An appropriately timed basketball cheer really has the effect of pepping up the crowd, and being an encouragement to the players. Try a few oldies but goodies, and some new ones as well to chant your team on to winning the game. When reading the cheers, please note that words in all capitals should be emphasized when cheering, and words in italics indicate non-verbal movements and instructions.
Cheers for Offense
Cheers for When Your Team Has the Ball
Use these cheers for when your team has the ball in play and is headed down the court.
Take it down, take it down, take it (clap) down, down
Put it up, put it up, put it (clap) up, up
Shoot it in, shoot it in, shoot it (clap) in, in
Take it down (stomp, stomp)
Put it up (stomp, stomp)
Shoot it in (stomp, stomp)
Let's WIN!
Clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, clap SHOOT
Clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, clap FOR
Clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, clap TWO
C'mon (team name)! SHOOT FOR TWO!!!
We're heading for a basket
We're moving down the floor
We are the mighty (team name)
And we know we're gonna score.
I don't know what you've been told
But the (team name) are goin' for gold
We don't have time to mess around
Cuz we're the best team in this town
Lay up!
Rebound!
Score two, three, (team name)
Hey, hey
Get out of the way
We're the (team name) and we're are here to say
If you wanna be the best
Better than the rest
You gotta work it, work it, work it!
C'mon (team name)
Let us hear
Let us hear
Let us hear
That sound
That sound we love:
I'm sayin' SWISHHHHHHHH
SWISHHHHHHH
Let us see
Let us see
Let us see
Two points
Two points on the board
I'm sayin' SWISHHHHHHHHH
SWISHHHHHHHH
We're moving towards the basket
We're headed for a score
We can't be beat,
We don't know defeat
So watch us clean the floor. . .
We'll clean the floor when we dribble
And then we'll take a shot
Now you know
That we're the best, and this is what we've got:
Stomp stomp clap clap, slide to the left and say swish (repeat 2x)
Oh! Yeah! Swish it, swish it (repeat 2x)
Oh! Yeah! Swish it, swish it (repeat 2x)
WE WANT TWO!
Cheers for When Your Team Has Just Scored
Use these cheers after a player has scored on your team.
(To the tune of the chorus of "Na Na Na Na, Hey, Hey, Hey, Goodbye")
Na na na na, na na na na, hey, hey, hey don't cry.
We've got the ball and, we're gonna score yeah, hey, hey, hey don't cry.
We're out to win yeah, you'll see our dust yeah, hey, hey, hey don't cry.
Once team makes the shot. . .
Na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye
SEE YA LATER!
Great job (player who just scored),
Super well done,
Come on (team name),
Let's score another one!
Hey (team name)!
Do you hear?
That's our victory so near!
Gather 'round
What's that sound?
Swish (clap, clap, stomp, stomp, clap, clap) Swish (clap, clap, stomp, stomp, clap, clap)
(Emphasize the 'sh' at the end of 'swish'.)
General Basketball Cheers
Cheers for a Time Out
Time outs are usually a great time for your squad to do a new basketball cheer to keep the crowd involved in the game. However, it is never appropriate to cheer during a time out due to a player's injury.
Who rocks the house?
The (team name) rock the house
And when the (team name) rock the house they rock it all the way down.
Repeat 3 times.
Have a seat
We've got you beat
We know you just can't take the heat.
Gooooooo (team name)
Great Cheers to do With the Crowd
Since getting the crowd involved is one of your primary goals as a cheerleader, doing at least one "crowd participation" cheer during a game is always a great idea. Using a megaphone and then pointing to the crowd during their part will help the crowd know what to do.
I say white and you say blue (insert appropriate school colors)
Squad: White
Crowd: Blue
Squad: White
Crowd: Blue
I say shoot and you say two
Squad: Shoot
Crowd: Two
Squad: Shoot
Crowd: Two
Repeat two times
For this cheer, the team should get the audience to yell back lines italicized in parentheses.
Hey (team name)
(Hey team name)
Check out the score (Say what?)
Check out the score (Say what?)
Put up two more (oh yeah)
Put up two more (oh yeah)
Are we needy, needy?
(No, we ain't needy, needy!)
We're just greedy, greedy!
(We're just GREEDY, GREEDY!)
Defensive Basketball Cheers
Cheers for Rebounds
Rebound cheers have to be done very quickly because the game at this point is usually moving fast.
We got the ball (clap, clap)
Get outta the way (stomp once)
We're on the move (clap, clap)
We're here to stay (stomp once)
C'mon (team name)! LET'S SCORE TODAY!
(clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, clap)
GO (TEAM NAME)!
Rebound that basketball (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)
Dribble that basketball (stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp)
Score with that basketball (clap, stomp, clap, stomp, stomp, stomp)
Go (team name, team colors, etc.)
Get
Get out
Get outta our way!
We want the basketball and we're here to say:
We're gonna take
We're gonna take
We're gonna take that basketball
And win this game today!
REBOUND!
End cheer with a group toe touch jump or group herkie jump
R-E-B-O-U-N-D
That's the way we spell Vict'ry
Vict'ry uh huh Vict'ry
Cheers for When your Team Is Losing
Just because your team isn't doing well doesn't mean you can stop cheering! Here are a few cheers that are appropriate to do if you need a few more points on that scoreboard.
Stand up,
it's time to shout
Come on fans,
Yell it out
Say it loud
Say it proud
Let's go (team name) and stop that ball.
Not another basket
No (pause) You won't score
Not another basket
Steal that ball
Take it away
You're not gonna score today!
Cheers for Defense
Here are a couple of cheers to do if the other team has the ball and your team is playing defensively.
Hey (team name)
Take that ball, take that ball, take that ball away (clap, clap, clap)
Shoot and score, shoot and score, shoot and score today (clap, clap, clap)
Repeat 2 times
2, 4, 6, 8 who do we appreciate?
Blue (clap, clap, stomp, clap)
and white (clap, clap, stomp, clap) (insert your own school colors)
Blue (clap, clap, stomp, clap) and white (clap, clap, stomp, clap)
2, 4, 6, 8 who is gonna dominate?
Blue (clap, clap, stomp, clap) and white (clap, clap, stomp, clap)
Blue (clap, clap, stomp, clap) and white (clap, clap, stomp, clap)
Just like a lion, a mighty mighty lion
Hear us ROAR! (clap, clap, stomp, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, stomp)
Go ahead, sit down, you cannot score.
Keep Practicing
This repertoire of classic basketball cheers should get your creative cheer juices flowing--now you can go out and keep practicing or make up your own! But remember, it's important to have appropriate cheers for appropriate times in the game. Nothing will make your squad more ineffective than cheering the wrong thing at the wrong time. Your job is to watch the game closely, and cheer whenever appropriate to get the crowd excited about their team and the game.
