Introduction to Officiating Pathways
Being an Official for wheelchair basketball is a vital and rewarding role that blends great people skills, teamwork, technical knowledge, and a deep respect for the sport’s inclusive community. The British Wheelchair Basketball Officiating Pathways offer a clear, supportive progression from Entry Level to International Competition and are designed to nurture and empower officials at every stage of their development.
At the heart of our pathways is a commitment to supporting individuals to reach their full potential, not just as Officials, but as confident, capable contributors to our sporting community. Through structured training, mentorship, hands-on experience, and performance feedback, Officials are supported to grow at their own pace.
Each level within the pathways builds on the last, providing opportunities to:
- Learn the fundamentals of officiating in wheelchair basketball.
- Develop the skills and confidence needed to manage games effectively.
- Progress to higher levels of competition with the support of experienced mentors and assessors.
- Excel in national and international arenas, representing the sport with professionalism and integrity.
This pathway is more than a progression system, it’s a community-driven framework that values personal growth, celebrates achievement, and ensures that every Official has the opportunity to thrive.
Welcome to a journey where your development is supported, your potential is recognised, and your impact on the game is lasting.
British Wheelchair Basketball Refereeing Pathway
The BWB Referee Pathway is open to any individual wishing to progress as an Official within the sport of wheelchair basketball.
From complete novices through to existing Basketball Referees there is an entry route for all, and guaranteed support provided to help each individual reach their full potential.
| Step | Level | Standard | Notes | Download PDF |
 |
Level 1 |
Novice Referee | The entry point of our pathway for a lot of Officials. Referees operating at Level 1 can expect to be officiating within our recreational environment. This could include ‘Inspire A Generation’ Leagues, some British Universities and Colleges competitions, and even local school competitions. To be competent to Referee at this stage of the pathway we would expect our Referees to have completed their Community Official’s Award. | Level 1 |
|
Level 2 |
Intermediate Referee | At Level 2 of the pathway Referees can be expecting to officiate League Competitions, predominantly Division 2 and Division 3. To be able to fulfil the expectations within this environment an individual would need to have completed their BWB Level 2 Referee Qualification, or for Basketball England Referees wishing to operate within the wheelchair sport, we would expect them to have completed their BWB Referee Conversion Course. | Level 2 |
|
Level 3 | National Referee | Referees who have progressed to Level 3 of the pathway will be expected to have undertaken the training listed in Level 2. They will be officiating all League Competitions, working in Division 1 and Premier, and are expected to support Level 1 and Level 2 Referee’s, offering support and guidance. | Level 3 |
|
Level 4 | Advanced Referee | At Level 4, Referees are at the performance part of the pathway. In addition to officiating all levels of the, they will be given the opportunity to work with players on the Home Nation Pathways as well as taking charge of our National Competitions. The training we expect these Referees to have undertaken is the same as the lower levels, but there will be a significant difference in the experience of these Referees, and the ability to manage challenging situations in a professional manner is important. | Level 4 |
|
Level 5 |
International Referee (a – Full / b – Zonal) | This is the high performance part of the pathway, and we would expect Referees operating at this level to have completed their IWBF Zonal / International Referee assessment and still be operating at that level. This enables them to officiate in an IWBF Zonal environment and at International Competitions. | Level 5 |
Our partners
