Why there'll be silence on the sidelines in Gympie today

Nothing but clapping and cheering will be permitted at the Gympie soccer fields today

Gympie Diggers president Shirl Bembrick and Dylan Sweeney are ready for Silent Saturday today. Picture: Donna Jones

NOTHING but clapping and cheering will be permitted at the Gympie soccer fields at One Mile today.

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It is the second Silent Saturday and something Gympie Diggers president Shirl Bembrick and all the other mini-roos clubs are embracing.

Mrs Bembrick said the Sunshine Coast Football had approached her and other club presidents to gauge their interest in participating in the event and the Diggers, Columbia, the other mini-roos and Gympie United all put their support behind it.

She said the purpose of the day was to let the children play and have fun without worrying about their performance affecting adults on the sidelines.

"Without them feeling pressure and simply having fun playing the game," she said.

The feedback from coaches after the first Silent Saturday was really positive.

"One of my coaches, Col, said the pivotal point for his team was when they participated for the first time," she said.

"Because he wasn't giving them instructions, they started to work out things for themselves and make their own decisions."

Mrs Bembrick said her coaches were looking at it as a chance to step back and see what their teams can do.