Following a number of incidents of inappropriate behavior toward referees this season, the Daviess County Youth Soccer Association in western Kentucky is asking parents adhere to new rules during Silent Sunday matches.
As reported by NBC affiliate WFIE in Evansville, Ind., the league loses referees because of inappropriate incidents every year, so organizers are looking to make changes to make sure everyone has a good time.
“The people who were training told me that most refs quit because of the parents getting mad or the teachers getting mad,” referee Levi Cecil told WFIE.
Cecil, who is in his first season an assistant referee with the league, says he has already received pushback from parents. He's 13 years old.
“The majority of our referees are 13 to 17 years old, so it’s important to discourage those things when they creep in," said Daviess County Youth Soccer Association board member John Congleton. “We get complaints after every weekend — most of them very minor — but it is one of those things that happens in youth sports where people get upset.
“It can be very challenging for a kid to be put in that position, so we see every year referees say this isn’t for me."
On Silent Sunday, only positive cheering is allowed. No sideline coaching or arguing with calls is allowed, WFIE's Liz DeSantis reported.
“I was opposed [to the rules], because I am a very loud person, and I love to cheer from the sidelines," said parent Beth Jordan. "I’m competitive."
After Jordan saw her daughter play one of her best games — and without anyone’s help — she now says Silent Sundays was a good call, as reported by DeSantis.
“Seeing the ability that they have, that they’ve listened to their coaches, and they’ve actually taken what they’ve said to heart is really good to see,” Jordan said.
With the goal of helping put the focus on kids and the game itself, Daviess County Youth Soccer Association officials say they hope to bring back Silent Sunday again next year.
