Good Softball Cheers

Elements of Good Softball Cheers

What is the difference, though, between just saying "Hurrah!" and "Go team!" and having a real softball cheer? Here are a few of the things to think about when you're trying to rile up the fans:

• Is it easy to understand? A cheer needs to be made up of words that are comprehensible even when muddied by the sound of dozens of voices screaming hoarsely. Fans have no time, usually, to "rehearse" or even to learn new cheers except through hearing each other – so make sure that the words are easy to understand but not easy to misinterpret. You don't want to scream "Hit that ball, make it kiss the sky!" and have people later ask you why you were telling the batter to "Hit that ball, make it kiss that guy!"
• Is it short and sweet? Softball is usually a pretty fast-paced game. You can go from a tense strategizing of a pitcher facing a southpaw batter to the entire outfield heading to the bullpen in the time it takes to simply catch a pop fly for that third out. Any softball cheer that is not short enough to change at the drop of a hat has the potential to be obsolete before it's even done.
• Is it relevant and personal? Most avid fans have an arsenal of good softball cheers that they can pull out at any given moment and use to fit the team or the situation. The best ones can be tailored to the specific player at bat or in the field.
• Is it positive? Not every cheer is going to be constructive and positive, not by a long shot. In fact, there are entire websites devoted to the kinds of cheers that are jeering or insulting to the opposing team. While these cheers may be effective for a cheap laugh, it's the lazy way to cheer – being able to boost your own team or, even better, have a funny softball cheer that will make both sides laugh will make the entire game better.

It should be obvious that no softball cheer should contain any lewd subject matter or profanity of any kind. Families with members of all ages come to games, and being respectful of fellow spectators is basic social courtesy.

Examples of Softball Cheers

Here is a good example of a good cheer for when a new batter is approaching and getting ready to face off against the pitcher.

Hey (players name!) How you do?

You gotta know we're countin' on you!

And what we count on most of all!

Is the way you pound the ball! So POUND that pitch right OUTTA here!

The cheer is short, but not so short that the batter won't have time to enjoy the support of the crowd. The pitcher isn't denigrated specifically, but they have the thought planted in their head that they are facing a formidable opponent.

Most of all, that cheer is original. While there are similar cheers found all over the internet, as well as in several other articles on LoveToKnow, taking any of them can result in the rather embarrassing situation of having the opposing team's fans using the same cheer you are, or worse having improved on something you found on the internet and showing up your team.

In some ways, the popularity of softball cheers has become a competition in and of itself, which is why there are so many cheers shared on blogs and other websites. Putting your own up will help share the joy of the game and the thrill of a cheer well done.