Let's send our teammates a powerful cheer! A roundup of cheer calls for sports day.

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Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
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I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”

Cheer calls performed during the sports day’s cheer battles and events to support the whole team and your teammates.

When you hear powerful, loud calls shouted in unison with the cheer captain and squad’s cues, you can’t help but think, “Alright, let’s do this!” and feel your energy surge, right?

In this article, we’ve gathered recommended cheer calls for sports day.

We’ll introduce classic calls where everyone shouts together at once, as well as call-and-response chants between the cheer squad and teammates.

Incorporate them into your sports day cheering and give your teammates your full support!

Call-and-response type (1–10)

“Championship” / “Got it!”

Have fun with a call-and-response! Here’s an idea using “Champions!” and “Gotta catch ’em all!” Many of you have probably heard the phrase “Gotta catch ’em all!” before—it’s the signature line used by the protagonist of the hugely popular Pokémon series in anime, films, and games.

This idea cleverly adapts that cool catchphrase for use at sports days and school athletic festivals.

When the cheer squad shouts “Champions!” the students in the team should respond with “Gotta catch ’em all!”

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Call-and-response type (11–20)

“Let’s go!” “Yup!” “We’re gonna win!” “Yup!”

Loco Solare, the curling team from Hokkaido that won bronze at the Pyeongchang Olympics and silver at the Beijing Olympics.

The word that became a hot topic in their conversations was the response “Sodane,” right? How about using this word as a cheering call.

In addition to “Let’s go!” and “We’re going to win!”, you could use it for various chants like “We’re taking first place!” and “We’re going to be champions!”—and have everyone answer with a strong, determined “Sodane!” packed with the feeling of “We’ll do it!” Not only does it fire you up, but the warm, gentle word also helps ease the tension just the right amount.

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SAKI

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Yoiyasa yoiyasa yoiyasano-sa! / That’s it! / Class ◯, champions—yoiyasano-sa! / That’s it!

Using the word “yoiyasa,” this call-and-response is done with a rhythmic flow.

After one full sequence of “yoiyasa yoiyasa yoiyasa no sa” followed by “sore,” you voice your desire to win or take first place in a competition, and end the sentence with “yoiyasa.” Then, as a reply to that sentiment, respond with “sore.” Since a certain level of snappy tempo is needed, pay attention to things like the number of syllables in the words you use.

If you keep time with a drum or similar, you can do the call-and-response with a good rhythm!

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SAKI

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Bring the flow! Don’t let the flow rise!

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Baseball Club vs Soccer Club with high trash-talking power#Kochi High School Kochi Junior High School Kochi Kochi Gakuen Sports Festival Sports Day Baseball Club Soccer Club High school student youth
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Two teams are squaring off, keeping each other in check while firing themselves up with chants like “Bring the momentum our way!” and “We won’t give it up!” With megaphones in hand, they bang them for effect and shout in unison, repeating after the leader’s calls.

If you get creative with the lines, it can turn into a cheer battle that gets plenty of laughs.

Why not showcase your team’s spirit with this call? Adding drums and other percussion would make it even more powerful.

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sasashina

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“Our victory” “is right here.” “If we give it our all,” “that’s enough.”

Sometimes the goal isn’t just to seize victory, but to overcome yourself and give everything you have so there are no regrets.

Here’s a powerful call-and-response phrase that engraves that kind of team goal in your heart.

Rather than riding on momentum, it feels more like a check of one’s resolve—its calm tone conveys a quiet, steady burn within.

It also carries a sense of mutual support, showing the team’s commitment to firmly back what each person is striving for.

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kappamaki

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