Kids competitive sports can get very intense. I didn’t even realize how wild sports parents could be until my own kid started playing sports. Once she hit the field in her soccer gear, I was cheering and yelling from the sidelines. She was four years old at the time and you could have sworn I thought she was trying out for the U.S. Women’s Team.
While my cheering from the sidelines is strictly for encouraging my child, some parents take a much darker route when it comes to being a soccer parent, getting critical of their kids or even arguing with other parents or coaches. One soccer club based in Montana even added “Silent Saturdays” to their leagues last year, telling parents to can it from the sidelines.
It seems like more soccer leagues, some in Southern California, have taken note of this, and one mom shared her thoughts on “silent soccer games.”
“We just got home from my daughter’s silent soccer game — parents, coaches — no one’s allowed to say anything,” Holli Grasmeyer said. “The only thing you’re allowed to do is clap when they score.”
“I’m not from here. I’m from a small town in Washington state, and I moved to Southern California a year and a half ago. And while I love it … what? I get it. I’m healthy. So I understand the point. Especially because there are some parents that are … it’s like, ‘Hey buddy, remember, these kids are six?’ you know. Whoa, she’s eight … like there’s some of that.”
And while Grasmeyer understands the point of the silent soccer game, she does have a controversial take: “I mean, it’s a little soft. There I said it.”
One user said, “This is like gentle parenting… soccer edition”
One user asked, “Even the coach is silent?! How do they…coach?”
“How do the kids feel encouraged?! The only thing that got me moving was my mom telling me on the sidelines to goooooo 😂💀,” another TikToker commented.
The OP replied, “Right?? Our daughter scored a goal right at the beginning of the game and yells ‘HELLOOO DAD, I SCORED!’ And honestly it made the girls talk less to each other, not more!”
After more comments trickled in, many noting that the idea of a “silent soccer game” felt over-the-top, one user chimed in to give some context to the up and coming rule.
“Y’all it’s supposed to teach the children to communicate with each other and let them learn on their own not just with adult to tell them what to do it also allows them to build teamwork,” they said.
Another echoed, “Our league did this sometimes and it was amazing. the kids really stepped up to the plate and started communicating with each other on the field more. Felt more like schoolyard soccer in the best way.”
“Now you gotta think what transpired to get to that point where they implemented a SILENT GAME🤔,” another noted.
This is very true! The concept of a sports game where parents are not allowed to speak wasn’t born out of thin air. I think we all know why this rule was implemented.
