Competitive sports for children can gain Very Intense. I didn’t even realize how wild my parents’ athletic abilities were until my own kids started playing sports. I cheered from the sidelines as she stepped onto the field in her soccer uniform. She was 4 years old and you could have sworn I thought she was trying out for the U.S. Women’s National Team.
While my cheers from the sidelines are all about encouraging my kids, some parents take a darker route when it comes to being a football parent, criticizing their kids and even arguing with other parents or coaches. Last year, a Montana soccer club even added “Quiet Saturdays” to their league and told parents they could watch from the sidelines.
It seems more football leagues (including some in Southern California) have taken notice, with one mom sharing her thoughts on “silent football games” in a recent TikTok video.
“We just got home from my daughter’s quiet soccer game,” Holly Grasmeier said. “Parents, coaches – no one can say anything. The only thing you can do is applaud when they score.
“I’m not from here,” she added. “I’m from a small town in Washington state and moved to Southern California a year and a half ago. Although I love it…what? I get it. I’m healthy, so I get it. Especially because some parents are like, ‘Hey , man, remember, these kids were 6 years old? You know, ‘Wow, she’s 8 years old’…like, there was some of that.
While Glassmeier understands the significance of the silent football game, she does have a controversial opinion: “I mean, it’s kind of subdued. I said it right there.
One user said: “It’s like gentle parenting…the football version.”
One netizen asked: “Even the coach is silent?! How can they… coach?
“How can kids be encouraged?! The only thing that touched me was my mom on the sidelines telling me “gooooooo😂💀,” another TikToker commented.
The OP replied: “Really? Our daughter scored at the beginning of the game and she yelled “Hello daddy, I scored!” ”Honestly, it made the girls talk to each other less, not more!
After more comments surfaced, with many pointing out that the idea of ”silent football games” felt a bit excessive, one user chimed in to provide some context for the upcoming rules.
They said: “You should teach children to communicate with each other so they can learn on their own rather than just having adults tell them what to do. This also allows them to build teamwork.”
Another chimed in: “It’s awesome that our league does this sometimes. The kids are really getting into action and starting to interact with each other more on the field. It feels more like school football at its best.”
Another noted: “Now you have to think what the hell happened before they implemented the silent game 🤔.”
This is very true! The concept of parents not being allowed to speak at sporting events did not come out of nowhere. I think we all know why this rule is implemented.
