What do lollipops, pink armbands and corflute signs have in common? They are all part of a plan to support referees and empower thousands of junior soccer players who have arrived in Canberra for the Kanga Cup.
A few cheers and goal celebrations meant fields might not have fallen completely silent around Canberra on Tuesday - but tournament officials made a point of declaring the kind of behaviour considered off limits during the Kanga Cup's "Silent Sideline Tuesday" initiative.
Clapping, cheering and positive reinforcement were all given the tick of approval. But spectators were reminded shouting instructions, singling out players for criticism, and shouting to coaches and referees was not acceptable behaviour as organisers attempted to create a supportive environment.
And if you couldn't stay quiet, team managers were given bags of lollipops to hand out to spectators to aid the cause.
The initiative was designed to empower players to think for themselves, communicate with teammates, listen to coaches, and demonstrate leadership qualities.
Just as crucial to the cause was the chance to provide referees and coaches with an environment free of abuse, which allowed them to focus on the task at hand.
"Silent Tuesday is an initiative we have picked up from other states and territories who have done it. We are very keen to focus on appropriate sideline behaviour, particularly at a junior level," Capital Football chairwoman Sarah Baker-Goldsmith said.
"There is extra signage about this year on acceptable behaviour and then silent Tuesday as a specific initiative. It also ties into our pink armbands for under 18 referees to signal they are also kids, so people might moderate their behaviour on the sidelines.
"We had 160 referees last year, and we've got 220 this year. Referee numbers have increased, which takes the pressure off them, and it's really great to see them contributing and giving up their time for the tournament."
The first thing you notice - besides the smell of the barbecue wafting across the fields when you finally decide to brave the cold - is just how many kids are already there with a smile.
You hear the team chants before the opening 8.30am whistle, on grounds lined with camp chairs and families wrapped in puffer jackets, beanies and gloves to combat the wind and the rain coming in at right angles.
Welcome to Canberra, hey? Where thousands have arrived for the Kanga Cup, which still holds the crown as the largest youth football tournament in the southern hemisphere - and it quite literally cannot get any bigger.
Capital Football's flagship junior tournament is running out of room as Canberra's sportsground crisis continues, with 4444 players registered to play in this year's edition of the Kanga Cup in an event expected to generate $7.5 million in economic benefit to the ACT.
Teams have come from as far as Taiwan and Indonesia for the Kanga Cup, which this year has 349 teams, 220 referees, and 1050 team officials on the books.
"If anything, we'd love to go bigger, but we're actually at capacity. We were at capacity last year, and we're at capacity again this year. We can't grow any further because of the issues about facilities, among other things," Capital Football chair Sarah Baker-Goldsmith said.
"We've got six venues running at the moment. We've got the hubs at Dickson and Mawson, we've got finals at Lyneham on Friday.
"We're so grateful that local clubs are particularly interested in assisting with the competition. It's like $7.5 million, in terms of overall economic benefits to the ACT.
"But we're really struggling with capacity. We'd have more teams if we could. We're very grateful for the volunteers who continue to support it, but we're also running out of volunteers potentially as well."
The fog is still lifting on Athllon Drive when the Falcons find the opening goal of the day in their under 11s game against Canberra Olympic at the Mawson district playing fields on the opening morning of the Kanga Cup.
If that didn't make the three-and-a-half-hour trip from Bathurst worth it, the 9am beef pita from the Greek food stand or the smell of fresh churros might have done the trick.
The beauty of this tournament does not rest in the trophy winners on the final day. You find it in the laughter of the Dubbo Devils, who have the club's red colour woven through their braids. You find it in the cheers from Eagle Vale's Eschol Park Wolves when they are handed their Kanga Cup playing kit.
You see it in 13-year-old Tigers FC goalkeeper Chanyai Asoka, who stands twice as tall as Monaro Panthers livewire Hugo Cikuroski but shares the spoils when their game ends in a 2-2 stalemate.
"It is all about the enjoyment of the sport, and participation," Baker-Goldsmith said.
