Scheidsrechtersinfo

This page is in English due to its relevance for all members. In Dutch basketball, we differentiate between different ref skill levels. These levels are set with BS-licenses in which BS stands for “basketball scheidsrechter” which means basketball referee. We have:

• 1. BS2 level: which is the basic credentials that all members should have or get.
• 2. BS3 level: which is the second level, allowing refereeing of higher level games in more ambitious leagues of both junior and senior level.
• 3. BS4 level: that allows referees to ref important national league basketball. BS4 is MASTER status basically.

At BCApollo, our referee group consists of players and non-players alike. Sometimes parents decide to help out as refs too. They are welcomed to take on this challenge!

On this page we share a few key insight and we answers questions that are relevant for BS2 and BS3 BCApollo referees. Those answers also reflect the difference between these two most common levels of referee certification.

1. What do I need to do and know for BS2?

Through the coordinator for ref-courses (find out who on the course-coordinator is on this page). You can sign up for this course by simply writing an e-mail that you want to be on the waiting list for next course. All 16+ members must do so! Especially because games that are refereed by people with no diploma, will result in a club fine. But if you have the BS2 diploma; Congratulations! Here are some important points of attention:

• 1. As a BS2 ref, make sure you have a proper whistle. We recommend that you get a “Fox-40” whistle. Google it! Or buy it at a local sports shop. The club can not provide compensation for the reffing material needed by BS2 level refs..
• 2. As a BS2 ref, make sure you always arrive at least 25 minutes before the game.
• 3. As a BS2 ref, make sure you wear a shirt of the right colour (black or grey are often OK). Red is never an option because that is Apollo’s uniform colour. Remember that the more you look like a serious ref, the more you will be respected as a serious ref. Showing up late without a whistle, and in a red shirt will not get you a lot of respect. Players will take you less serious that way. And that sucks for you!
• 4. As a BS2 ref, you will be schedules to ref home games only. You can find the schedule with all games and tasks here. Look for your name in this overview if you are a junior member (under 22). If you are in a senior team then your team number will appear in this schedule, the team coordinator will take on further task planning with his or her team members.

Note that as a BS2 ref, you can sign up to a WhatsApp group in which game tasks are “sold” by (mostly senior) members. It’s a group where people are offered €25,- to ref games that other can’t attend. The rate definitely beats working in a supermarket so scan this QR code in whatsapp if you want to be added to that list. That way you’ll be informed when an opportunity for a quick €25 arises:

2. I upped my level to BS3. What do I do now?

OK. Welcome to the big leagues! If you choose to do so as a BS3, you can referee games outside of Apollohal earning a more inserting amount doing so. BS3 games earn you a compensation of 10 euro’s or more from the NBB, your travel expenses are compensated, and you get an additional 35€ or more from BCApollo per game. That adds up to 45 Euro’s or more per game! A BS3 ref can:

• Option A: Choose to just referee regular club games (with some optional 20€ payed games by joining the BS2 WhatsApp group).
• Option B: Choose to become a 30% Apollo referee for the Dutch Basketball Association) NBB. You’ll ref a minimum of 6 games a year. The NBB will plan your games based on the availability that you communicate to them. You’ll make around 270€ per season or more. That might cover your contribution for the year!
• Option C: Choose to become a 60% Apollo referee for the Dutch Basketball Association) NBB. You’ll ref a minimum of 12 games a year. The NBB will plan your games based on the availability that you communicate to them. You’ll make around 540€ per season or more. That easily covers your contribution and way more!
• Option D: Choose to become a 100% Apollo referee for the Dutch Basketball Association) NBB. Planning will be done just like option C. You’ll ref a minimum of 22 games a year, earning  you around 900€ or more!

3. What else should BS3 refs know?

We covered the different options for becoming a BS3 ref can apply for. Now here are some points of attention for BS3 refs and stuff they should know:

• 1. You are reffing a bit higher now. Make sure you dress like a proper ref after finishing the course. That means: Get a fox 40, mainly black shoes, the orange ref shirt, and black pants that are long. If you are a new ref, and joining as a, 60% or 100% ref (option C or D above), you can send your invoice for the ref-shirt to the club. We’ll pay it for you after you finish the year because you are helping out big time! Order your stuff here. And send your invoice to the penningmeester with the note that you are one of Apollo’s 60% or 100% refs!
• Just finished the course? Nice! Just note that getting you on the course costs the club quite some money. (Around €200,-) if you do the course, and you stop reffing for BC Apollo in all possible ways within two years after starting your course, the club will ask you to repay the course costs.
• 2. If you choose to be active in option B, C or D, you are expected to be at the game 45 minutes in advance.
• 3. If you choose to be active in option B, C or D, then your are asked to travel around Amsterdam to games. You can do so by public transportation, or by car if you have one.
• 4. If you choose to help out in option B, C or D, then your planning and availability will be handled by the NBB. When planning, The NBB will keep your own games into account if you are also still registered as a player with a team.
• 5. Of you choose to help out with option B, C, or D, your planned tasks will appear in the NBB’s Basketball app. This gives you your personal overview on one single page!
• 6. All NBB compensation will be payed to your IBAN account directly. All compensation from BCAPollo will be payed about once or twice a season for all games that you have reffed until that point.
• 7. If you have travel expenses, Note that in the iPad, just before you confirm the final score of the game on the iPad. A “notes” files will pop up, allowing you to state your means of transportation. Just write “[yourName] came by car from Amsterdam”. The NBB will do the rest.
• 8. When referees receive a higher compensation than the maximum volunteer compensation (more than € 180,- per month or € 1,800,- per year, including travel costs), then the official is responsible for submitting a statement to the tax authorities.
• 9. To understand the details of what is expected of you, Consult the NBB’s “Handboek Arbitrage” which can be found on this page. This also gives insights about dealing with availability or cancelation of games due to injury. Run this thing through Google Translate because it’s really must-know-info!
• 10. If you choose to be active in option B, C or D, you are often reffing with nice and experienced refs. If you are a new ref, make sure your colleague knows. Ask for his or her advice, and you can even asks the other refs to help call would in areas of the field that you are responsible for. As with all refereeing issues, communication is really important here!
• 11. If a fee exists for your participation in the BS3 course, then the club will cover your costs if you commit to help out in ways like option B, C or D.
• 12. If you are a BS3 ref, then join the Facebook ref community. It’s a great place where you can pick up some extra games, or to find a replacement for a game you are signed up for, but can’t attend yourself.
• 13. The first year, of being a ref, BC Apollo offers 35€ p game as additional compensation on top of the NBB compensation. after 1 year, this goes up to 37,50€ and After two years (and longer) you get 40€.
• 14. When you choose option B, C or D, the compensation you get is fixed. We only change the fixed compensation if you end up reffing considerably less then the 20, 12, or 6 games you committed to.
• 15. When choosing A, the compensation is variable. 20 or 45€ per game. Please note that it Is possible to choose option B, C or D and to do some extra payed games from option A on the side. That way, the compensation from the extra A category games get added to your fixed compensation
• Note that the BC Apollo club compensations (not the NBB part) for reffing will be payed after the first and second half of the season.
• 16. If you choose option B, C or D, then you communicate your availability to the Dutch Basketball Association. Do so by logging in to the basketball.nl app, select menu (left top icon), and scroll down to where is sais: “official”. Click that and then navigate to “beschikbaarheid” to add blocked dates. The NBB will plan around your personal blocks if you add your block early enough! You used to be able to do the same by logging in to your personal ref page on: https://officialportal.sportlink.com/nbb. This page will be taken offline soon.
• 17. If you are also playing yourself, make sure you also block your own games so the NBB plans around this.
• 18. If you have a last minute obstruction and you can’t go to the game assigned to you, then let the NBB know asap. This is called a “calamity” and will be handled by: Ivo Steenbreek (06 1695 3620)

Good news! When you only have BS2 and you want to commit to the BS3 course, you can sign up for the course already, When doing the course you can start reffing these payed games (option B, C or D) right away! And in those first games you are never alone because there is always an experienced ref by your side. This allows new volunteers to help out (and earn some money) fast!

BCApollo is working hard to create a reffing community. Because we are a big club, we can create a group of positive, diverse and experienced refs to help each other out. And the cool thing is that you don’t even have to live in Amsterdam to be part of our group. If you live elsewhere, the NBB will schedule you on games in your own region while you get the Apollo compensation. That way you can even ref the club that is closest to your house! And when we organise any type of reffing event, you will be involved. So e-mail us on senioren@apollobasketball.nl if you want to be part of our BS3+ reffing community!

4. What can I personally do to make an extra €uro and help out the club at the same time?

Ok. We figured this out for you. Check the image (in Dutch) below and start with the top left question. Then work through the overview and see where you end. That is how you can help out, and how you can even earn a few euro’s while doing so!

4. Why is all this refereeing stuff so important?

It’s simple. Most regular BCApollo games played need two qualified BS2 refs. Having qualified refs makes basketball games more enjoyable to play and see. The ref-course teaches you to be more confident both as a ref, and as a person. For higher games, we need to provide BS3 level refs. If we don’t do this, our teams can’t play.

Please note that without your help in this area, BCApollo has zero possibilities to sign up teams to play in higher national leagues. That is because, for every high level team, the NBB asks us to provide one or more BS3 refs.

Without BS3 referees, teams can not play high level basketball. So help us out. It’s good for the club, but also for yourself. You’ll find that the BS3 network is a nice group of committed people with love for the game! And you will already be helping us out big time if you can take on less than a handful of games.