MIES (Switzerland) - Xi'an, China recently hosted a four-day Basketball Referee Development Camp from February 14 to 17, 2024, organized by the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). The event, with a total of 16 FIBA referees and future prospects, showcased a commitment to enhancing officiating skills.

CBA Development Camp 2024 referees with the FIBA Ref Ops Staff

 

The camp utilized a range of training methods, including video analysis, classroom sessions, on-court training, and practical game scenarios, providing a comprehensive learning experience. FIBA Referee Operations supported the camp, bringing in expert FIBA Referee Instructors, such as Mr. Albert Joseph and Roberto Chiari contributing valuable insights.

FIBA Referee Instructor Albert Joseph found the Camp very productive: “This type of Camp is normally the best format for adult learning. The most important is that referees can apply as soon as possible the skills they have learned – repetition is the key.”

FIBA Referee Instructor Albert Joseph and referee Hu Jing during on-court training.

 

The Camp was successful, and referees were able to move to the next level with all the details provided during the Camp. Naturally, the credit for the success goes to the Campers, who demonstrated high professionalism and motivation to keep up with the evolution of basketball refereeing.

Roberto Chiari was very pleased with the campers’ contribution and progression: “We have witnessed and discovered great potential during the Camp. I am really impressed how the referees were implementing new skills right away”.

FIBA Referee Instructor Roberto Chiari providing feedback to Hu Jing and Fang Wenxuan

 

FIBA Referee Sun Jian from China: “It is a great opportunity for everyone to join a camp that focuses on the fundamentals, which are the keys to modern basketball officiating. By combining the right mindset and doing the right things both on and off the court, the desired outcomes will follow.”

Other FIBA Referee Hu Jing, who participated in the 1st FIBA Women in Officiating Global Camp in 2023 said: “ It's a pleasure to participate in this training camp! It allowed me to gain a lot! By studying in this camp, I gained a deeper understanding of the latest concepts of refereeing! This will be of great help to my future officiating! I also hope that there will be more international exchange opportunities in the future, allowing for continuous progress, and to better serve our own league!”

Referee Sun Jian in action during the Camp games

 

In conclusion, the CBA Development Camp in Xi'an, organized by the CBA with FIBA support, aims to raise the bar for basketball officiating. The event signifies a crucial step in developing a new generation of skilled referees capable of handling the complexities of the sport at the highest level.

 

FIBA