Physical Demands of Basketball Officiating
Expect great physical demands. As the players’ ages increase and the competitive levels increase, the physical demands will rise. You will be required to run short distances many times. You will be constantly moving and on your feet.
Training
Expect lectures, demonstration and exercises on the basic rules at local association meetings.
Equipment
- Polished, black, athletic shoes.
- Black socks.
- Black beltless slacks.
- A striped V-neck shirt no collar.
- A whistle and a lanyard.
- Estimated cost: $200.
Registration and Fees
Talk with officials at a game, contact the athletic department of a local high school or contact your local recreation department. They will be able to give you the name of the state governing body for high school athletics. You will be expected to complete a registration form for affiliation with a national, statewide or local association. Often there will be a fee that must be paid with that registration which goes toward additional officiating training and insurance. Often, with your state association fee, you will be provided rulebooks and other materials. The fees range from $10-$75.
Game Fees
Game fees vary widely based on the players’ age group, competitive level and the state you officiate in. You can expect the range of $10 for youth games to $50 for competitive high school varsity games.
Help and Assistance
Ask a respected veteran official to be your mentor. That mentor will help answer your questions and provide crucial support. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about situations and rules. The more you talk about officiating, the more you will learn about it.
Certification
Here’s the path for starting and continuing your officiating career:
Youth Officiating
Many officials start at the youth level. Contact your local recreation department leaders. Your local association should also help you make contacts to get games.
High School Officiating
After working some games, you may feel you have the skills and confidence to work higher level competition. Contact your state association for registration information.
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) is the nation’s governing body for high school athletics. Contact the NFHS for rulebooks, rule changes and information on your state association.
NFHS
PO Box 690
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-972-6900
In most cases, state associations can put you in contact with a local officials association. NASO has more than 4,000 local officials associations in our database. Local officials associations assign games, many times offers mentoring programs and assist in training.
High school athletic directors, association assigners and other officials will help you get games. Attend local officiating camps and clinics. They are focused on helping umpires learn and improve.
Annual Recertification
The different organizations have different requirements, but most require at least attendance at a meeting to go over any current rule changes. Additional requirements may be a written test with a minimum passing score, payment of fees for the upcoming season and association meeting attendance.
Still have questions? Contact us at HERE to receive additional information on becoming a basketball official.