sideline seating standards?

OrangeCountyDad

SILVER ELITE
My understanding for a long long time is parents sit across from their player bench, altho there may be some parents who may sit at one extreme end or the other based on their player.

At Silverlakes this weekend in 3 games it seemed parents just sat where ever. When one parent commented "oh, i thought we sit across from our bench" some opposing-team parents got pretty snippy about "we're the home team and we can choose where we want to sit."

Is that seating convention fading as kids get older, am I old fashioned? were those parents at this field just weird?
 
My understanding for a long long time is parents sit across from their player bench, altho there may be some parents who may sit at one extreme end or the other based on their player.

At Silverlakes this weekend in 3 games it seemed parents just sat where ever. When one parent commented "oh, i thought we sit across from our bench" some opposing-team parents got pretty snippy about "we're the home team and we can choose where we want to sit."

Is that seating convention fading as kids get older, am I old fashioned? were those parents at this field just weird?

If these games were for older kids, parents should know better. Parents on the same team should have told the “violators,” hey we’re on this side. At least that’s what I do. Youngers, parents may still be learning.
 
"we're the home team and we can choose where we want to sit."

Is that seating convention fading as kids get older, am I old fashioned? were those parents at this field just weird?
They are correct that the home teams selects theirs side, but it means that the team selects the side, not the parents and then the parents sit on that same side opposite their team. Also I have noticed that when the boys get older, the outlandishness of the parents fades and most people don't care anymore where they sit. It really is ridiculous to have to make rules about where people sit.
 
Yes, they should sit across from the bench, but I think goalkeeper parents are the one exception and get an unspoken “pass” (at least in my biased gk parent mind ;) and they will occasionally, sometimes switch to sit in the corner by their kid.

At surf cup, we had multiple violators (like, one parent / couple per game, but over multiple games). I was like, cmon people...this aint your first rodeo. The surf cup rules explicitly said, sit across from your own bench.
 
It depends on the Tournament / League. Generally, CRL/State/National Cup/US Youth Soccer follow the Home team picks the side and parents all sit on the side across from their team. Coast Soccer League follows the parents sit on the same physical side as their players.

What happens many times is the Coast parents are used to sitting on the same side as their teams and then go to a Cal South sanctioned event (like CRL) and now have to sit across from the team and just all sit wherever.
 
Yes, they should sit across from the bench, but I think goalkeeper parents are the one exception and get an unspoken “pass” (at least in my biased gk parent mind ;) and they will occasionally, sometimes switch to sit in the corner by their kid.

At surf cup, we had multiple violators (like, one parent / couple per game, but over multiple games). I was like, cmon people...this aint your first rodeo. The surf cup rules explicitly said, sit across from your own bench.
It depends on the Tournament / League. Generally, CRL/State/National Cup/US Youth Soccer follow the Home team picks the side and parents all sit on the side across from their team. Coast Soccer League follows the parents sit on the same physical side as their players.

What happens many times is the Coast parents are used to sitting on the same side as their teams and then go to a Cal South sanctioned event (like CRL) and now have to sit across from the team and just all sit wherever.
Surf did not enforce the rule. The teenage Field Marshall said it was a suggestion not a rule that could not be enforced. What a joke when it caused one parent to leave the area and another had to put in her headphones and tune out the game when the parent refused to go back to his side saying it was a free world. He was very distributive saying things about players and walking in front of our parents sitting in chairs when the ball can down our way.

CRL also does not enforce the rules. In fact I have never seen anyone enforce the rules, not even when a manager goes to talk to the other manager.

I actually enjoy when well behaved parents from the other team come over because I always seem to learn something interesting. Too bad even at the older ages the jerks still have not been weeded out.
 
Yes, they should sit across from the bench, but I think goalkeeper parents are the one exception and get an unspoken “pass” (at least in my biased gk parent mind ;) and they will occasionally, sometimes switch to sit in the corner by their kid.

At surf cup, we had multiple violators (like, one parent / couple per game, but over multiple games). I was like, cmon people...this aint your first rodeo. The surf cup rules explicitly said, sit across from your own bench.
Sitting across from your own team is a solid method to try and maintain civility. Without it steals so much from the actual game if behaviors from adults are inappropriate.
 
Surf did not enforce the rule. The teenage Field Marshall said it was a suggestion not a rule that could not be enforced. What a joke when it caused one parent to leave the area and another had to put in her headphones and tune out the game when the parent refused to go back to his side saying it was a free world. He was very distributive saying things about players and walking in front of our parents sitting in chairs when the ball can down our way.

CRL also does not enforce the rules. In fact I have never seen anyone enforce the rules, not even when a manager goes to talk to the other manager.

I actually enjoy when well behaved parents from the other team come over because I always seem to learn something interesting. Too bad even at the older ages the jerks still have not been weeded out.
As a manager if the opposing team was sitting between our parents and being disruptive I would walk over to the players sideline and speak to our coach. They would in turn speak with the ref. Often enough the ref would enforce it when using this method.
 
As a manager if the opposing team was sitting between our parents and being disruptive I would walk over to the players sideline and speak to our coach. They would in turn speak with the ref. Often enough the ref would enforce it when using this method.

LASTMAN, If you were sitting on the Thorns sideline I wouldn't love you any less!! LOL
 
It’s only a problem if you have a screaming freak show asshole on the wrong side.

and that is remarkably common.

we had a dust up a couple weeks ago with some parents who decided to stand behind our properly located row of parents and scream at the back of our heads. then the predictable jawing began between some of our alpha males/females and the two loudmouthed dolts. nonetheless, they refused to move. eventually, one of our parents (a large cop) chatted them down from their hysterical ledge and they zipped it the rest of the game. i just wished we could have avoided the situation entirely.
 
How about the parents that take up both corner flags and let the opposing parents sit in the middle as an intimidation tactic? Brilliant.

"You're surrounded."
 
I’m the “unofficial” photographer for both my kids 05 teams (twins - son and daughter). So to take photos, I’m constantly roaming both sides of the parent’s sidelines. But while on the other team’s side, I’m always respectful and don’t cheer and talk to the players. I usually actually start talking to the other parents and everyone is pretty cool with me taking photos from their side. But again, I don’t act like a fool and don’t cause trouble on the other team’s side. Respect goes a long way.
 
I’m the “unofficial” photographer for both my kids 05 teams (twins - son and daughter). So to take photos, I’m constantly roaming both sides of the parent’s sidelines. But while on the other team’s side, I’m always respectful and don’t cheer and talk to the players. I usually actually start talking to the other parents and everyone is pretty cool with me taking photos from their side. But again, I don’t act like a fool and don’t cause trouble on the other team’s side. Respect goes a long way.
I like the corners or out of the way spots. In most cases when a parent from the opposing team is there taking pic’s their always quite cordial. Think they know they have crossed into no mans land and act responsibly.
 
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