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The Cheer/Chant

This topic is near and dear to me as I really enjoy working with my kids to come up with memorable and/or funny cheers or chants. I have yet to coach a team through U14 that (even if skeptical at first) didn’t eventually really enjoy a pregame funny cheer or war chant as the case may be.

Some tips before you create one:

  • Get your team name in place first
  • Gauge your team’s personality at the first couple practices. Are they serious or are they always joking around. A U12 team is just as likely to prefer a funny cheer to a war cry depending on the specific team
  • Ask your child privately what they would prefer
  • Never ask the team if they want a chant/cheer. After age 8 they will automatically say “no” just to be seen as cool, even if they end up being the biggest proponent of it later on

After you’ve got your draft:

  • Run it by your child first, see if they can add to or improve. Test it with family members too
  • Test it with your team early, don’t wait until the practice before the game to introduce it
  • Make sure everyone is participating

They don’t have to be long at all. Have the kids add dance moves if they like. Just have fun with it. I like chants that have repeating words or phrases that I can encourage parents to repeat with us as well.

Here are few from my teams just as examples  (you’ll just have to envision a cadence in your head for some):

Great Whites (jaws theme)
Dah-da…
Dah-da…
Da da da da da da da GREAT WHITES!

Ladera Lionesses
Tomorrow I’ll be a princess
Today we’re totally fearless
‘Cause we’re Ladera Lionesses
FEAR! THE! ROAR!

Grape Jelly (everyone including parents would shout out the repeat portion)
Goooo Grape Jelly (Grape Jelly!)
Goooo Grape Jelly (Grape Jelly!)
Ouurrrr feeeet aren’t smelly (Aren’t Smelly!)
Put us with some butter cause we’re on a roll (On a Roll!)

Blazing Blueberries
We’re the Blazing Blueberries
Don’t call us Strawberries
We fly fast as fairies
Never count us out
Or you’ll be sorries
We’re! Berry! Fierce!

Warriors
We’re the warriors. WARRIORS!
Tough competitors. COMPETITORS!
AY-OO. AY-OO, AY-OOOOOOOOO