He knows he will probably receive a bit more when he heads to Victoria to referee at the 2018 Australian School Championships.

Held from December 2-7 in south east Melbourne, some of the best teenage basketballers from around the country will battle it out.

And the Port Macquarie product will be right in the thick of it.

“It’s going to be a cool experience, a chance to referee new competition, hopefully better my refereeing skills and hopefully it leads to a higher level in the future,” the teenager said.

Caltabiano admits whenever he has any spare time you’ll find him at the basketball stadium.

There did come a point little more than three years ago when he wanted to see the game from a different perspective.

“I’m always out at the stadium, it (refereeing) helps me get a better perspective of the game overall so I thought why not give it a try,” he said.

“I think I’ve taken refereeing a bit more seriously over the last couple of years so I’m trying to better my skills.”

Officials in sport are the easy excuse for fans and players to blame when things go wrong and Caltabiano is slowly appreciating their role.

“Probably the heckling from the sidelines (is the toughest part); you get used to it eventually, but it does take a bit to get used to,” he said.

The teenager was just looking to put in some solid performances over the week and then bring some knowledge back to the game around the Hastings.

“I’m hoping to get some good coaching and pointers over the weekend, some tips to help better my refereeing,” he said

“I can tell some things to some of the other young refs who might be looking for advice.”

While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox from the Port Macquarie News.

To make sure you're up to date with all the news, SIGN UP HERE.