Let's always encourage and support our players while they are learning and playing the game, but for this one Weekend, "Mum’s the Word."Silent Weekend (applies to all games played Saturday and Sunday) is used in AYSO Regions throughout the country. Its main purpose is to allow kids to just play and have fun. Silent Weekend is a throwback to the old schoolyard days when kids would congregate after school and on weekends just to play all day, without regard to who was winning and repercussions for poor play and decision-making. Coaches are requested to communicate and reinforce this with spectators!
The objectives of Silent Weekend are:
- To emphasize that the game is about letting the kids have fun and play.
- To show that kids can play well on their own with limited instruction.
- To help the few parents and coaches who feel they must provide constant direction, understand how disruptive it can be.
- To give players the chance to trust their skills and instincts without sideline input.
- To encourage leadership skills among the individual players as they have the unique opportunity of giving their own instruction on the field.
- To encourage a sense of true teamwork as the players must learn to rely upon one another and communicate with each other accordingly.
- To support our volunteer referees, both youth and adult, by eliminating sideline interference and comments.
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 and communicating with each other on the field. Taking one weekend off from any verbal interference, may help adults gain perspective on just how loud they've been in the past.