Nothing gets the crowd at a game more pumped up and excited about the action than cheers, especially cheers that everyone knows, that can be performed almost instantly during any part of the game, and that are simple enough to get the most amount of people in the crowd involved. Here are five chants that are classics and have been used across the nation at many different events.
Here We Go (Team Name) Here We Go!
This is a cheer that can be used for any sport. It lets the team know that you believe in them and know they can win. The cheer can be performed regardless of whether the team is winning or losing. If they’re winning, it lets them know that they can finish the game with a win. If they’re losing, it will give them the confidence and inspiration to come back and win, because they know that their fans have their backs. A good idea is to hold up signs that you personalize yourself to give the players even more inspiration. Here is a video to teach you how to perform this cheer, since the rhythm is more complex than other cheers.
Defense!
Another cheer that can be used for any sport, it makes the team stand strong when playing defense so that they can come back quickly to offense. Make sure you’re heard by the team by yelling the cheer into a megaphone. Megaphones also let more of the crowd know which cheer is being performed so that more of the crowd can join in with the cheer, causing a stronger fan unity and allowing the players to hear their loyal fans and gain confidence through them. The rhythm for this cheer is four even beats, where the first two are used to say “Defense!” and the next two are where you clap or stomp. For clarity, here is a video that shows fans using the cheer at a Bulls game.
Airball!
This cheer is almost exclusively used at basketball games. For those who don’t know what an “airball” is, it is when a player shoots the ball and the ball doesn’t hit any part of the basket, whether it be the hoop, rim, or backboard. When this happens, the crowd, if rowdy enough, will almost immediately start chanting “Airball! Airball! Airball!…” to get inside the mind of the player that missed the shot (only if the player that missed the ball is on the opposing team). While chanting, the crowd makes a hacking motion with one arm. The rhythm is simply two even beats to say the word “airball.” Need some help getting the crowd to hear you starting the chant? Use a cheerphone for that. Also, while hacking, wear a spirit mitt to let the other team know that your team is better than theirs. To get an idea of how fans have used this chant in the past, here’s a video of IU students chanting “Airball.”
Ohhh… Brick!
Black Hand Clappers
This cheer is another basketball cheer, although it could be used for volleyball, as well. The cheer is used when a player is at the foul line shooting a foul shot. Usually a player will take a few seconds after receiving the ball from the referee to focus on the shot that he or she’s about to make. During this time, starting yelling “Ohhhhhh!” continuously until the player takes the shot. On the release, yell “Brick!” to try to mess up that player’s shot (only used when the opposing team is shooting). Make some noise while yelling with cow bells and hand clappers. To use this chant in volleyball, start yelling when the referee blows the whistle for the server to begin serving. Yell before the player hits the ball. When the player hits the ball, yell “Brick!” or “Serve!” to mess up the player’s serve.
Hack! Hack! Hack!
Bam Bams
The “Hack” cheer is mainly used at volleyball matches. The cheer is very similar to the previously mentioned “Airball” cheer used for basketball. When a player “hacks” a ball, this means that he or she goes to swing at a ball that was set to them, and he or she completely misses the ball or whiffs it. When this happens, the crowd yells “hack!” multiple times (as many times as the crowd decides). Like the “Airball” cheer, the crowd makes a hacking motion with one arm every time “hack” is yelled. This cheer lets the opposing team know that the error made by the player did not go unnoticed! Instead of making a hacking motion, some members of the crowd can bang bam bams together. Have the mascot join in to make the cheer much rowdier!
These cheers are designed to get the crowd involved in the action of the game. They are simple enough to learn almost instantly and are powerful enough to mess with the opposing team’s morale and, at the same time, boost your own team’s morale. Cheer on!
