Basketball referee scheduling software
Referee scheduling for youth basketball programs.
Put two referees on every game in a gym day, send the assignments by text or email once the day is filled, and see who has accepted each tip-off and which games still need someone.
- Referee 1 and 2 by default
- Referees need no account
- A calendar file per game
A worked example
One court, four games, back to back
A league that books Northside Rec Center for Saturday runs games every hour on each court. This is Court 2 after the assignor has filled most of it.
| Time | Division | Referee 1, Referee 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00–10:00 | U10 Girls | Jordan Ellis, Maya Brooks |
| 10:00–11:00 | U12 Boys | Jordan Ellis, Maya Brooks |
| 11:00–12:00 | U12 Girls | Maya Brooks, Sam Ortiz |
| 12:00–1:00 | U14 Boys | Sam Ortiz, open |
When the assignor picks Maya Brooks for the 10:00 game, the picker lists her 9:00 game under “Also working”. It isn’t an overlap, because the first game ends at 10:00. If the assignor then tried her on an 11:00 game on Court 1 as well, that pick would show “Overlaps”. Both are warnings, and the assignor decides.
Enter end times. If a game has none, Ref Grid assumes a basketball game runs 90 minutes. On an hourly court that makes the 9:00 game look as though it runs to 10:30, so picking Jordan or Maya for the 10:00 game would show an overlap. The warning is marked as assumed, but a day full of them stops telling you anything. With 60-minute end times, only real clashes are flagged.
Ref Grid doesn’t check travel time. If Sam finishes at Northside at 1:00 and is due at another gym at 1:15, the same-day hint shows the other game, and whether 15 minutes is enough is your call. It also knows nothing about games your referees work for other leagues.
Inside Ref Grid
What you set up, and what referees get
Two referees, or three, or one
Every new game starts with Referee 1 and Referee 2. Add a third position for a three-person crew on an older division, or remove one for a rec game with a single referee.
Positions are free text. If your program pays a scorer or clock operator, you can add a “Scorer” position to a game and assign someone to it like any referee.
A fee on each position
Fill the day, then send
No account for referees
Calendar files and reminders
Moved and cancelled games
Bring the schedule in
The board above is from a soccer club. On a basketball schedule each game shows Referee 1 and Referee 2, plus any positions you add.
Limits
What Ref Grid doesn’t do
- No certification or level rules. It won’t stop a first-year referee landing on a U16 playoff game. Record levels in your notes on each referee and decide yourself.
- No auto-assign. Nothing fills a gym day for you, and referees can’t pick up open games themselves.
- No volunteer scheduling. Parent scorers and clock volunteers aren’t a separate feature. You can add them as positions on a game, and they receive the same assignment messages referees do.
- No chasing unanswered assignments. Reminders reach only referees who accepted. Following up on silence is up to you.
- No dated availability. Referees can tell you the days, times of day and divisions they prefer. Dates they’re away stay wherever you collect them now.
Where to go next
- How to schedule basketball referees
Crews, gym days and young officials, with or without software.
- Scheduling a tournament
Counting slots, rest breaks and bracket games before anyone knows the teams.
- Free spreadsheet template
Three CSV sheets, if a spreadsheet still covers your season.
One plan, with a free trial: see the pricing.
Request a demo
See how Ref Grid would work for your league or club
Tell us about your organization and we’ll get back to you.
Prefer to look around yourself? You can set up your organization without talking to us: get started.
Set up next Saturday’s gym day.
Import the games with their end times, add your referees, fill both positions on each game, and send.