Ottawa Shooting Stars Jr. Ref Program - Ottawa Shooting Stars Basketball

Welcome to the NEW Ottawa Shooting Stars Junior Referee Development Program!

We’re excited to launch our enhanced Junior Referee Development Program for the upcoming season. Our goal is to provide a structured and supportive environment where young officials can build confidence, develop leadership skills, and grow as referees both on and off the court.

This season, participants can look forward to:

🏀 A preseason referee training clinic
📚 Ongoing education and development throughout the season
🤝 Mentorship from experienced officials
📝 Regular feedback and opportunities for growth
⬆️ A clear pathway to higher levels of officiating

To help us get started, we’d like to learn more about your basketball experience, officiating background, availability, and interests.

Apply Here

https://forms.gle/6o4q824p4GWz5Qd66

Please answer all questions honestly and accurately. Your responses will help us assign referees appropriately, create balanced officiating crews, and provide the level of support and training that best fits your current experience. Rating yourself higher will not increase your chances of receiving game assignments. Honest responses allow us to create the best possible development experience for everyone.

The Jr Ref Program has a minimum age of 14 as of October 1st. If you are under 18 years of age, we strongly encourage you to complete this form together with a parent or guardian. This helps ensure the information is accurate and that everyone understands the time commitment and expectations of the program.

We look forward to helping you develop your officiating skills and welcoming you to the Ottawa Shooting Stars officiating team this season!

If you have any additional questions, please reach out to: officials@ottawashootingstars.com

2026/27 EOBA House League Rules

Junior referees will be assigned to referee EOBA House League games.

The league uses FIBA rules for the baseline with league-specific rules depending on the age group.

FIBA Rules and Learning Materials 2026/27

Rules Differences FIBA vs. EOBA House League

Where the EOBA House League rules differ from the respective FIBA rules, the House League rules govern OSS and OSBA House League games.

The full set of rules can be found on the EOBA website.

The table below highlights the differences junior referees are most likely to encounter.

Topic	FIBA 2026 baseline	EOBA / OSS and OSBA House League application
U12 game format	Standard FIBA game format	8 x 5-minute shifts; straight time. Clock stops for injury and foul/free-throw situations.
U14 game format	Standard FIBA game format	8 x 4-minute shifts; stop time.
U16 Boys House B	Standard FIBA game format	8 x 4-minute stop-time shifts.
U16 Girls / U16 Boys A / U19	4 x 10-minute quarters	4 x 8-minute stop-time quarters.
Substitutions in shift divisions	Substitutions during FIBA substitution opportunities	No substitutions in shifts 1-7 except injury; open substitutions in shift 8 and overtime.
Equal playing time	No FIBA equal-time requirement	In shift divisions, no player may play more than one shift more than another.
3 seconds – U12	Rule is enforced	Before Christmas: warn/educate; after Christmas: enforce.
3 seconds – U14	Rule is enforced	Enforced from the beginning of the season.
8-second backcourt	8 seconds	Applies in U12 and U14.
Full-court defence – U12	Permitted subject to normal FIBA rules	Not permitted. Opponents must be given half court after a made basket or change of possession.
Press – U14	Permitted subject to normal FIBA rules	No full-court press until after Christmas.
15+ point lead	No equivalent FIBA mercy restriction	U14 and U16-U19: leading team must allow opponent to establish across half court before engaging.
Defence – U12/U14	Zone and man-to-man are permitted	Man-to-man only. Escalation: verbal reminder, formal bench warning, then technical free throws.
Shot clock – U16/U19	24-second shot clock	No shot clock.
Timeouts – U12/U14	FIBA timeout structure	1 x 30-second timeout per half; 1 x 30-second timeout in overtime.
Overtime	5 minutes	4-minute stop-time overtime.
Team-foul penalty	After 4 team fouls in a quarter, subsequent qualifying fouls are penalized	2 bonus free throws on the 5th team foul. In shift divisions, team fouls are tracked per two-shift block: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8.
Disqualification language	2026 FIBA has revised technical-foul categories and disqualification rules	House League document states 5 personal fouls = disqualification and 2 technical/unsportsmanlike fouls = disqualification. OSS and OSBA should confirm administration with OVBABO before the season.

Topic

FIBA 2026 baseline

EOBA / OSS and OSBA House League application

U12 game format

Standard FIBA game format

8 x 5-minute shifts; straight time. Clock stops for injury and foul/free-throw situations.

U14 game format

Standard FIBA game format

8 x 4-minute shifts; stop time.

U16 Boys House B

Standard FIBA game format

8 x 4-minute stop-time shifts.

U16 Girls / U16 Boys A / U19

4 x 10-minute quarters

4 x 8-minute stop-time quarters.

Substitutions in shift divisions

Substitutions during FIBA substitution opportunities

No substitutions in shifts 1-7 except injury; open substitutions in shift 8 and overtime.

Equal playing time

No FIBA equal-time requirement

In shift divisions, no player may play more than one shift more than another.

3 seconds – U12

Rule is enforced

Before Christmas: warn/educate; after Christmas: enforce.

3 seconds – U14

Rule is enforced

Enforced from the beginning of the season.

8-second backcourt

8 seconds

Applies in U12 and U14.

Full-court defence – U12

Permitted subject to normal FIBA rules

Not permitted. Opponents must be given half court after a made basket or change of possession.

Press – U14

Permitted subject to normal FIBA rules

No full-court press until after Christmas.

15+ point lead

No equivalent FIBA mercy restriction

U14 and U16-U19: leading team must allow opponent to establish across half court before engaging.

Defence – U12/U14

Zone and man-to-man are permitted

Man-to-man only. Escalation: verbal reminder, formal bench warning, then technical free throws.

Shot clock – U16/U19

24-second shot clock

No shot clock.

Timeouts – U12/U14

FIBA timeout structure

1 x 30-second timeout per half; 1 x 30-second timeout in overtime.

Overtime

5 minutes

4-minute stop-time overtime.

Team-foul penalty

After 4 team fouls in a quarter, subsequent qualifying fouls are penalized

2 bonus free throws on the 5th team foul. In shift divisions, team fouls are tracked per two-shift block: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8.

Disqualification language

2026 FIBA has revised technical-foul categories and disqualification rules

House League document states 5 personal fouls = disqualification and 2 technical/unsportsmanlike fouls = disqualification. OSS and OSBA should confirm administration with OVBABO before the season.