And for the ODBA, there's no time like the present.

The local competition made its return on Monday night and while the association is well-catered for at a junior level, Smith says there's a screaming need for senior officials to oversee some of the more high-level games on the horizon.

"We've got representative games at the end of the year and we really need some senior referees for matches like that," Smith said.

"Once they [referees] hit the age of 16, they tend to drop off a bit and go into other employment... sometimes their social life becomes more active too - that's really detrimental for us."

So, you might be wondering... what are some of the benefits of being a referee?

According to Smith, that list is almost endless. He's been in the officiating game since he was 12 and has seen the positive impact it's had on a host of young (and old) individuals.

"If you're a player, being an official gives you a different view of the game and you can take those skills into your own play," he said.

"Not only that, it's good for life skills and dealing with conflict... employees really like that sort of thing on a resume.

"It shows that you're proactive and can work by yourself, as well as managing other people. It's also a way to give back to the community."

For potential ODBA officials, the career doesn't start and finish at the local PCYC as there's endless ways to progress in the practice.

"The pathways are endless," Smith said.

"We've got people from Orange who are involved in the WNBL (Women's National Basketball Association). You can travel to different countries and officiate championships all over the world.

"If you enjoy it enough, there's definitely opportunities to go to the professional level."

The long-awaited return of the ODBA local competition took place on Monday and even though it doesn't look the same as it has in previous years, Smith's just happy it's back.

"It was a little bit different and we did have to limit the number of teams we had but everyone's been really understanding," he said.

"You could see everyone was happy to get back into it and our basketball committee - like any other sport - is tight knit. So, it was good to see our friends and get the competition started."