The Great Falls Basketball NEW Referee Program invites 7th - 10th graders wishing to become a new Referee for the 2024-25 Winter Basketball season to apply today!  This is a well-established program that gives youth a chance to build leadership skills as well as critical life skills such as accountability, confidence and superior communication while also getting paid.  

There is limited space in this program and not all who apply will be accepted. Registration will remain open until we reach 50 registrations, from which 35 kids will be selected to tryout, aiming to form a referee pool that includes a mix of girls and boys, representation from each grade and other factors including involvement with Great Falls Basketball.

If you have questions on the referee program, please CLICK HERE to review the Referee FAQs

Training for New Referees

We require that all new first year referees attend 5 training sessions.  These training sessions will be held at Forestville Elementary on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings and Saturday/Sunday mornings between Sept 21st and Oct 23rd.  

Basic Training, Level 1 - 3 options offered, attend 1

• Covers floor positioning, hand signals and whistle work
• Cuts are made after Basic Training First Level Sessions are complete

Basic Training, Level 2- 5 options offered, attend 2

• Refs will actively work the floor by calling scrimmages while being shadowed and guided by trainer referees
• Final cuts will be made after Basic Training Level 2 Session are complete

Intermediate Training, 5 options offered, attend 2

• Refs will continue to work the floor by calling scrimmages, but more independently as trainer refs will fill a supervisory role only

Please use the below link to sign up. Please keep the following in mind.

1. Referees must have their own personal email address. You may not register under your parent’s email address. You will also be asked for your parent’s email address as well.  These two email addresses must be different in order for your data to be uploaded into our new Referee System. 
2. Check your email frequently after you register as you will be notified by email only of
   1. Invites to tryouts
   2. Additional tryout sessions you must register to attend. 

REGISTER HERE

Please contact our Director of Referees, Christie Shumadine at [email protected] if you have any questions about the program.