5U - 6U

Coaches: You may coach as normal. However, Silent Weekend is an opportunity to be mindful about how much direction / "joystick coaching" you are doing during a typical game. Are you able to manage the game, rather than coaching every moment?

Spectators: You may cheer, however we encourage you to participate in the spirit of Silent Weekend and eliminate any sideline coaching (which you should not be doing anyway), and simply cheer what happened, rather than telling players what to do. If you can support your players through just applauding, please do so.

7U - 8U

Coaches: This age group may still need a little guidance. Coaches, please try to use one or two-word directions, more positionally directions like “spread out” - “drop back” - “move up” – Do NOT coach players who have the ball at their feet. Do NOT use words like, shoot, pass or dribble. These are the things we want them to do without direction.

7U-8U Spectators: You may applaud/clap. Please no noise-makers or horns. Absolutely no coaching.

9U and up

Coaches: Do not provide instruction to players on-the field. Do not use your players as megaphones to provide instructions. Let the kids play! You can talk to players on the bench, and you can make coaching points before the game, during quarter breaks, at halftime, and after the game. Silent Weekend is a great chance to be mindful of how much "over-coaching" you normally do. Use this as an opportunity to encourage leadership in players who are ready to lead the team. For players on the bench, coaches should provide direction on playing strategies for when they enter the game. During active play, coaches should be evaluating the performance of their team and decide on coaching points to be discuss at halftime and for the next practice. When we allow the players on the field to communicate and make decisions, they learn from each other.

9U-19U Spectators: You may applaud/clap. Please no noise-makers or horns. Absolutely no coaching.

All Players

While on the field, you are encouraged to speak to each other as normal. Continue to support and provide direction to each other, as you have in the past. Players on the bench should may not be used as a megaphone or substitute for their coach's tactical instruction.

Referees

For this special day, referees are asked to monitor the spectators' and coaches' adherence to these guidelines and to offer gentle reminders if the recommendations are not being followed. Continue to verbalize often during the game as you normally do. You are there to help the players have a safe, fair and fun time.

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 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 week off from any verbal interference, may help adults gain perspective on just how loud they've been in the past.