Rain

Its football season, and football is one of the few sports that they will play rain or shine. I’ve only ever seen a football game get delayed because of lightning or a tornado. That means that there are bound to be a few occasions where the game will take place in slightly… damp, conditions.

If the game is going to be played in the rain, the student section is going to have to cheer in the rain. So here are a few tips on how to best perform in the rain.

The biggest piece of advice I can offer, is if it is going to be cold and wet, cancel whatever occasion you had planned. Trying to hold on to your blackout through a rainstorm isn’t going to go well. It works best to change and adapt. No one wants to go to a white out when it’s 60 and pouring rain. If you are stubborn people will either not come or will come wearing whatever they want.

Next comes burring your pride. This one can be though, lord knows I’ve struggled with it. But there comes a time when you simply have to put a poncho on. You can only be a hero for so long before you just become an idiot. Trust me, it is so much more enjoyable to be able to stay warm and dry, not to mention the fact that you yell louder when you’re warm.

Remember to stay positive. Don’t complain. Don’t whine about the weather. Just smile and get through it. It’s worse for the guys on the field anyway. It’s incredibly easy for a huge group of people to shut down, it is your job to keep them excited and involved. Rain can suck the inspiration right out of you. Stay cheery, stay loud, others will follow, just don’t slide down the slippery slope that leads to 300 people sitting around wishing they were at home.

There is a good chance that the turn out for a rain game will be significantly less than other games. Don’t panic. Smaller numbers aren’t always a bad thing, and chances are the people who tough it out in the rain are the same people who cheer loudest in the best conditions. Remember, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog. The people who come out for rain games have fight. Remember to just have fun with it, smaller numbers are easier to manage and can lead to a closer bond between people.

Playing in the rain can be a nightmare for some teams, the ball is wet and fumbles will happen. Crazy things happen in the rain. The team will need a good section to have their backs and keep them in the fight.

Remember, you don’t come to the game for you, you come for them. That means that in their darkest hour, you have to cheer your loudest.

Boo

The issue of booing at a sporting event can be a hot button topic. I have my own opinions and I will clearly express them, and explain why I feel the way I do. But everyone is entitled to their own opinions.

I think booing is a good thing.

If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen. If you are seriously offended by the fact that the other team’s student section doesn’t like you, then competitive sports might not be your thing. If three small letters put together can hurt you that bad then I don’t know what losing will do.

I’ve never seen a varsity athlete get upset by booing. Most don’t even react and everyone else feeds off of it. That’s right, there are people who love booing. It motivates them. So why then is booing not allowed/discouraged at sporting events? I have a theory. It is nothing more than over-sensitivity masked by sportsmanship.

Parents, coaches, and administrators are so concerned about causing a ruckus that they don’t allow even the most harmless of negative cheers. And they stand behind a shield of sportsmanship to help hide it. Sportsmanship is about respect. Just because I vocalize the fact that I don’t support you or disagree with you doesn’t mean I disrespect you.

I understand, and appreciate, the argument against it. Sports should be a positive thing. Cheering should be positive. I get that, and I support that. Cheering, for the most part, should be positive. But there are occasions where negative cheers are acceptable. I think some people are starting to see a big broad line between what is mean and offensive and what is just part of the game. I see it as a fine line.

When things turn ugly there is a line. As soon as you bring up anything that could be a cause for discrimination you cross a line and deserve to get shut down. This includes but isn’t limited to: race, color, creed, sexual identity, social status, and economic status. If you bring up any of this, you should get kicked out of whatever event you are attending and should face serious punishment from the school you attend.

I get fired up very easily at the next part. Referees. I have seen them penalize a team because the student section booed their call. If you make a bad call, you are going to get booed. It happens. And if you can handle a bunch of kids, actual kids under the age of 18, booing when you mess up, you need to reevaluate your choices. As an adult, you are expected to handle a bit of negativity, and when you can’t you just look bad.

Boo on. It’s part of the game. If they can take it that’s on them. But know the limit and don’t push too far. Because if you do, you deserve to get booed.

Getting in their heads

One of the best things a student section can do is distract the opposing team’s players. If the members of a student section can get in the heads of the other team, they can have a huge impact on the game.

Picture this, it’s the fourth quarter of a big football game and your team is trailing by 2 points. You stand 35 yards away from the goalposts. Its 4^th down and there are 20 seconds left on the clock. You set up to kick, your focus narrows. Just kick the ball straight and far and our team will go to the playoffs. But slowly, something starts to penetrate through your bubble of concentration. Three words, “Block that kick”, and it’s getting louder and louder.

A moment before you were thinking about the kick. Now all you can focus on is what’s going on over in the stands. You try to pull your focus back but it’s in there now. You can feel the hundreds of voices shouting as if they were standing deep in your ear. The ball is snapped, the holder catches it and puts it down. You take two steps toward the ball and kick…

The ball veers right and misses. Your team goes home. The season is over.

The student sections team goes on.

That is just one example of the huge impact the students can have on a game.

In my experience, there are two main ways to get into their heads. The first is a constant effort. It is the cheering that never stops. It’s being loud, crazy, and generally distracting the whole game. The second is usually situation or player specific. Examples of situation specific things would be, last minute field goals, goal line stands, free throws, and any other “Big play” situations. Player specific distractions usually apply to a star player. Things like yelling out their name, or something about them can distract the player and make them mess up. It doesn’t have to be a star player either, its often easiest to distract a player with something specific about them.

For example, in a basketball game last year, the student section noticed that a player on the opposing team’s shorts were just a little too small and pulled up a little too high. That coupled with the fact he was wearing glasses was enough to earn him the name “Steve Urcle”. By the end of the game he was so upset that he completely lost focus on the game and was benched.

Never underestimate your ability to affect the outcome of a game. The student section truly can be the extra man.