Rising Stars: Meet Jeremi Barnes of Kansas City, MO

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremi Barnes.

Jeremi, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Everything started for me when I was 13 years old. I got into refereeing because of my dad, Jerome Barnes, and my older brother, Jerome Barnes II. At the time, my brother was usually the youngest official wherever he worked, which eventually inspired the name “The Young Ref.” When he stepped away from officiating to pursue a full-time job, I decided to carry the name on for him.

Refereeing originally started as a way to make some extra money. I mean, what teenager doesn’t want a little spending money? But about 10 years later, it became something much bigger. I realized there was a growing shortage of officials, and if you’ve ever been around sports, you know most people only notice referees when something goes wrong. Nobody’s ever stormed the field because the refs had a perfect game.

I wanted to help change that narrative and show the human side of officiating while making it something younger generations could see as fun, rewarding, and impactful.

So, I asked my wife, Madison Barnes, to record me at my games, and together we started creating content around my experiences while refereeing. She records every game. We share mic’d-up moments, behind-the-scenes stories, and what game day actually looks like. Honestly, I posted the first video with no expectations, and it blew up.

Looking back, I never imagined that something I started as a teenager would turn into a platform capable of positively impacting so many people. My mission has remained the same from day one: to be the difference, bring people together through sports, and remind people that referees are much more than the calls they make.

And hopefully, every now and then, convince a coach not to yell at us quite as much.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has definitely not been smooth, but like most things worth doing, there have been plenty of bumps along the way.

On the officiating side, criticism comes with the territory unfortunately. I’ve been yelled at by coaches, players, and fans. I’ve missed calls, made mistakes, and had games where I drove home never wanting to wear the stripes again or wondering what I could’ve done better. That’s just part of being an official. You have to develop thick skin, patience, and learn not to take everything personally.

Creating content brought a different set of challenges. In the beginning, I had no clue what I was doing. I wasn’t a video editor, I wasn’t trying to become an influencer, and honestly, I never expected it to take off like it did so quickly. There were plenty times when I questioned whether I should keep posting, and moments where balancing a full-time job, officiating, coaching, family life, and content creation felt overwhelming. Sometimes I still feel like that till this day.

One of the biggest challenges has been changing people’s perception of referees. It’s easy to blame the officials, and sometimes they’re the easiest target in the stadium. But I’ve learned that if you stay consistent and focus on your purpose, eventually people start to understand what you’re trying to accomplish.

I’ve also learned that growth isn’t always linear. Some days you’re gaining followers and partnering with brands, and other days you feel like the world is against you. But I genuinely love what I do, and I believe the impact we’re making is bigger than the negative moments.

At the end of the day, every challenge has taught and continues to me something, and I think they’ve all helped shape me into a better official, creator, coach, and person.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My goal has always been to humanize officials and help people understand that we’re regular people trying to do our best in one of the toughest jobs in sports.

Over the years, I’ve built a community of hundreds of thousands of followers across social media and because of my agency, Raymond Representation, I have been blessed to work with brands like Under Armour, Gatorade, Bombas and Scheels. But honestly, the numbers and partnerships aren’t what I’m most proud of.

What I’m most proud of is the impact. The National Federation of State High School Associations provided me a link for people to use to sign up to officiate any high school sport and I’ve helped more than 1,000 people sign up to become officials. With the shortage of referees happening across the country, knowing that I’ve played even a small role in bringing new people into the profession means more to me than any viral video ever could.

I’m also proud of being able to give back through coaching. I volunteer as the jumps coach at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic High School and enjoy helping young athletes grow both on and off the track.

I think what sets me apart is that I never got into this to become a content creator. I got into it because I genuinely love making an impact. My platform has always been bigger than me. Whether it’s officiating a football game on Friday night, coaching jumps in the summer, or making videos that make people laugh and think differently about referees, my mission has always been the same. That’s why my wife and I started a clothing line and our slogan is “be the difference”.

What does success mean to you?
For me, success has changed a lot over the years.

When I was younger, I probably would’ve measured success by followers, views, money, or the brands I was working with. And while I’m grateful for those opportunities, I’ve learned that those things come and go.

Today, I define success a little differently. Success is being able to make an impact on people while still being present for the people who matter most. It’s being a good husband, giving back to young athletes, helping bring new officials into the game, and knowing that I left something better than I found it.

I think success is also waking up excited about what you do. I get to work a full-time job, coach track and field, officiate sports, create content, and meet incredible people along the way. Some days are exhausting, but I genuinely enjoy the life God has blessed me with.

More than anything, I hope people remember me not because of how many followers I had or how many videos went viral, but because I actually made a difference.

At the end of the day, I don’t think success is about having the most. I think it’s about making the most of what you’ve been given.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theyoungref.shop/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremibarnes/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567470115104
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremi-barnes-332116203/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheYoungRef