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SILENT SOCCER SUNDAY is MAY 16th!
During all Hamilton Girls Soccer Club games that day, the only ones doing the talking during the games will be the players. All coaches, parents and other spectators are being asked not yell, scream or instruct during the game.
You can cheer -- cheering and polite applause when the girls come off the field or after a good play is permissible.
Coaches can and should talk to substitutes on the sideline during the game but NOT to yell instructions to players on the field. Let them play the game and make the decisions!
Why are we doing this?
More than other sport, soccer is a player’s game. Players need to make their own decisions during games and apply what they are learning in practice without outside interference. Yelling instructions from the sidelines only serves to complicate their decision-making process.
The main goal of this weekend is to allow players to make their own decisions, improve communication on the field and eliminate verbal questioning of the referees’ calls.
While the vast majority of adult verbal participation is intended to be positive and constructive, the fact of the matter is that the games have become so loud that players often have difficulty hearing each other on the field.
Taking one week off from yelling may help adults gain perspective on just how loud they’ve been in the past. Hopefully, this effect will carry over into games in the weeks that follow.
How can we keep quiet?
Hamilton Girls Soccer Clubs offering these tips to parents who might find it difficult to keep silent:
- Team up with someone you know is a quiet spectator.
- Stand next to someone you know or don't know and get to know them better.
- Bring lollipops, jolly rancher candies or something else to suck on during the match.
One final message:
When your player comes off the field, hug them and say “I love watching you play.” Say it every week, and then take them for a snack!
Thank you all for your help in this! Remember that's it's their game, not our game.
Hamilton Girls Soccer e-Board