Basketball Ireland move to standardise development of referees through Helpside

Basketball Ireland is delighted to launch its new online approach to support the development of refereeing in Ireland through our E-Learning Management System, Helpside.

The National Basketball Referees Association is excited to be leading the way by bringing together the refereeing community as a whole and looking to standardise the approach to the development of all officials.

Time Out Programme

It'll also include the newly developed 'Time Out' programme, which aims to support the inclusion, retention and development of female referees who step away from refereeing due to pregnancy or for health reasons. 

Go To Helpside Here

The programme is designed to promote a range of opportunities such as assessing, mentoring and table officiating until such a time as they are ready to resume their refereeing career, should they wish to do so. 

Paul Dempsey, the FIBA National Instructor & Referee National Training and Performance Manager said:  'Helpside' will revolutionise how we approach referee development, growth and encourage retention beyond what we ever thought was possible. This is an exciting time for everyone involved.”

All referee development will now be led through Basketball Ireland's E-Learning Management System Helpside, making all the redesigned educational and development programmes available on demand. 

A closer look at what referees can expect on Helpside. 

Further interactive developments will also be part of the system

• Enabling the unique approach to ongoing referee development by introducing Continuous Professional.
• Development (CPD) ensuring referees at all levels maintain a minimum competency standard.
• Provide easy access to a universal noticeboard which aims to simplify access to all development information for referees, including local area association updates.
• Dedicated sections to support our High-Performance officials to maximise their potential.
• The creation of referee forums, so referees can reach out to their peers and promote sharing, challenge, and seek support for real life experiences on the court.