TeamCushman

I love soccer season. The energy, the excitement. Cheering on my son, who normally plays offense. But this is a season of adjustments. This season, he is playing defense, so I have to get used to the fact that, like my freshman year in college, he won’t score. I tend to get overly excited. I do my share of yelling and cheering, so does my wife. Believe me, I get my monies worth rooting for the entire team, not just my son.

I just received this email from our Soccer League. It is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. It’s long, but take a look:

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Members and Coaches:Just wanted to take a quick moment to thank everyone for the
overwhelming response to the poster contest for the Silent Saturday.
The posters are being judged by an unbiased adult who has no children
that even play soccer. The winning team will be announced Friday in Off
The Pitch.

Below, please find the guidelines for Silent Saturday which will be held this Saturday, October 20 at Hensley and Woodlake and even teams that might not be playing at our locations are asked to participate at the locations they are playing at.Other leagues may be visiting our fields on 10/20, we have invited them to participate but understand that we cannot force them to.Please remember to come up with creative ideas for silently cheering on your team. Thank you for your support of this program. This is a one-time deal for one game. It is not something that we are going to put into effect for each game. Suckers will be available near the referee tent on Phase II and near the 2nd set of gates on Phase I at Hensley for your use if you would like some.The posters that were submitted for competition will be displayed around the Hensley complex on 10/20. After 10/20 games, the posters can be picked up at the field on 10/27.Enjoy your week and see you on the Pitch!!!
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Silent Saturday - October 20, 2007 - all age groups (Silent Saturday
will only be held 1 day this season - not each Saturday) Please read on
for more informationSilent Saturday has been instituted throughout the country finding a
great deal of success. It’s main purpose is to just let the kids play
and have fun without having to worry about how their performance is
affecting the adults on the sidelines. Silent Saturday is a throwback
to the old schoolyard days when kids would congregate after school and
on weekends just to play the sport all day without regard to who was
winning and repercussions for poor play and decision making.The objectives of holding a Silent Saturday are:

*to reemphasize that the game is about letting the kids play and have fun.
*To give the players a chance to play totally on their own.
*To eliminate the verbal questioning of the referees’ decision.
*To help the few parents and coaches who feel they must provide constant direction, and to understand that the kids can play very well on their own with limited instruction.This will be our first attempt at holding Silent Saturday but it is our hope that everyone will realize the benefit of just letting the kids
play and have fun.

Thank you for your help in making Silent Saturday,October 20, a success for our children.Below are guidelines that are to be followed by all age groups at all locations. (Please know that if you are playing cross association U14 and older - we cannot enforce this on the other leagues but they will be
made aware that we are doing this and asked to participate.)Guidelines for Silent Saturday

***Spectators: Please be advised that you may not make any verbal comments on the game or direct any comments to the players, referees or coaches - on or off the field. Clapping IS allowed! Be creative in how you choose to cheer your child’s team - make signs to hold up, bring a rally towel in the team’s color and wave it wildly, there are lots of ways to cheer other than verbally.

***Coaches: You may not provide any direction - verbal or non-verbal - to players who are on the field. You make speak quietly to any players that are on the bench, but DO NOT give those players instructions to yell out to their teammates! Coaches may address the players at a normal tone before and after the game, during water breaks and during halftime. (For CU05/CU06 age groups only - since referees are not used, coaches will be allowed to use your “quiet” voices to whisper essential instructions only to players on the field. If this is not followed, coaches will be sent to their “quiet place.”)

***Players: You are encouraged to speak to each other on the field. You are free to support each other and provide direction to each other. Players on the bench may cheer freely in a positive manner, but may not provide instruction to those on the field.

***Referees have been instructed that if spectators and coaches are not following the rules, the referees are to stop the game and issue a warning. The referee will then have the option to give a second warning
if the behavior continues, or to terminate the game.Let’s always encourage and support our players while they are learning and playing the game, but for this one Saturday, ‘Mums the Word!’

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This is not a joke. They really want to do this. I honestly feel like this league is being run by Romper Room. What am I supposed to do, hold up the “Silence Please” signs you see on the golf course? Do the “silent clap” that you see at the opera? I can’t wait to see what the “quiet place” they have in store for the coaches. I’m thinking they put some duck tape on the ground in the shape of a box. This is driving me bonkers. I can assure you, I expect to be yellow carded for rooting and cheering my son for making a great play. Because that’s what parents do … they root unconditionally for their kids no matter what!