A lack of qualified referees caused the side to pull out of the Spalding Waratah League a pinch over 12 months ago but now, representative coordinator Jamahl Zegzula says the club is seeking youngsters for the upcoming tournament.

"It's about time we had something locally for this age group," Zegzula said.

"The club has so many good members and we're always growing as a junior and senior competition. There's so many supportive members who want to grow the association.

"We've got a five-year plan to get things aligned for the kids who have basketball aspirations."

The goal for the association is to not only give up and coming basketballers an opportunity to play the sport at a high-level right now, it wants to provide them with a pathway to reach great heights within the sport.

"We are providing pathways for our junior members who are seeking to achieve their goal of playing basketball at an elite level," he said.

"We encourage, and support, participation in a fun and enjoyable environment, from junior through to senior representative level."

While the number of referees was an issue for Eagles in the lead-up to last year's tournament, the club has enough officials on deck to cater for this year's competition.

Having said that, ODBA is always on the lookout for prospective zebras and referees coordinator Carl Smith says there's plenty of reasons for people of any age to take up the role.

"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," Smith 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.

The Orange Eagles under 23s will aim commence its Waratah League competition at the end of March with the schedule consisting of 16-20 games with a home and away format. More information will be provided to players who reach out.