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Action Call - CA Parents Not Allowed To Cheer For Their Own Kids At Youth Soccer Games
http://www.myspace.com/starspangledcomedy ^ | Nvoember 14, 2008 | Stephen Thomas

Posted on 11/14/2008 7:08:39 PM PST by ebbscomic

Incredibly scary, Soviet-style stuff going on in the People's Republic Of California. Below is the text of the decree from a youth soccer league, stating that parents are not permited to cheer for THEIR OWN KIDS, or they will be THROWN OUT. Below that is an excellent freelance article penned by one of the parents. PLEASE EMAIL THIS ROGUE SOCIALIST LEAGUE AT reg46rc@ca.rr.com and let them know what you think. FLOOD THEM. -----------------------

Region 46 will be holding a Sunday edition of Silent Saturday on November 16th, 2008, during the make up games. The AYSO Board requests that there be no comments from the sidelines audible to players or the referee during games.

We are sponsoring this program to allow our players to better develop their game skills by communicating with each other without interference from coaches, parents or other spectators and to learn to make their own decisions in games.

* * * * *

Players: Have fun and enjoy the opportunity to communicate with your teammates. Play fairly and show your best sportsmanship. While on the field talk to your teammates in a positive supporting manner and while on the sideline as a substitute please follow the same rules as your coaches and parents and only clap for your teammates. After the game, let your coach and parents know how you felt about playing on Silent Saturday, or send email to reg46rc@ca.rr.com.

Coaches: You may not provide any direction, verbal or non-verbal, to players who are on the field. You may speak quietly to any players who are on the bench. You may address the players before the game, at halftime, and during water breaks. Remember as the coach you are responsible for the behavior of your sideline. Please help make sure everyone follows the rules for this day.

Parents: Speak only quietly, if at all, to others on the sidelines. Avoid any comments that could be heard by players for either team or the referee. We ask for your respect for our efforts. When a goal is scored, please restrain your reaction to low-key applause. Please do follow the game closely, think about the effects of what is going on and let us know your thoughts by email to reg46rc@ca.rr.com. We need your help to make your child’s soccer experience the best it can be.

The referee will halt the match and issue a warning to the offending sideline the first time any person from the sideline breaks the rules. The warning will apply to every person on that sideline. If any person from that sideline breaks the Silent Saturday rules following a warning that person, or persons, will be asked to leave. The game will be suspended until the person has left the field.

There will be board members and field monitors at the fields helping to monitor this program.

* * * * *

We appreciate your giving us the opportunity for a single day to get a new perspective. All feedback will be used to evaluate the possibility of having a Silent Saturday again in the future.

ARTICLE WRITTEN BY ONE OF THE PARENTS IN THIS LEAGUE

California Sinks To A New Low

PARENTS NOT ALLOWED TO CHEER AT YOUTH SOCCER GAMES ON "SILENT SUNDAY"

Stephen Thomas

Valencia, CA Nov 14, 2008

California has sunk to a new low. A mind-boggling level of psuedo-intellectual social engineering is underway at a youth soccer league, of all places. AYSO Region 46, in Santa Clarita CA, is holding what it terms "Silent Sunday" this weekend - a Sunday where coaches are not permitted to direct their team from the sideline, and parents are not permitted to cheer for their own children.

I'll repeat that so there no confusion: Coaches are not permitted to direct their team from the sideline, and parents are not permitted to cheer for their own children. Direct quotes from this Pravda press release follow.

By decree from on high by the Region 46 Board, coaches "may not privde any direction, verbal or non-verbal, to players who are on the field." That is a direct quote. If that is not galling enough, parents - PARENTS - are the told to "speak only quietly, if at all, to others on the sidelines." In other words, children as young as 5 will be rewarded for their effort and athletic achievments by "low-key applause," and nothing more. The insidiousness of this idea is abhorrent and terrifying. Any child who scores a goal or makes a good play will now wonder why no one is cheering or encouraging them. The younger ones -again, some as young as 5 - will be confused and likely scared, thinking they've done something wrong. They will wonder why Mommy and Daddy, who have always told them that they will be rewarded if they try their best in any endeavor, have now abandoned them just at the moment when they have achieved something wonderful. The detrimental effect that this incredibly confusing message will have on these children is immeasurable, and the social-controlling aspect of this is frightening on a "big brother" level that is quite real.

The supposed goal of "Silent Sunday" is to allow the children to make their own decisions on the field, while keeping any bad parents from yelling at the kids or referees in an abusive or harmful manner. A fine goal indeed, and had this decree said anything even approachnig that, I would be its biggest supporter. However, like most social engineering experiments, this is directed at the wrong people. Why not simply address this problem with the individuals responsible for the offensive behavior? Why not approach the problem directly with the parents who have committed these acts, rather than punishing everyone in the league - most of whom are positive, supportive parents who have never done anything wrong on the sideline - by banning the cheering or encouragement of their own children? When it can be explained how "banning" emotions and actions results in "open mindedness" and "tolerance," perhaps I'll listen; until that happens, this horrific encroachment of freedom and liberties needs to be exposed as the repugnant, Soviet-style thought control that it is.

As a parent in Region 46, I am livid at the presumptiousness of the board members, in their thinking that they have a say in the raising of my child. AYSO exists for one reason, to provide the infrastructure of a sports league. That is all. AYSO is not a parent or a moral educator, it is a sports league. As such, board members telling me what to think, how to act, and what to teach my daughter is an offensively egotistical act, and needless to say far outside the realm of their responsibility. As parents we need to stand up and resist this type of action, and I will be the first to do so. I will teach my child that effort and hard work are rewarded, both on and off the sports field. I will teach her right from wrong as I see fit, as is my right as a law-abiding American citizen and a responsible adult. When she scores a goal or makes a good defensive play, I will cheer for her accordingly, and for AYSO or anyone else to attempt to stop me is disgusting, intrusive, and rabidly un-American.

Being a parent is a tough job, but despite the self-important and pseudo-intellectual opinions of a few small-minded individuals with Napoleonic complexes, raising a child does not "take a village." It takes two involved, caring parents. Keep the village out of my family room.

Score that goal, win that game, and cheer for your kids, America.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; US: California
KEYWORDS: nannystate; socialism; speechcodes
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To: SeafoodGumbo

I remember that. Gees, he should play for Major League.


21 posted on 11/14/2008 7:31:58 PM PST by Ptarmigan (God Hates Bunnies. God Loves Ptarmigans)
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To: ebbscomic
Civil Disobedience.

It works every time it's tried (after many, many bruises, arrests and killings).

22 posted on 11/14/2008 7:32:37 PM PST by elkfersupper
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To: EagleUSA
I'm tellin' ya, kick these freaks out of The Union and let the mentally ill have their dystopian People's Republic of Pacifica. It'll probably make it more structurally feasible to complete the border fence along the way, too.

Can you imagine the moonbat emigration that'd occur if it came to pass?


23 posted on 11/14/2008 7:34:25 PM PST by Viking2002 (Let's be proactive and start the impeachment NOW.)
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To: I_Like_Spam

We are indeed taking our child out for the game this Sunday. The sad part is this is the best option - you can’t talk to these people.

For those wondering why we signed up for this league - this “Silent Sunday” crap was thrust upon us YESTERDAY, almost 80% of the way through the season. Had we been told up front, no way would we have registered our daughter.

This is very scary, and unfortunately very real -this is not a joke. The league website is http://www.ayso46.org/.

Again, the email address is reg46rc@ca.rr.com. Please write them and tell them what you think.

Sad to think that if this continues, we’ll be telling our grandchildren about the freedom we used to have...in hushed tones, so as not to be arrested by the thought gestapo.


24 posted on 11/14/2008 7:35:42 PM PST by ebbscomic (Doing Shows For The Military Since 1997 - www.myspace.com/starspangledcomedy)
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To: Hugin
Soccer is a commie sport anyway.

It is a sport that only conquered nations play.

Yes, I know the US has teams, but when was the last time you saw a game in prime-time?

25 posted on 11/14/2008 7:36:43 PM PST by IYAS9YAS (Ever notice that Obama supporters chant "O-Bahm-AH" while McCain/Palin supporters chant "U-S-A".)
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To: SeafoodGumbo

actually, that’s not a good comparison....that kid should have been put in another league...he was too good for the league and therefore, belonged in and advanced one. To keep him in that league was not fair to the other kids and really, not fair to him. It was all an ego boost to the parents and that’s all.


26 posted on 11/14/2008 7:41:27 PM PST by Hildy
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To: ebbscomic
scary because Santa Clarita is a pretty conservative enclave especially in comparison to Los Angeles and environs. Amazing because everyone gets infected.
27 posted on 11/14/2008 7:41:44 PM PST by Wonderama Mama (Socialism is great until you run out of someone elses money - Margaret Thatcher)
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To: ebbscomic

We must fight for the freedom to cheer:

Victory - Homage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGkhJ6720ts&feature=related


28 posted on 11/14/2008 7:47:38 PM PST by donna (Sarah Palin: A Feminist, not a Conservative.)
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To: neodad
The solution is easy. Take the kid out. Start another league.

My solution would be easier. MAke a deal with every parent you can and yell and shout from the sidelines for the kids, and then refuse to leave when told to.

29 posted on 11/14/2008 7:47:45 PM PST by montag813 (www.FreepShop.com)
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To: ebbscomic

Take your kid out of soccer. Put him in a martial arts school. More parents push their kids into soccer only to see their kids tire of it after a year or two.


30 posted on 11/14/2008 7:49:22 PM PST by LoneRangerMassachusetts
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To: ebbscomic

I just HATED Silent Saturdays when my son played soccer. So did the kids.

Parents who crossed the line from cheering to coaching from the sidelines were dealt with by the coach, or even a fellow parent that they knew. Problem with coaching from the sidelines is that it’s usually not what the coach wants. And unless the kids learn to decide for themselves (Hmmm...) what to do during the game, they eventually lose interest because they become little soccer puppets. Not as much fun.

My son played goalkeeper a lot, and it really helped him (a) see the big picture, and (b) learn to go from macro to micro when the offense came his way. He also learned not to beat up on himself when a goal was scored on him. It helped mature him, and gain perspective - and not be as self-involved and self-focused as some of the other kids (ahem, brats) in school.

So, yeah. Silent Saturday sucks.


31 posted on 11/14/2008 7:51:13 PM PST by bootless (Never Forget. Never Again. And NEVER GIVE UP!)
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To: ebbscomic

PS - just saw the “make their own decisions” part. Yeah, fine, but let the kids hear their families cheer for them. Even the older kids get so much, knowing that their folks bothered to show up and cheer for them. What’s wrong with that?


32 posted on 11/14/2008 7:52:31 PM PST by bootless (Never Forget. Never Again. And NEVER GIVE UP!)
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To: ebbscomic

Not long ago softball and baseball were the most important sports in Santa Clarita. However, we learned that winning is not everything and we were not impressed with some of the things we saw happening. You cannot talk to those parents and some of those coaches. Reminded me of Stepford. Am really glad that we moved away. I visited the valley last year and was glad to leave after a couple of days. That place has gone crazy. I recommend you move - We are so happy that we did.


33 posted on 11/14/2008 7:58:00 PM PST by Martins kid
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To: FReepaholic

Yes, parents and other spectators can sometimes go overboard in their exuberance. But, a policy/directive/order like this is like hunting butterflies with a cannon . It is messy and you don’t accomplish anything.

My wife and I raised nine children - all of them played ic hockey. I worked in youth hockey, at all levels and in all capacities. We have a simple rule: Person(s) get unruly, stop the game until offender(s) leave. Referee has the discretion to clear the stands.

It works.


34 posted on 11/14/2008 7:59:56 PM PST by NTHockey (Rules of engagement #1: Take no prisoners.)
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To: ebbscomic

Seig Heil, coming to a neighborhood near you.


35 posted on 11/14/2008 8:01:04 PM PST by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: ebbscomic

If your kids are in a People’s Republic of California Government School, you have no business cheering anyway.


36 posted on 11/14/2008 8:02:12 PM PST by aWolverine
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To: OCCASparky

My son played soccer as a goalie and it is a rough game. Where he went to school, they had no football, so he played this instead. He was darn good and won an award for it.


37 posted on 11/14/2008 8:03:49 PM PST by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: Viking2002
I'm tellin' ya, kick these freaks out of The Union and let the mentally ill have their dystopian People's Republic of Pacifica

There is absolutely no logical argument against this course of action. None.
38 posted on 11/14/2008 8:04:48 PM PST by aWolverine
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To: Hildy

You’re right.


39 posted on 11/14/2008 8:05:03 PM PST by SeafoodGumbo
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To: ebbscomic

Seriously - my advice is to get your kids out of Santa Clarita as fast as you can. Not a good place to raise kids, in my opinion.


40 posted on 11/14/2008 8:07:23 PM PST by Martins kid
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