Dear Blu Cru,
I did what you are doing for 2.5 years on a college basketball bench. I led a student section exactly like yours from across the gym in a uniform. I was the Conductor for a Symphony of Chants, Cheers, Hand Motions, and Superstition that led my basketball team to many wins, come from-behind victories, and upsets. I once stared at the floor for an 18 minute second half comeback because it was working and we were coming from behind. I missed my brother’s go ahead 3 pt shot in a Regional Semifinal that sent us to Nationals because I was STARING AT THE FLOOR!!! Hey, you do what you have to for a win. And I take full credit for that win as a freshman sitting on the very last seat at the end of the bench.
Here’s a couple rules/guidelines for you:
- Never do the same cheer 2 possessions in a row, gotta have at least 3-4 rotating cheers in your repetoire. D-Fence, Ooohhh, T-C-S, and TIIIIIIIIIIIGERSSSSSS are good ones.
- If you start a cheer on a possession, finish it, never stop the chant, its only disheartening to your players, whether they admit to hearing you or not.
- Avoid the cliché “its all over”, “you can’t do that” or “he’s a _______” cheers. They’ve been done to death UNLESS they are original and funny. For example, Tuesday night’s “Tie Your Shoe” was ok, but “Dou-ble Knot” would’ve been ten times better 🙂
- When an opponent is at the FT line, ssssshhhhhhh the crowd, but don’t stop ssssshhhhhhhhing. Its incredibly irritating to a player. The quick shout before the shot is too little too late, the 10 second SSSSSHHHHH is the most distracting possible thing.
- Your team should always been met with a cheer as they re-enter the court after a timeout, between quarters, and after halftime. Humming or singing some sort of battle cry/superhero theme song would be great too.
- Take pride in your job, take credit for the win when you get it. TCS was tied 40-40 when I joined the Blu Cru Tuesday night… Coach, Kris, Danny, and the rest of them had almost nothing to do with that win. They were the same all 4 quarters, WE were the biggest change in the 4th.
- When that buzzer sounds for TCS’ second playoff win, the cliché 3 syllable cheer I wanna hear that place screaming all the way from South Jersey better be “Hobbs Was Right” 🙂
GO TIGERS!!! GO BLU CRU!!!
Coach Mark ‘Lil bro’ Hobbs,
Athletic Director
Cumberland Christian School, Vineland New Jersey