Monthly Archives: July 2024

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Silent Saturday

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Silent Saturday.  This is the game day that the only sounds allowed on the field will be clapping for your team while they play.  Its main purpose is to just let the kids play and have fun without having to worry about how their performance is affecting the
adults on the sidelines.

The objectives of holding a “Silent Saturday” are:
• To reemphasize that the game is about letting the kids play and have fun.
• To give the players a chance to play totally on their own.
• To eliminate the verbal questioning of the referees’ decisions.
• To help the few parents and coaches who feel they must provide constant
direction, and to understand that the kids can play very well on their own
with limited instruction.
While the vast majority of adult verbal participation is intended to be positive
and constructive, the fact of the matter is that games can (and have in the past)
become so loud that the players often have difficulty hearing 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.

Spectators

Please be advised that you may not make any verbal comments on the game or
direct any comments to the players, referees or coaches – on or off the field.
Clapping IS allowed! Be creative in how you choose to cheer your child’s team –
make signs to hold up, bring a rally towel in the team’s color and wave it wildly,
there are lots of ways to cheer other than verbally.

Coaches

You may not provide any direction – verbal or non-verbal – to players who are
on the field. You make speak quietly to any players that are on the bench, but
DO NOT give those players instructions to yell out to their teammates! Coaches
may address the players at a normal tone before and after the game, during
water breaks and during halftime.

Players

You are encouraged to speak to each other on the field. You are free to support
each other and provide direction to each other. Players on the bench may cheer
freely in a positive manner, but may not provide instruction to those on the
field.

Referees

Referees have been instructed that if spectators and coaches are not following
the rules, the referees are to stop the game and issue a warning. The referee
will then have the option to give a second warning if the behavior continues, or
to terminate the game.

There will be Division Commissioners, Region Board members present at all fields to ensure that the kids get to play without any vocal input from Parents & Coaches during the game.

Becoming a Referee

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Becoming a volunteer referee and/or assistant referee involves taking the online “Regional Referee” training modules and quiz, and then attending an in-person classroom session that reviews the online material and goes into more detail on how to actually “run the lines” or “take the whistle.” Upon completion of this training, you’ll be certified as a “Regional Referee” which will mean you can be an “assistant referee” at any age group and/or a “center referee” at 8U and 10U games. In order to center referee at the older ages, you’ll need to take the Intermediate and then Advanced training (to CR at the 12U and 14U divisions, respectively).

You will also need to take the AYSO and state mandated “safety courses” that review proper interacting with youth athletes and volunteers, concussion awareness training, sudden cardiac arrest training, and Safe Sport (another behaving-around-child-athletes tool).

Here we go:

  1. Be registered in your family’s InLeague account as a “volunteer” in your Family Profile, and choose “referee” as a volunteer preference. Be sure to click “submit volunteer preferences” and sign off on an electronic “disclosure” form. This will start the background check process in motion, and allow you access to the online training.
  2. While on InLeague (be sure to be logged in under your name/email and password–not a spouse’s), look in the upper corner for a “graduation cap” icon, which is the link to our online educational platform, eTrainU/AYSOU. Click it and you’ll be brought to eTrainU. 
  3. Click the “Training Library” tab on the left column.
  4. Click “Refereeing” tab (‘View Courses’).
  5. Click “Regional Referee Online + In-Person Companion Course”  tab (‘Enroll’). This will take you to the online referee training modules and quiz (don’t worry, you’ll pass). Take these and for good measure make a copy of your certificate of completion. Don’t worry if you don’t finish them in one sitting; you can always log back in to InLeague, go to eTrainU, and click on “My Training” tab which will bring you back to the modules waiting for you. You can always go back and re-do the material if you need a review. 
  6. Take the in-person classroom session that compliments the online material. Contact me at: rra@ayso20.org for a list of dates and times for the in-person classroom session. There will be several chances to take the in-person class starting August 3. (Refer to a list of classroom opportunities on our website PLEASE CONTACT ME and I’ll add you to a roster; don’t just show up as classes can be cancelled due to low interest). Classes run from 12-4pm at the Colorado Center “Community Room” OR at the Reed Park “Community Room” in Santa Monica.
  7. Also, take the “safety courses” by logging into InLeague, go to eTrainU (graduation cap icon), click “Training Library”
  8. Click “Safe Haven” tab (‘View Courses’). 
  9. Take the following safety courses and save a copy of your certificate of completion, just in case: “AYSOs Safe Haven,” “CDC Concussion Awareness,” “Sudden Cardiac Arrest,” and the “Safe Sport” course (which brings you to their own website).