Guidelines for Cheerleaders

GUIDELINES FOR CHEERLEADERS
OBJECTIVES

Objectives

As a cheerleader you should have some major objectives:

To promote the type of sportsmanship that will help students to acquire the basic attributes of good citizenship.
To develop a wholesome school spirit.
To develop loyalty to your school and team regardless of the outcome of the game.
To promote a cooperative spirit among the student body, the faculty and the school administration.
To help your school achieve the most worthwhile objectives of its interscholastic athletic activities.
To promote good pep rallies.

Helpful Hints

The most important thing for you to remember about sportsmanship is to always cheer positively. It is never appropriate to cheer against the other team or to cheer an opposing player’s mistake; it is much more effective to cheer for your own team.

Some people feel that the first yell at every game should be a "welcome yell." If you have exchange yells, encourage students from your own school to welcome the opposing cheerleaders and to cooperate with them. You will be a strong influence in the success of such an exchange.

It is a good idea to make an agreement with cheerleaders from the opposing school on when to cheer. A suggestion is for one school to have the privilege of cheering first during the time-outs for first and third quarters, the other school going first during time-outs of the second and fourth quarters.

When to Cheer

As your team comes on the floor or field.
When your own team or a player makes an exceptionally fine play.
When a substitution is made on your team. (Cheer outgoing player and incoming player.)
As a tribute and encouragement to an injured player of either team.
When an opponent, who has played spectacularly, leaves the game. Such a cheer would be recognition of a fine exhibition and a concrete example of good sportsmanship.
As encouragement to your won team in its drive for a score.
As encouragement to your own team in defense of its goal.

When Not to Cheer

As team signals are being called.
When an opposing player makes a mistake or the opposing team is being penalized—this is poor sportsmanship.
When an opposing player in injured. (Any expression of pleasure of joy over the injury of an opponent is bad taste and will reflect poorly on you and your school).
If opposing rooting section has already started a cheer or the opposing school band is playing. (A pre-game conference of opposing cheerleaders can help to avoid conflict with each other’s effort.)
As important announcements are being made over the public address system such as the giving of lineups, etc.