Jacob Wang San Francisco, Calif. Is the Youth Soccer Letter article by Dan Woog in the Dec. 18th issue about Silent Soccer available at www.socceramerica.com? Mike Woitalla: Jacob, the Youth Soccer Letter appears once every two weeks in Soccer America Magazine (print) and is not available on the Web site, but I will include “Silent Soccer” story below. And as a special holiday treat, IÆve also included a 1996 editorial that I wrote advocating silent parents. æSilent SoccerÆ Spreads BY DAN WOOG, from the Dec. 18, 2000 issue of Soccer America. A novel experiment last year to limit comments from youth soccer coaches and spectators has spurred similar “Silent Weekends” across the country. One organization that successfully adopted the idea is Montgomery Soccer, Inc. The large, progressive Maryland league has always stressed encouraging players to learn the game themselves, on the field. Yet officials were still surprised at the positive effects “Silent Saturday and Sunday” had on games. Without the “extra tension” of coaches and parents yelling instructions and positioning players, play was “much calmer” than usual, said referee and board member Jim Gordon. Junior referee Evan Bach agreed: “It let people get on with the game. While the players might have been a little bit disorganized, it had to be a lot less stressful for them.” One coach noted, “It clearly required some adjustments, but the coaches can figure it out. They need to make sure they say what they need to say before the game and at halftime. If the coach isn’t constantly yelling at the players on the field, he may have time to actually watch the game and communicate with the players on the sideline.” While at least one parent complained that “it didn’t seem right” she could not cheer when her son scored a goal, most reaction was favorable. Third grade coach Shari Golob said, “How great it was for the girls to be able to hear each other when calling for passes, and to see them not hesitating because what they are about to do differs from what their moms and dads or even coaches are calling out from the sidelines. It was great to see them thinking for themselves and playing for themselves. The girls really enjoyed it.” Coach Phil Shebest added, “It worked far better than we would have believed. The boys focused better, they passed more, and they were making adjustments of their own on the field. I never would have found out how well they could play if we hadn’t had that experience.” After watching a Division I classic match, MSI board member Ron Drach said, “I didn’t even know the girls talked to one another on the field until ‘Silent Saturday.’ And guess what: The parents seemed to survive very well.” Drawing the line on childishness BY MIKE WOITALLA, from the Oct. 14, 1996 issue of Soccer America. One of the great myths of our time is that sports build character. Sports simply reveal character. In fact, sports create an environment in which adults behave in a manner they certainly would refrain from in all other settings. I went to a high school game where a man, who had little grasp on the rules, screamed throughout the game. After one long whistle from the ref, the lout screamed, ôNow what the hell is that for?ö It was halftime. This past weekend, I played in a game in which men swore loudly at each other, threw a few punches, and a teammate of mine chased an opponent in an attempt to smack him. I watched a college game where the parents stopped yelling at the referee only to mock or berate each other. I saw an MLS game on television and heard one coach, who wore a suit and a tie, call his own player a ôstupid f***ö after the player ran onto the field to lambaste the referee. The best behavior I encountered this month at a sporting event was that of players in an under-6 game, where the worst transgressions came from those who preferred to watch birds fly by to the soccer ball. The parents, of course, yelled incessantly. The shouts were mainly instructions — it sounded like there were 20 coaches on the sideline — and a rabid kind of encouragement. My guess is that children could play soccer just fine without shouts from the sideline. So hereÆs my idea for youth coaches of America: Tell parents that they may clap to their heartsÆ delight, but to please keep their mouths shut. Adults who want to yell and shout should go to MLS games, where they can try to outscream the coaches. (If you have a question for a Soccer America Magazine editor, click “Q&A with SA Editors” in the left column of the home page under “Interactive.”)