Silent Sidelines in Soccer
Lasse's thoughts - The Math Test – Why Silent Sidelines in Soccer Matter
Imagine your child going to school. It’s competition day: your child’s class versus the class from the next town over.
Your child sits down to start solving the day’s riddles — and you, along with your parents and friends, sit right next to them, watching every move and filming it, of course.
The whistle blows. The math test begins. It’s your child’s turn, and the question is simple: 8 + 8.
Your child thinks carefully… and then you and your spouse start shouting from the sidelines: “47! 47!”
Your child hesitates, confused. Wasn’t 8 + 8 a much smaller number than 47? But if mom says 47, it must be right…
Quickly, your child writes down 47.
The referee announces: Wrong answer!
You yell back: “Ohhh, you’ve got to know that! Hustle, hustle!”
Your child is even more confused, but the next question is already coming.
The Problem with Sideline Shouting
I think you see where I’m going with this.
Kids playing soccer while parents scream random advice from the sidelines is like trying to solve math problems while people yell out wrong answers.
It certainly does not help.
Imagine If We Did This Elsewhere
It would be like saying,
“I don’t want to teach my child how to tie their own shoes — it’s faster if I just do it for them every time.”
Or like sitting next to them in school, whispering the answers in their ear.
Letting Kids Learn for Themselves
As parents, it’s important to let kids struggle and figure things out — because the skill of problem-solving is far more valuable than simply getting the right answer in the moment.
Fussbally’s New Silent Sideline Rule
Because of this (and many other reasons), I am strongly pushing for a new rule at Fussbally:
If a parent screams random advice during a game, the coach will sub their child out immediately.
Why This Matters Long-Term
I know this rule might upset some people at first. But in the long run, it will create a much quieter, more supportive sideline — and give the kids far more opportunity to think for themselves and hear their coach’s guidance.
A Shared Commitment
Maybe a few years from now you’ll catch me on the sidelines yelling “Pass! Pass!” too…
But for now, this is something I believe we should all work on — together.