A good cheerleading squad always has plenty of pep rally cheers in its arsenal. If your squad is short on special cheers for these events, try a few of the cheers offered below. Don't be afraid to take these original ideas and change the words around to make them special to your school.
Samples of Pep Rally Cheers
Pep rallies are always energizing events, and they usually present opportunities to use unique cheers that might not always fit a particular sporting event. With that in mind, here is a sampling of a variety of cheers you can use to promote school spirit. Some are still general enough to use at a game, but others are best used during rallies that focus on special events.
A Class Spirit Cheer
A high school pep rally is the ideal venue to perform a cheer that spotlights the individual classes, and it's a nice change from simply promoting the team. Here's a cheer you can use to spark a spirit competition. The class that performs its cheer the loudest wins. Keep in mind that you'll need to teach each class their response beforehand, but a simple line or two is easy enough to pick up in a flash.
Class Battle Cheer
Cheerleaders: Who's got spirit? (cup hand to ear)
Entire crowd: We've got spirit! (point at crowd)
Cheerleaders: Freshmen stand up, and let us hear it! (motion to crowd to stand up)
Freshmen: Freshmen rock, there's no doubt about it, (point at crowd)
If you don't believe us, just hear us shout it! (Right K, Left K)
Repeat the first three lines of the cheer and use the following finishes for each of the other classes.
Sophomores: Sophomores are great, there's no debate, (ready position, touchdown)
Better listen to our cheer, 'cause we know we rate! (broken T, low V, T, High V)
Juniors: Juniors are cool, 'cause we rock it old school, (ready position, low V, air guitar)
We'll do the cheering while the rest of you drool! (toe touch jump)
Seniors: Seniors rule the school, yes we do. (ready position, daggers)
We've got way more spirit than the rest of you! (tumbling section, depending upon what tumbling skills your squad members have)
School Spirit Cheers
Here are a couple of cheers that focus on general school spirit.
Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum
Yeah, we've heard what's going round, (cup hand to ear and turn in circle)
But you can't take the Vikings down. (point at visitor section and lower into a crouch)
We don't play just for fun, (jump to feet, broken T, right L)
We won't stop 'til we're number one (left L, hold right arm straight up in a punch but with one finger lifted to signal that the team is number one)
Fe, fi, fo, fum, (stomp half step forward with each word)
Blue Devils (Or, insert your own team name.) are sounding the warning drum! (pretend to play the drums with two invisible drum sticks)
Fum, fo, fi fe, (stomp half step back with each word)
The Eagles (Or, insert other team's name.) can't stop our winning spree! (right diagonal, left diagonal)
Do You Hear It?
There are times when the pep rally is so impromptu you may not have time to create a theme. In those cases, a general cheer meant to get the crowd enthused can go a long way.
Do you hear it? (cup right hand to right ear while stepping forward with right foot)
Do you hear the Panther's spirit? (step back with right foot and move arms into a T)
When we say Go, you say Panthers (point to chest with both thumbs, point to crowd using forefingers)
Cheerleaders: Go! (point to crowd)
Crowd: Panthers!
(repeat until you've said "Go, Panthers!" three times)
Now you hear it! (right K, left K)
Panther's spirit! (herkie jump)
This time when you hear the sound (broken T, T, right hand to right ear, low V)
Get on your feet and dance around (raise both arms to motion crowd to stand up, turn in a simple circle)
Cheerleaders: Go! (point at crowd)
Crowd: Panthers!
(repeat until you've said "Go Panthers" three times)
Go, Panthers! (finish with jump of choice)
Cheers for Specific Pep Rally Events
Homecoming
Most schools have a very special pep rally to mark homecoming. This is usually where the prom queen and her king are announced for the first time, so it's nice to mention this fact in one of your cheers as you rev up the team for victory.
Homecoming day is finally here, (ready position, clap, clap, clap)
And that alone is reason to cheer. (bow and arrow right, bow and arrow left)
Let's salute our King and Queen, (salute with right hand, left punch, right punch)
And teach our opponents we're the winning team! (front lunge, standing position with arms in T, finish with tumbling)
Championship
Approaching the big finale to a winning season deserves a special cheer to mark the occasion.
We fought hard all season, (put fists up as though getting ready to fight)
And that's the reason, (daggers, low touchdown)
We made it to the finals, (low clasp, lift clasp until is it chest height)
'Cause our scores were so pleasin'. (T, right diagonal)
We won't give up. (left diagonal)
We won't be whipped, (right L)
And by the end of the game (left L)
We'll win the championship! (touchdown and kick with right leg)
Introduce the Band
It never hurts to give a few props to the marching band since they are also in the business of raising school spirit!
Hey there Tigers (ready position, T)
Do you understand, (low V, T, high V)
We've got the best band (right K, left K)
In the whole darn land! (right lunge, left lunge)
Trumpets, trombones, drums and more (pretend to play a trumpet and then play the drums)
Listen to them play 'cause they know the score! (toe touch jump)
Get Input from the Entire Squad
As you can see there are a lot of themes you can use as inspiration for fresh pep rally cheers. Don't be afraid to experiment and try out new cheers with the rest of the squad. Sometimes a mediocre cheer becomes a great one when other members contribute their ideas to the mix. Creating new cheers should be a cooperative process that makes everyone feel invested and involved. Don't forget to choreograph some great moves and maybe even a stunt or two to give your cheers more visual impact. Remember, your audience is watching as well as listening, so give it all you've got!
