Brisbane Handball Club Referee Program

This program provides a structured pathway for individuals interested in becoming handball referees. It outlines the different levels of certification, the requirements for each level, and the support provided to beginning referees.

Experienced referees will mentor and instruct beginners as part of the program. The mentor's role will vary depending on the referee's skill level. To ensure beginners develop confidence in their newfound skills, coaches and players will only be asked to help with mentoring in certain circumstances.  

Beginning referees must understand that their position as referee will be respected, and their decisions will be final, regardless of the calls they make during gameplay. This is crucial for building a strong pool of referees at BHC.  

If a coach or player wants to discuss a call with a beginning referee, they must wait until halftime or the end of the game and first approach either the referee's mentor or the refereeing convenor. The mentor or convenor will then mediate the discussion. This formalized process helps beginning referees maintain distance from players and gain confidence in their role.  

All aspiring referees must begin by attending and assisting an experienced referee with duties at the BHC junior club.  

Requirements:

• Understanding of appropriate referee positioning.  
• Correct use of whistle and some knowledge of handball signals.  
• Confident demeanor and good communication.  

Upon demonstrating these skills, they will be awarded their orange whistle and can begin progressing to Level 1.  

Beginner referees interested in progressing must first take the Beginner Rules Quiz. They will continue to officiate junior games but with more intensive coaching and mentoring.  

Requirements:

• Officiate a minimum of 10 junior-level games.  
• Sufficiently loud voice and whistle.  
• Successful game management (setting penalties, signaling goals, and beginning of play).  
• Good on-court positioning throughout the game.  
• Sound on-court decision-making.  

Once recommended for progression, they will be assessed on a junior-level game. A successful Level 1 referee will be awarded a green whistle.  

To progress beyond Level 1, referees must pass the Level 2 Rule Quiz, demonstrating an understanding of the more complex rules and procedures required for senior-level refereeing.  Upon successfully passing, they will officiate Friday night (senior) games under the supervision of a mentor.  

Note: Younger referees may continue to officiate junior games while working towards Level 1 qualification. However, the accreditation exam must take place on a senior-level game, so gaining experience at this level is advisable.  

Skills to Master:

• Loud whistle and good positioning.  
• Basic game control (starts, goals, outs, etc.).  
• Recognizing and calling fouls consistently.  
• Recognizing and using progressive punishment consistently.  
• Recognizing and beginning to call unforced errors (foot, line, steps, double dribble, etc.).  

Once the mentor approves their performance, they will be recommended for Level 2 and assessed on a senior-level game. A successful Level 2 referee will be awarded a blue whistle.  

Referees progressing to Level 3 should confidently manage games without a mentor present. Level 2 referees will still work with mentors as frequently as possible to improve their game control in the following areas:

Skills to Master:

• Loud whistle and good positioning.  
• Basic game control (starts, goals, outs, etc.).  
• Confident and consistent calling of fouls (emphasis on using discretion).  
• Confident and consistent use of progressive punishment.  
• Confident and consistent calling of unforced errors (foot, line, steps, double dribble, etc.).  

A well-conditioned Level 2 referee can solo-officiate club/league games. However, to referee at the national level, they must first be accredited as Level 3 referees by the club. A successful Level 3 referee will be awarded a black whistle.  

Referees seeking to progress to the international level will receive assistance from the club to find a suitable pathway.  

To ensure fair and streamlined referee accreditation, only qualified assessors can assess and accredit referees. These assessors must have at least a Level 3 refereeing qualification and have shadowed another qualified assessor during two assessment games.  

BHC Qualified Assessors:

• Paul Langenberg (Head Coach)  
• Gwen Gillespie (Referee Convenor)