Sideline basketball cheers help fill the gap while the team is on the floor and tension is at its highest. For anyone who loves the sport of basketball, the heart thumping rhythm of the game is only amplified by the cheers performed by the cheerleaders on the sidelines. Sideline cheers can urge the fans to shout louder and encourage the team to play harder than ever before. Sideline cheerleaders have an important role to play, and there is a lot of thought that goes into the cheers and chants shouted during a basketball game. The word "Wildcats" has been used as the team name in these original cheers, but you can simply replace "Wildcats" with your team's name.
Original Offense Sideline Cheers
When your team has the ball and is looking to score, these offensive cheers give them added motivation.
Wildcats Beat
We got that Wildcats beat
Can you feel the heat?
We got that Wildcats roar
Feel the rumble on the floor
(Repeat twice)
Dribble Dribble
Dribble dribble
Pass the ball
Dribble dribble
Stand up tall
Dribble dribble
Across the floor
Dribble dribble
Score two more!
Dribble dribble
Score two more!
The Hoop
Dribble the ball to the hoop
Behind the back and loop dee loop
Dribble the ball across the floor
Dribble the ball and score two more
Original Defense Sideline Cheers
When the opposing team has the ball, help motivate your team to steal the ball and stop any shots.
Attack the Basket
If you're proud
Yell it loud
Take that ball
Attack the basket
Take that ball
Attack the basket!
Move It
Wildcats like to
Move it, move it
We don't want to
Lose it, lose it
Wildcats like to
Win 'em all
Wildcats want to
Net that ball
Net that ball
Yeah!
Sideline Cheer Transitions
The transition between offensive cheers and defensive cheers needs to be smooth, even when you have to shift between the two quickly. The last thing you want to do is cheer the opposing team to victory. When the ball changes hands in the middle of your cheer, call out one of these transitions to move seamlessly to a new one.
What a Day
Wait a minute, what a day
Down the court the other way
Now we say…
Flip It
Hold up, wait a minute,
The Wildcats are switchin' with it
Now we gotta flip and spin it...
Reverse
Stop! Reverse those words
The Wildcat (offense or defense) took a turn
After chanting the above, you can easily transition into a new chant or cheer that suits your team's current play. Have fun, be creative, and you're certain to come up with different cheers that perfectly suit your individual team and school.
Popular Sideline Basketball Cheers
There are many places to find popular and common sideline basketball cheers. Some cheers are common to all cheer squads and are well known. "Defense Attack, Get it Back" and other general defensive cheers encourage the team to be assertive and get the ball back. Cheers like "Fire it Up" help get the team and the crowd hyped up for the win.
LoveToKnow.com offers information on many types of cheers for basketball that can be used as is or adapted to the sidelines.
- Original Basketball Cheers Chants get the crowd participating with new and exciting phrases.
- Basketball Floor Cheers are great for time outs and half-time routines whether you are a beginning squad or expert cheerleaders.
- Find Basketball Cheers for every occasion including when your team is losing, when you've just scored, and cheers to get the crowd involved.
Space Considerations
Because space is very limited on the sidelines of a basketball court, sideline basketball cheers need to have small, tight moves that don't require a lot of extra space. Big jumps, pyramids, and cheers that require separate rows need to be saved for the halftime or quarter breaks. You may be directly in front of the bottom row of bleachers, so watch out for any cheers that require high kicks as well. The last thing you want to do is kick a fan in the nose.
Fast Pace of Basketball
Basketball is a fast paced sport. The ball can move from one end of the court to the other at high speed. Because of this, sideline basketball cheers must be short and to the point. For example, a long offense cheer may lose its point as the team shifts to defense in the middle of the cheer. Because of this, short, crisp chants are much better suited for cheerleading for basketball.
Keep the Excitement
These cheers should focus on things such as defense, taking the ball back, making a basket, or other short and quick points. Basketball cheerleaders must also be ready to shift from one cheer to the next as the ball changes hands and the team shifts from offense to defense. It is a good idea to have one cheerleader or a coach keeping an eye on the game at all times who can signal to the other cheerleaders to shift focus. This is usually the captain's job. The squad should practice transitions from one type of cheer to the other.
