How many school chants do you think you have memorized? Does yelling things from the stands to the team actually impact how they play, or is it just background noise? Chanting and yelling things from the stands at any sporting event is sort of a guarantee. But when does yelling things at the team actually stop being helpful and start just becoming extra noise? JV girls soccer player Alexis Binfet, she talked about what really goes through her head when hearing students and parents yelling from the stands.
When asked if she can hear people cheering and chanting, she responded with, “I think it makes me feel more supported by telling me when I did something good or giving me constructive criticism.” Now of course, people are not going to attend a game just to yell rude things at the players. But it goes to show that encouraging them and reminding them that the plays they make actually make an impact goes a long way. She went on to exclaim how her favorite thing is people telling her when she is playing well. And her least favorite is when people yell things trying to correct her, or point out maybe what went wrong while she was playing. There are times for constructive criticism and times when it is better left unsaid. But when things need to be said to a specific player, those matters should be taken up privately. Reassuring the player or entire team can and will go farther than trying to correct them in a public space.
Cheering for your favorite team is always fun, especially if it’s for your school or you have a friend playing. But word to the wise: keep the fun and encouraging cheers fun and loud. And most of all, show up! Showing up in support of your school and friends helps them to know that how they play and their team matters. Keeping a positive cheering atmosphere, helps the players to keep a positive headspace and in return, play a better game.
