The first league of the 2016 basketball year for the eastern basketball association now named the Apia Basketball Association, has officially started.
And twelve teams have registered for the eastern association.
However, with a high standard club level basketball league such as this, it also comes with the need for a high standard refereeing.
"We are trying to train young officials to learn to guide a game while still young. It is very important as well that we have proper taught referees for leagues like this," said head official Vaioulu Tominiko of the Apia Basketball Association.
"It is not only basketball that has an opportunity for overseas travels, for every time a national team travels, they must include two highly skilled officials," he added.
"Both must be trained and qualified under FIBA ruling and regulations, so it is not just playing the game that gets you a chance for travelling or career, its officiating as well," he said.
The league has been divided in two different parts, the Under 18 games for men and women, and the open men and women’s division.
The association has allocated the grassroot development division for U18 games, to be the training for all referees who have yet to receive any training yet.
While the open men’s and women’s tournament is for the experienced refs familiar with officiating games.
"It is good to start small, so we train them while they are experiencing refereeing first hand and in experience during these games, and it boosts their knowledge of how the job goes," said Vaioulu.
In the Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea in July 2015, a national men’s basketball team joined the tournament, however did not include an official.
It is the hope that in the near future if all goes to plan, Samoa will have a Member in upcoming tournaments.