About Board 33

Through your membership in the North Jersey Board of Approved Basketball Officials, Inc., you are a member of the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials, Inc. (IAABO) – the only organization of its kind in the world: a nonprofit service and professional organization managed by and for basketball referees. Founded in 1923, IAABO’s stated purposes are:

• To educate, train, develop, and provide continuous instruction for basketball officials.
• To promote the welfare of the game of basketball, its players and officials.
• To maintain the highest standard of basketball officiating.
• To encourage the spirit of fair play and sportsmanship.
• To have available at all times an adequate number of thoroughly trained and capable officials.
• To cooperate with all organizations officially connected with the game of basketball in furthering its interests and ideals.


Through a worldwide organization of some 200 local “boards” spanning 38 states and 11 foreign countries, IAABO has been the unparalleled and undisputed leader in worldwide training of basketball officials in the areas of:

• Basketball Rules
• Mechanics and techniques of officiating
• Organization of local officials’ groups
• Development of curricula and standards by which other officials’ organizations are judged.


As the largest IAABO board in the country, the North Jersey Board of Approved Basketball Officials, Inc., IAABO Board 33, is in the forefront of basketball officiating on a state and national level. Board 33 serves the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Passaic, Somerset, and Union. It's central office is located in Bridgewater, New Jersey under the direction of Executive Secretary/Treasurer, Walter Rusak a Board 33 member for over 37 years. He is assisted by Membership Secretary, James Llewellyn and Rules Interpreter Dick Hecker.

Historically, Board 33 has a rich legacy of service to basketball officials throughout the world, through IAABO, which traces its roots to the late Dominic S. Cuccinello who rose to become President of Board 33 in 1962 and President of IAABO in 1980.  Felix Addeo, also rose from the ranks to President of Board 33 in 1994 and to President of IAABO in 2008. Board 33 has been and continues to be one of the largest most respected IAABO boards in the world. Your support is needed to continue to make Board 33 one of the premier basketball officiating organizations in the world.

The Board is served by sixteen standing committees and is a member of the State Basketball Officials Association of New Jersey, Inc., a coordinating group composed of all 6 IAABO Boards in the State of New Jersey. The State Basketball Officials Association of New Jersey, Inc. has also been awarded a charter as IAABO State Board 1 and serves as a state board on the IAABO level.

North Jersey Board of Approved Basketball Officials, Inc. - IAABO Board 33, is a New Jersey nonprofit corporation, governed by a 21 member Executive Committee drawn from all areas Board 33 serves.