ve contacted the league or leagues and know what you need to do to qualify, contact the certifying body the league requires you to join. If you don’t need to be certified, but need to pass a test, contact the company that administers the test.
Begin preparing for the test or course. Visit the training website and get any printed materials you need to start studying. Sign up for the certification test or find out when the referee test takes place. Take a look at some basic rules of the game at Smart Healthy Living to see what you’ll be expected to know. Check out the internet for additional books and CDs available for home study.
Get in Shape
Refereeing requires you to run up and down a basketball court for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the league you work for.
Even if you’re planning on working for a half-court league, you need to run side to side and back and forth at high speed.
Focus on anaerobic conditioning after you do a couple of weeks of aerobic conditioning. Basketball is a start-and-stop sport, and you need to be able to recover and catch your breath after each bout of exercise. To do this, get in shape using high-intensity interval training or sprint training. Schedule a physical exam before you start training and tell your doctor that you’ll be doing high-intensity interval training.
In addition to getting your cardiovascular system in shape, do muscular endurance exercises so you can use your muscles for long periods without cramping. Use circuit-training workouts that consist of two minutes of a lightly weighted exercise or calisthenics, followed by 30 seconds of rest and then another round of exercise. Focus on your lower body and make stretching, speed and flexibility part of your training, recommends Referee.com.
Take a Practice Test
If possible, practice what you’ll be tested on to earn your certification or approval. Hire another referee to take you through a practice test. Watch online videos of referee tests and copy what you see being presented. See if your certifying or training company offers a pretest practice run you can participate in.
References
- Smart Healthy Living: Basic Basketball Rules for Novice Parents and Players
- Referee: Proactive Steps for Officials to Prevent Injuries During Season
Writer Bio
Steve Milano is a journalist and business executive/consultant. He has helped dozens of for-profit companies and nonprofits with their marketing and operations. Steve has written more than 8,000 articles during his career, focusing on small business, careers, personal finance and health and fitness. Steve also turned his tennis hobby into a career, coaching, writing, running nonprofits and conducting workshops around the globe.
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