She started studying to be a referee a decade ago, after a packed career as a varsity basketball and volleyball scholar at Laguna State Polytechnic University. She made the transition to table official, then gradually embraced becoming a full-time referee. Janine Nicandro has been a PBA referee for almost a decade now, and is the only remaining female arbiter in the league.
“I never dreamed of being a referee,” explains the Pagsanjan native. “But I love the game. So when the opportunity came that the PBA was open to female referees, I took it. I just wanted to try it. Now, I love my job.”
As they say, you know you’ve done a good job as a referee when only half of the people hate you. It takes a special temperament, a solid equanimity, to referee in professional sports. It is a thankless job, particularly in the Philippines, where everyone thinks they know basketball.
In 2014, she was accepted into the PBA D-League as an official. In 2016, she was elevated to the PBA itself. Last year, she was even liaison for referees at the FIBA World Cup in the country.
Referee training demands a lot from a candidate. Firstly, one needs to study the rules. Next, one has to undergo year-round physical preparation, similar to basketball athletes themselves. They must be able to run 66 laps within a prescribed time. In addition, they have to learn how to properly communicate with coaches and players. Mental preparation comes along with all of that.
“I do have a plan of teaching,” Janine confirms. “More so when I got injured. I can’t referee forever. I plan to teach officiating in the future.”
Four referees are drawn from the pool every game. Three start, and the fourth is a substitute. Each runs for 36 minutes. Once the game starts, the referees must be in command. Although fans shouting at referees is common in the Philippines, there are limits. Luckily for Nicandro, Filipino players and fans are just a little more gentle towards females in general. But they’ve learned to accept and respect the firm hand of the PBA’s last woman whistling.