New Jersey town to require angry parents at children’s sporting events to serve as referees and umpires
· Apr 26, 2023 · NottheBee.com

With all the wisdom of Solomon, Deptford Township, New Jersey, has solved the problem of crazy parents at kids' sporting events.

You know the types: The one's that go nuts when they think the referee or umpire makes a bad call regarding their child's team.

If a parent gets loud and angry in Deptford Township because they think they know better than the coach or the ref, they'll have to prove it by "volunteering" to be an umpire or referee for three games.

If they don't "volunteer," they'll be banned from attending sporting events.

The idea is that they'll stop yelling at the other volunteers if they get yelled at enough themselves.

The reason why the town decided to make the change is because so many of their volunteer refs have quit because of unruly parents.

"They're coming here, they're being abused, they don't need that. So they're walking away," Deptford Township Little League President Don Bozzuffi said.

Parents are in support of the new regulation.

"If the parents are going to be sitting there, yelling the whole entire game, they might as well use that energy out on the field," Kateland Tokley, a local resident and mother, said.

Personally, I think it's a brilliant move, though I imagine they'll have to make sure the referees and umpires are not ruling on their own kids‘ games.

You can imagine how that will go.

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