Cheerleaders can use a variety of tactics to choreograph and perform basketball floor cheers during a game to get the crowd excited. By incorporating stunts and tumbling into your routines, the crowd is more likely to get into the game. Try some of these unique basketball floor cheers and movements to get you started.
Beginners
These are simple cheers with basic moves that younger squads will have fun learning.
Team You Adore
When our boys take the floor (start in a crouch on the floor and stand to ready position)
They're the team that you adore (low V, high V)
One, two, three, four (left hand on hip, right hand in air and count numbers on fingers, one, two three, four)
Score, score, score, score (clap, stomp, clap, stomp)
We Want More
Down the court (hands on hips)
Across the floor (touchdown)
Swoosh! Two more (clasp hands over your head to make the shape of a hoop and then circle clasped hands down to chest and back over head in a circular motion)
Down the court (bow and arrow)
We want more (touchdown)
Swoosh! Two more (repeat earlier "swoosh" motion)
Swoosh! Two more
Intermediate
These intermediate basketball floor cheers are perfect for high school squads.
Scream and Shout
Hey Bulldog (school mascot) fans, let's scream and shout (ready position and then cup hands to mouth)
Be so loud, we force them out (high V and lower to a T)
If we couldn't say a word, (left K, right K)
Then we'd stomp and clap (stomp, clap)
Make sure we're heard (right punch, left punch)
Scream Blue (insert school color)
Scream Gold (insert school color)
Go Bulldogs!
End with a pike jump
Elite
We are elite (half T to T)
Our Eagles (team mascot) can't be beat (right hurdler jump)
C'mon fans, leave your seats (arms motion up to show fans to stand)
Stomp, shout, clap, scream (stomp, clap)
We're the Eagles (low touchdown to touchdown)
The number one team (lower left arm to left hip and lift one finger on right hand to signal number one)
E-A-G-L-E-S (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)
Eagles, Eagles, Go Eagles! (right punch, left punch, shake pom poms or clap hands)
Varsity
Varsity floor cheers work best with experienced squads. Practice these as written or swap in some of your squad's specialty moves to make the cheers your own.
Hula Hoop Cheer
Flying high, we can't be beat (start with toe touch jump)
Look out Eagles (opposing team mascot), we bring the heat (right L, touchdown)
Down the court and through the hoop (low touc down, stomp)
No time to pause or hula hoop (broken T, swivel hips as though doing a hula hoop)
At the end, we're number one (low V, T, high V)
Our team wins 'cause they're having fun (daggers, right L, left K)
Go Lions! (team mascot)
End with a herkie
Power Up
We are the Raiders! (half T)
Let the talent flow (right K, half T, left K)
Watch out Eagles (high V, low V)
While we put on a show (move to tumbling block positions)
(cheerleaders who have tumbling should tumble and others should do a group stunt, such as a basket toss)
Now that you've seen us (daggers)
You'd better quake in fear (raise hands to mouth and shuffle feet in place to show fear)
The Raiders have the power (right punch, left punch)
Our victory is near (high V)
Go Raiders!
End with a toe touch jump into a back handspring
Performing Your Routine
Part of successfully cheering through a game is timing when to cheer. Cheerleaders should know basketball game rules well and when it is appropriate to do a floor cheer, such as during a timeout. Of course, the point of cheering through a game is to get the crowd excited and you should cheer as often as you can. Smile until your cheeks hurt. If you're not enthusiastic, the crowd won't be either. Execute your routine well. Your movements should be sharp and your stunts flawless.
