Monday, October 04, 1999
Soccer parents, coaches silenced
Experiment let players think for themselves
The Associated Press
CLEVELAND — A noise ban forced thousands of parents and coaches in the Northern Ohio Girls Soccer League to keep their cheers and criticisms to themselves Sunday.
Fed up with overzealous and screaming coaches and parents, the league banned cheering and jeering during dozens of games. The experiment was called “Silent Sunday,” and Fred Engh, president of the National Alliance of Youth Sports, believes the ban is the first of its kind.
“The kids had a ball. They were able make decisions on their own without being questioned or yelled at,” said Carl Pavlovich, a coach and board member for the league, which has 3,800 girls ages 8 to 14.
Mr. Pavlovich, who observed 10 games Sunday, said that while some parents accidentally cheered or clapped, most kept quiet. They brought along signs to support the players and sucked on lollipops to keep quiet. Some even put duct tape over their mouths.
At first, the players didn't know how to react without the noise, but then they realized it was nice to play without being second-guessed all the time, Mr. Pavlovich said.
“I loved it that it was so quiet,” said Tammy Soper, who coached two games Sunday. “As a coach it's really hard to be in the position to tell parents to support their children and not coach them. Kids are always asking who they should listen to. It puts me in an awkward position because I have to tell them to ignore their parents.”
Mr. Pavlovich said all of the players and coaches he talked to Sunday enjoyed having the games quiet. He said he only got one complaint from a parent.
“One parent was upset about the program because she couldn't provide the direction that she thought her daughter needed because she was too young,” he said. “I tried to tell her that kids have to learn to make decisions on their own, that it's a gradual process that doesn't happen overnight.”
Ms. Soper said that while she would like more noise-free games, she thinks it should be changed so coaches can talk to their players.
“It was hard as a coach. I could see my girls needed a little bit of input and guidance and I couldn't provide it as a coach,” she said.
League officials will decide whether to have another silent day next spring.
“I think it was a lot of fun,” Ms. Soper said. “I liked seeing who could make decisions on their own.”
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