As referee abuse drives officials out of sport, a UCalgary startup is pushing back

Up to 80 per cent of sports referees quit within their first two years, often citing verbal abuse from coaches, parents and players as one of the main reasons. 

It’s a troubling issue in sports, and one Tamara Jarrett, BSc’14, is determined to change. 

A longtime referee and former University of Calgary Dinos basketball star, Jarrett is co-founder and chief operating officer of Elements Athletics. 

With support from the university’s UCeed Social Impact Fund, Elements Athletics launched Mic’d Up, a wearable microphone that records and analyzes in-game audio. 

The goal is simple: hold people accountable and help referees feel safer on the court.

Seeing the game from both sides

Jarrett has a long history in sports, not just as a referee, but also as an athlete. 

She played for the Dinos for five seasons between 2009 and 2014 and, in 2013, became the first in the team's history to be named Canada West Defensive Player of the Year. Before basketball, she played volleyball and was a provincial champion in both javelin and shot-put.

Jarrett admits she wasn’t always kind to referees. “I was a player that talked a lot, that protested a lot, and was probably negative to refs,” she says. 

Jarrett, who herself has refereed for many years, has seen how often referees, even experienced ones, face verbal abuse.  

“I’ve gotten words fired back from players, coaches,” she says. 

“I do think I’m a good referee, but there is a lot of negativity, even to good refs ... so, imagine referees who are just learning and just trying to get better.” 

Jarrett saw a chance to improve sport culture in a meaningful way. 

Creating safer sidelines, starting with youth 

While Mic’d Up can be used at all levels of sport, Jarrett says youth sports are the real focus. 

“Youth is the answer. The kids are the future,” she says. “We want to improve and help shape a more positive environment for all kids.” 

Jarrett has worked for years as a strength and conditioning coach, helping young athletes grow in confidence and skill. But young referees, she says, are often left behind. 

"We have a bottleneck problem,” Jarrett says. “There’s a ton of older referees, but not a lot of young referees. A lot of the older referees don’t want to ref youth sports.” 

Mic’d Up helps protect those younger officials, with the aim of making people think twice before they shout abuse from the stands.

Turning game-day audio into accountability 

With Mic’d Up, referees wear a microphone during the game. Signs are placed around the court, letting people know that recording is in progress. Once the game is over, the audio is uploaded to the Mic’d Up app. 

The system uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to scan for abuse, including swearing, microaggressions and discrimination. 

Within minutes, a streamlined report is created for league administrators, classifying incidences by severity and time. That report then helps them take action faster and more objectively. 

Jarrett says many referees don’t fill out reports, which makes it challenging for administrators to follow up. “Speaking from a referee’s perspective, we hate reports,” she notes. 

Without enough concrete information, decisions often end up being based on hearsay. Now, administrators have recorded evidence to work with.

UCalgary support helps fuel the mission 

In 2024, Mic’d Up received its first investment from the UCeed Social Impact Fund. UCeed is a UCalgary program of early stage startup-investment funds supported by philanthropy.  

“Before we had a client, before we even had a minimum viable product, UCeed invested in us,” says Jarrett. 

Shortly after acquiring their first client, Ringette Calgary, the second team to come on board as a client was UCalgary Intramurals. 

“The University of Calgary really does support their alumni, and I just want to say thank you.” 

That support is helping Mic’d Up expand across Canada and the U.S., and Jarrett says there has also been interest shown from Australia. 

A new investment round for Mic’d Up is expected to open in October, and Jarrett hopes to connect with others who care about making youth sports better and safer for everyone.