Basketball Queensland is excited to introduce a new Referee Development Workshop Series as part of the 2026 CBSQ Shield, providing referees with valuable learning opportunities throughout the tournament.

Designed as a pilot program, the workshop series will support the ongoing development of officials through practical education, game management strategies and officiating fundamentals. The initiative forms part of Basketball Queensland's commitment to developing confident, knowledgeable referees while enhancing the overall standard of officiating across the game.

The workshops will be delivered by Basketball Queensland referee educators Liam Hagarty and Ethan Blom, combining classroom learning with video analysis, interactive discussion and real-game scenarios that officials can immediately apply on court.

The program will also lay the foundation for an expanded referee education initiative set to be rolled out during the CBSQ Majors later this year.

Learning Beyond the Whistle

The workshops have been designed for referees of all experience levels, while also providing valuable insight for coaches and players wanting a greater understanding of officiating decisions.

Participants can expect to gain:

• Practical officiating knowledge
• Video-based learning and discussion
• Real game scenarios
• Interactive engagement opportunities
• Practical tools to improve performance immediately

Workshop Schedule

Thursday 13 August | 4:00 PM

Verticality (Foul Calling)
Presenter: Ethan Blom

Topics include:

• Principles of verticality
• Legal guarding position
• Identifying legal and illegal contact
• Foul calling consistency
• Video analysis and discussion

Friday 14 August | 12:00 PM

Block / Charge
Presenter: Ethan Blom

Topics include:

• Establishing legal guarding position
• Secondary defender considerations
• Key decision-making indicators
• Block/charge judgement techniques
• Practical video review

Saturday 15 August | 10:00 AM

Calling Principles & Area of Responsibility (AOR)
Presenters: Liam Hagarty & Ethan Blom

Topics include:

• Primary coverage areas
• Teamwork and communication
• Decision-making responsibilities
• Rotations and positioning concepts
• Practical on-court application

Sunday 16 August | 12:00 PM

Behaviour Management
Presenters: Liam Hagarty & Ethan Blom

Topics include:

• Preventative officiating
• Communication techniques
• Managing players and coaches
• Conflict resolution strategies
• Real-game scenario discussions

Who Should Attend?

The workshop series is open to:

• New referees
• Developing referees
• Representative referees
• Referee coaches and mentors
• Any official looking to further their understanding of the game

Whether you're taking your first steps in officiating or looking to refine your skills, these sessions provide an excellent opportunity to learn from experienced referee educators in a collaborative environment.

Referees interested in attending are encouraged to register their interest by completing the Expression of Interest below:

👉 Expression of Interest: https://forms.gle/M4DUgw51xuUBGQc66

Basketball Queensland looks forward to welcoming officials to this exciting new initiative as part of the 2026 CBSQ Shield and continuing to invest in the development of referees across Queensland.

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