The 2026 Fall Conqueror Basketball League will be the largest youth basketball league in the Omaha Metro Area with over 475 teams. It is scheduled to begin play Saturday and Sunday, October 17-18. The following weekend, October 23-25, will be the first of 20 weekend tournaments that will run alongside Conqueror weekends up until March 19-21, 2027.
The Youth Basketball Division of Nebraska Basketball Officials assigns referees for the Conqueror League and Elkhorn Attack/Elite Tournaments, and we are going to be very busy in 2026-2027.
This post will go over procedures, rules and the payment process for the Fall Conqueror Basketball League and Attack/Elite tournaments. Also included is the complete fall and winter schedules for Elkhorn Attack and Elite tournaments.
Once again, assignors Brent Robinson and Jim Sauer will handle all referee scheduling. We will attempt to have referee schedules out by late Monday or Tuesday prior to weekend play. Todd Jakopovic with Elkhorn Attack/Elite manages all the game sites and handles all game scheduling, team matters and any issues we might encounter. Dannye Jakopovic will handle payroll.
Officials will have multiple opportunities to officiate games during the Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer of 2026/27. Pay for all Conqueror League Basketball and Elkhorn Attack and Elite tournaments will be $30 per game. There are no membership fees and officials will NOT be required to sign any contracts. Other tournaments that our officials work will be paid according to the type of tournament.
We will continue to use the NBOStripes website (www.nbostripes.com) to post availability requests and weekend schedules. If you read an availability request on the website, or receive a text request for availability, you can text Robinson at 402-618-2859 or Sauer at 402-215-1740. Please give us the maximum availability you have. We will attempt to give you as many games as possible.
Here are some basics for preparing for the season.
Our work attire – we will wear predominantly black shorts, black sweats or black pants with black and white stripes TUCKED IN! These are mandatory. You need your own whistle, and you can wear comfortable shoes (they do not have to be black). You may wear black or white long sleeve undershirts. You may also wear tights underneath shorts. If you see someone not following our dress code, please remind them – especially having shirts tucked in! If they do not correct the issue, please text Brent or Jim.
How do you get games? We need you to WANT to Referee. That starts with knowing the rules. You need to be loyal, be responsible and be on time. If you walk in at GAMETIME, you are LATE! You need to arrive 10 minutes before your scheduled start time. DO NOT schedule yourself so tight that you cannot meet this requirement. If you are inexperienced, you need to learn. You do this by giving us a lot of availability. We can then place you with experienced officials who will help you learn the ropes. We also need flexibility to give you games involving younger teams. You may not get a lot of games to start, but you will as your ability grows.
If you haven’t already done so, register your email address online at nbostripes.com. This way you will get every email we send out for announcements, requests for availability and scheduling. If you need assistance registering your email, contact Brent or Jim.
Scheduling – When we request your availability for a weekend, please text us as soon as possible. We start scheduling as early as Thursday for the following week! The more flexible you are with your availability, the more likely you are to get games. Not everyone can work at 8,9,10,11 on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Once schedules are released, find your name and your times and text us your confirmation. You must repeat your times in your text. EXAMPLE: “Saturday 1,2,3 & 5,6,7 @ UBT2 South on court 1. Confirmed!” We realize this is more work for you. Please follow protocol. You can abbreviate. Sat 8,9,10 & 1,2,3 @ (location) on court (#). DO NOT JUST SEND US A TEXT THAT SAYS “Confirmed.”
We need everyone to work every weekend possible, especially when we get into December thru early March when the High School season is in full swing. We understand there are other tournaments and leagues to officiate. But please do not choose other options when we have anywhere from 250 to 700 games per weekend.
Your work is paid by Tuesday or Wednesday after the weekend you officiated via the Gusto account. You can request direct deposit through your bank account.
Normal games consist of 20-minute running clock halves with clock stopped in the last minute of each half in league play. Some tourneys differ. Read the rules at the score table for your games.
No game/forfeit policy – If a game forfeit is in the middle of a set of 3 games or more that you are working, you will be paid. If the forfeit or no game is at the end of a set of games and you are allowed to leave, that game will not be paid. If you are working a two-game set, you will be paid for two games even if you have a forfeit in the first or second game. You must fill out your Gusto account information to be paid. All pay issues begin by contacting Brent Robinson. Also, if you have moved in the past year, please update your Gusto account.
We will start all games ON TIME! DO NOT START games EARLY! Only the site supervisor can allow you to start early. Be at your court for your first assigned game, dressed and ready to go 10 minutes prior to game time. If you are late for your assigned game time, you will be docked a minimum of $5 for your first game and the official covering for you will get the $5. If you miss the first half, the official replacing you will receive half of your game fee and you will be docked half. There are always EXCEPTIONS! Do not LEAVE your court until there are two assigned officials for the next game. We need to do a better job with this. As soon as the two officials at your court have arrived, you can leave. Cover for the incoming official. Call Brent or Jim immediately if an official is not there 5 minutes before their scheduled time. Work until they arrive. Please do not accept another assignment within an hour following your last game. That way you can stay and cover and you will be paid for covering. NEVER FIND YOUR OWN SUB. Contact Brent or Jim to make any changes.
Please do not schedule yourself tightly around our scheduled games. Give yourself time to get here and to your next assignment! We are asking you not to schedule yourself anywhere else for one hour after your last game is completed for us.
Concessions are not FREE!!! The concession workers have been told in their meetings that officials must pay for their food or drink. Do not put them in an uncomfortable situation.
OUTSIDE THE GAME
DO NOT ENGAGE with fans or parents in the stands! Just walk away! If someone swears at you or gets personal with you from the stands, stop the game and get a site supervisor. Inform the supervisor of the situation and let them handle it. Do this away from the parents or fans. Do not make a scene. Calmly go to the scorer’s table and request a site supervisor to come to the court. You can inform the coaches what is going on, but it is up to them if they want to get involved. Once you have explained what happened to the site supervisor, at that point it is out of your hands. Accept how the site supervisor handles the situation. If you are threatened or feel you are in any danger, alert the site supervisor and have them escort you to your car after you are finished working. If necessary, communicate with the site supervisor and call the police. Please text or call Brent Robinson if you have a fan or parent ejected. He MUST know about this at the earliest convenience.
INSIDE THE GAME
Officiate with enthusiasm. Be professional. Introduce yourself to coaches before a game. It does help with communication. Don’t be hesitant to call a technical foul if it is warranted. A technical foul is just a tool to get a situation under control. If a coach is out of control, warn them first. Give them every opportunity to avoid a technical foul. If they don’t respond to a warning and visual stop sign, give them a technical. Do not tolerate profanity. If they swear at you, automatic technical. Remember, any technical foul on any bench coach requires ALL COACHES to sit. It doesn’t matter if the assistant coach gets the technical, the head coach has to sit. It’s the rule!
Please switch every 5 minutes of the game from lead official to trail official. This shows coaches and fans you know what you are doing. Refusing to switch is just being lazy. If a site supervisor asks you to switch during a game, please do so respectfully.
We look forward to the 2026-27 season. Please feel free to contact either Brent or Jim with any questions.
