NY TOWN aims to turn the stands at children's soccer games into no-booing zones

<br>SCARSDALE, N.Y. (AP) _ Unruly parents who clash with sports officials, yell directions to pee wee players and boo opposing teams will be muzzled under new rules adopted by village playing fields. <br><br>The

Wednesday, May 30th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

SCARSDALE, N.Y. (AP) _ Unruly parents who clash with sports officials, yell directions to pee wee players and boo opposing teams will be muzzled under new rules adopted by village playing fields.

The voluntary code of conduct, passed by the Board of Trustees last week, bans parents and children from throwing tantrums, taunts and other verbal attacks.

``People attacking people, that's the last thing we want to see,'' Suzanne Busby, assistant superintendent of recreation in the wealthy New York suburb.

The code was drafted to protect the village from a growing trend of violence in youth sports, Busby said.

Last year, Scarsdale was embroiled in a Little League battle which pitted officials against parents who opposed the league's plans to draft players into major and minor leagues for the first time.

Parents argued the draft would hurt their children's self-esteem. Little League officials said the draft would allow children to excel playing with teammates of comparable skill.

The board eventually endorsed the league's plan but it also helped draft the code of conduct to calm tempers.

David Wald, president of the Scarsdale Youth Soccer Club, said conduct has improved over the years, adding that the travel club won nine sportsmanship titles in the fall. Even so, he said, the soccer club will support the code because there's always room for improvement.