Referee shames ill-behaved parents in videos to show 'what you look like or how you act' on the sidelines
A youth sports referee is calling foul on the bad behavior of parents on the sidelines to change the way they treat people who officiate the games.
Oklahoma father and soccer referee Brian Barlow began the #stop initiative to "silence sideliners" at youth sporting events and created a Facebook page called Offside nearly 14 months ago, he said.
"The best outcome for the page is for clubs and organizations to know there is an initiative out there that is designed to hold people accountable for their actions and can truly help curb parental abuse from the side of a pitch," Barlow told ABC News.
Barlow calls out parents who are caught on tape displaying poor sportsmanship and offers $100 to people who submit the videos. He posts the videos of their antics on the Offside Facebook page to bring attention to the pervasive problem.
"Mostly to bring awareness to the fact there is now a ref out there who will call you out for your actions," Barlow said. "We are no longer silent in the center with only a whistle."
His goal is to create a sports environment where "players play, coaches coach and referees ref that's what this whole initiative is about," Barlow explained.
"We want our kids to love the sport. Instead of yelling and screaming and being a crazy parent, go pull your kid [off the field] if you don't like it," he said.
From screaming matches to all-out brawls, Barlow shares videos of the ugly behavior to his followers. The content could reach thousands of viewers, he said.
"This is what happens if you act like this. You could end up on a videotape that ends up on Facebook, that ends up in front of 250,000 people."
Such aggressive behavior from parents is also causing a shortage of youth soccer referees, Barlow said.
Nearly 40 percent of officials believe parents cause the most problems with sportsmanship, according to a survey by the National Association of Sporting Officials.
Over 64 percent of referees said they have had to eject spectators from youth games for bad behavior.
His videos have the power to influence parents and coaches to change that behavior toward referees, Barlow said.
"In that moment, you don't realize what you look like or how you act," he said. "So when you go back and do see how you acted, I think that changes how you behaved.”
Barlow has created signage with his mission for the #stop initiative and brings them to various sporting events. He said many clubs and associations are interested in his self-initiated project "but as far as funding and execution me and my marketing team do it all."
As for any haters, Barlow seems to welcome them all in order to raise awareness.
"I do have many critics," he added via email. "Fortunately, I have thick skin but I’m not looking for anyone’s opinion or approval. But I am looking for their attention. This has to #stop."
