[Sports Day] Get Fired Up! Cool Phrases Recommended for Cheer Squads

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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!”

At school sports festivals, cheer squads are formed to root for each team or class.

Many of you, as team representatives, probably want to cheer in a cool, inspiring way to lead your team to victory.

In this article, we’ll introduce cool lines we recommend for cheer squad members at sports festivals.

We’ve gathered phrases the cheer squad can shout to lead the charge, as well as call-and-response chants you can do with your whole team.

Use these as a reference, and do your best as a cheer squad member to help your team take the win!

English-based (1–10)

Fight on

To seize results, it’s important to keep fighting without giving up, and each person’s inner strength is put to the test.

The phrase that rallies a heart on the verge of breaking and strengthens the will not to quit is “Fight on,” which means “keep fighting.” Because “fight” is a word used in many situations, its meaning sinks in naturally and connects with our feelings.

And since it’s a short phrase, it seems easy to repeat to yourself or use to call out to your teammates.

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All for one, one for all!

In Japanese, it’s often rendered as “Everyone for one, and one for everyone,” and is used especially in team sports to unify a team: “All for one, one for all!” Strictly speaking, the intended nuance is said to be “Everyone for a single purpose, and one for everyone.” Either way, it’s a perfect phrase for bringing a team together.

Because it evokes a sense of unity and connection as a team, it might also put pressure on the opposing side.

It’s a phrase that carries power precisely because everyone knows it—one you want the whole team to shout together.

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Hoshino Takashi

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We’re Class ◯! Think you can take down Class ◯?

Phrases that evoke a united team and provocative messages really amp up the energy during cheering battles.

Confident messages can overwhelm the opposing team while igniting your own side’s unity and morale.

These are words that fire you up even when only the cheer squad shouts them, but if everyone joins in for the “Class ___!” part, it can boost team spirit and motivation even more.

It’s simple, easy-to-understand English with real power—definitely a set of phrases worth using.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Boys Be Ambitious!

Dr.

William S.

Clark, also known as the first vice principal of Sapporo Agricultural College, which opened in 1876.

The phrase “Boys, be ambitious,” meaning “Youth, hold lofty aspirations” in Japanese, is famous as the parting words he left to his students when he departed the school.

The message—set big goals and charge forward—surely gives power to any team aiming for victory.

It’s exactly the kind of line that rallies a team and boosts motivation, perfect for a cheering squad to use.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Refuse to lose

While victory is the goal when taking on a competition, we often say that the attitude of standing your ground without giving in is just as important.

Focusing on that resolve not to be defeated along the path toward victory, the phrase “Refuse to lose” conveys the idea of rejecting defeat.

It expresses not only a stance of not yielding to an opponent, but also of not yielding to oneself, clearly communicating inner strength.

It’s a message you can direct at yourself, and it can also feel like a call for teammates not to give up.

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Call & Response (1–10)

Next, we’ll introduce some cool call-and-response lines for the cheer squad and the whole team.

Because these are powerful phrases everyone builds together, they’re sure to strengthen team unity! In call-and-response chants, it’s important not only for the cheer squad leading the lines but also for the team following after to bring full energy and spirit.

Let’s unite as one—cheer squad and team alike—and aim for the championship!

Aim for it; Glory; Seize it; Championship

Call-and-response with straightforward, powerful phrases creates an impact that overwhelms the opponent while boosting your team’s morale.

It’s not just the cheer squad—having the whole team shout together builds greater unity and energy, so I highly recommend it.

Besides words like “glory” and “victory,” lining up rhyming words can add even more drive and rhythm to the cheer.

These phrases are great not only for sports days but also for team huddles in group sports.

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Hoshino Takashi

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「We can」「do it!」「We can」「win!」

In the United States in 1942, the phrase “We can do it!” was created as a slogan to boost workers’ morale, and it can also fire up a team as a cheer at sports events.

What’s more, declaring “We can win!”—a stance that leaves no doubt about our victory—can put pressure on the opposing team.

The fact that these are short English phrases that are easy for both our team and the opponent to understand makes them convenient for cheer squads.

Used as a call-and-response, they’re positive phrases that deepen team unity.

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Hoshino Takashi

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