New workforce program trains people from underserved communities in basketball officiating

Basketball referee holding ball at a basketball game during a timeout
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Any basketball player or fan understands that the game revolves around its referees. But even basketball aficionados might not know that a shortage of trained referees is impacting all levels of the game.

Enter a partnership between the health insurer Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials (IAABO), which is recruiting young people from underserved communities in the Bronx and across the city to train to become referees. 

Those who complete the rigorous program enjoy a reliable and flexible source of extra income, a deeper connection to the game and a stronger sense of leadership and community. 

“It’s a side job, but it doesn’t feel like I’m working,” said Robin Daley, 30, an Edenwald native who completed the training about two and a half years ago and is now a licensed referee after decades of playing and coaching experience. 

Basketball is the most popular major sport for Americans to participate in, according to Sports Business Journal, but the workforce of basketball referees skews older and sicker, with an average age of 55, according to Cedric Dew, executive director of the Jamaica YMCA and IAABO vice chair of recruitment and membership. The Jamaica YMCA provides training space and recruits people to the program.

The reality of the referee shortage became crystal clear during the COVID-19 pandemic when most recreation was shut down, Dew said in an interview with the Bronx Times. When players came back to basketball, a significant number of referees had been lost from the workforce. 

“If we don’t have quality officials, how can we have quality sports?” said Dew.

He personally recruited Daley, who was working as a homeless shelter site coordinator inside a Manhattan YMCA. She had played basketball since ashe was 7 years old and also had coaching experience, so she was a natural fit — but it took awhile to get out of “player mode,” Daley told the Bronx Times.

Dew compared refereeing to learning another language, both verbal and physical. Gerald Thomas, of Harlem, also completed the training and said it also requires strong communication skills to handle the emotions of players, fans and coaches and explain calls with patience.

“We’re all humans,” said Thomas, but “you’re not gonna make the same mistake twice.”

Now that Daley has reffed hundreds of games, she loves bringing her family to watch and the feeling of setting the tone and energy of the game. 

“There was a time I didn’t even think women was refs,” she said. 

‘You’re your own sole proprietor’

There are few qualifications for would-be referees other than a love of the game and at least 18 years of age, said Dew. This program involves five to seven weeks of rules training and four to five weeks of floor work, in which trainees learn the body communication and flow of officiating. 

Once trainees have been inducted into their local board of certified referees, “you’re basically your own sole proprietor,” Dew said. 

Referees can work at various levels of the game depending on experience and skill — and jobs are open at all levels, from high school JV and varsity to rec level, and some even go on to pro camps. 

There are plenty of opportunities for advancement, said Thomas, who works as an assistant teacher for his main job. It only “depends on how bad you want it,” he said. 

Dew estimated that of about 300 candidates in the program throughout the past year, about 120 have gone on to become licensed referees. Some go on to organize neighborhood tournaments or train to ref other sports. Within the program, there is “more than one journey,” said Dew. But regardless of where they end up, “Everyone who goes through the program will be better for their community,” he said. 

It may seem odd for a health insurance company to be involved in a sports workforce program, but it fits with the company’s mission to “improve the health of humanity,” said Victor Bell III, director of sales and marketing for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. 

Economic stability is one of the main predictors of good health — not to mention that running up and down the court is a great workout, Bell told the Bronx Times. 

Anthem foots the bill for the initial investment for training, which is around $500 — a major barrier to some, especially younger people. The company also pays for new referees’ first equipment kit, including a whistle, shorts, bag and iconic black and white striped shirt.

Refereeing is a great source of extra income, Dew said. Most who go through the program earn an average about $500 per month — but the potential is high, as high schools pay around $125 per game and Division 1 collegiate level refs can make $3,500 per game. And men and women are paid equally, he said. 

Best of all, the job is flexible depending on your schedule, Dew said, because there are “so many leagues, not enough officials.” 

Bell said the program is going “extremely well” in New York where it piloted, and plans are in the works to expand it to other states. 

“People who play basketball should be the ones who easily jump on it,” said Daley. “Everyone thinks they’re a ref when they’re playing. Why not wear that shirt?” 

The next class starts in September. If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a basketball referee, see this flyer.


Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes