We Will, We Will, Rock You! Rivalries with Other Schools

Nearly every school seems to have a rival school, whether it’s within the same school district or located miles away. Regardless of how a rivalry started, they seem to build and become more competitive every year. While rivalries can be fun‚ they promote team and school spirit and encourage athletes to give 110 percent‚ they can be risky. When it comes to a rivalry with another school or organization, have fun but keep it innocent and upbeat. Root for your team instead of booing your rival. As fun as a few “we will rock you” chants can be, your role as a cheerleader is to be supportive, not negative. When your team scores a point, you should cheer loud and proud. But if the rival team scores or makes a great play, don’t boo or criticize. It’s okay to acknowledge a rival team as a good team. In fact, it makes you better cheerleaders and athletes and epitomizes the definition of sportsmanship. You should never stoop to the level of trash talking, bad mouthing or starting mean rumors. You’re better than that! Be a good sport and encourage the crowd to follow your lead. If the other team wins, congratulate them on the good game. When the rival team’s cheer squad arrives, welcome them to your school and wish them luck. You want your team and school to be known as good athletes and good sports. Be respectful. You shouldn’t be excited if a member of the rival team injures himself during the game. Be respectful as you would if one of your team’s members was injured. You want to win against a rival team at their best, not their worst. If the other team takes a knee when someone falls to the ground, do the same. You should never be so focused on winning that you don’t care if someone is injured. In the end, you’re all athletes and students and you would never wish an injury on one of your own teammates or friends. Focus on friendly competition. Keep competitive spirits in check and always keep it upbeat‚ it’s called friendly competition for a reason. For games, think of a few fun cheers that encourage the audience to cheer on the team. Incorporate colors and mascots in your decorations, team uniform, or face paint. You can even poke fun at the rival team, as long as you don’t go too far. A playful joke about their mascot is innocent and comical, rather than mean or personal. Don’t know if a cheer or joke will go too far? Think about how you’d feel if the other team did it to you. Make the most out of a rivalry. Turn a rivalry into a do-good cause! Before big games or competitions, hold a community event or fundraiser. Sell baked goods in school colors or in the shape of your mascot. Hold a toy drive for children in need and ask that people donate items that represent the school’s colors or mascot. This is a great way to get involved in the community and support your team without building negativity toward a rival. In the end, it’s just a game. We’ve all witnessed the embarrassing and sometimes mean-spirited actions of an extreme sports fans. Let that remind your squad that, ultimately, a game is just a game, even Homecoming or another big game. When you get too wrapped up about winning, you tend to take things much more personally. Suddenly, a game loss ruins your weekend. You feel intense feelings of dislike toward the team that won. If you ever see that happening to yourself or a teammate, it’s time for the pep talk: a game is just a game. Losing a game isn’t the end of the world. Remind yourself that winning isn’t everything, especially for cheerleaders. The cheer squad’s goal should be maintaining a fun and spirited atmosphere no matter the score. How do you handle a rivalry with another school?