[Slogan] Perfect for sports days and athletic festivals! A curated selection of impactful phrases

Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.
Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.

Slogans play an important role in sports days and athletic festivals.

They’re words that boost everyone’s morale and instantly lift the mood.

This article introduces a variety of slogans suited for junior high school athletic festivals.

From familiar four-character idioms to famous lines from popular manga, it gathers a wide range of expressions.

A slogan can be called the face of the year—it’s a tough choice, but take your time and come up with a wonderful one!

Two-character compounds (1–10)

Challenge

If you set easy goals, you might be able to keep going without overexerting yourself, but since it’s a rare opportunity, you may want to aim for a level that seems a bit hard to achieve… For those with that kind of drive to improve, we recommend the word “challenge.” This simple yet powerful term, as in “a challenge letter,” has an energizing ring that stirs a fighting spirit.

It also seems to fit a mindset that values not only the result of achieving a goal, but the process of working hard toward it.

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Yuuki

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blooming

There’s a dilemma with two-character slogan phrases: you want impact, but if the words are too difficult, people may not remember them.

In such cases, I recommend the slogan “Kaika” (Blooming).

It avoids overly simple words like “Victory” or “Smile,” while being a moderately sophisticated choice that still clearly evokes success.

It’s a positive word that suggests daily efforts coming to fruition, so it’s a great pick for a sports festival.

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Yuuki

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leap; rapid progress; breakthrough

Hiyaku means to leap or make a big jump forward.

The key is the kanji “躍,” which also appears in words like “yakukan” (a sense of dynamism) and “choyaku” (jump).

This character doesn’t just mean to fly; it also carries the sense of springing or dancing with vigor, giving the word a strong impression of energy.

Another nice point is its nuance of focusing on the extent of growth rather than just win-or-lose results, as in the expression “grew by leaps and bounds.”

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Yuuki

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Disyllabic Compounds (11–20)

smile

At a sports festival, achieving goals and breaking records are important, but enjoying yourself matters too! How about “Smiles” as a slogan that captures that feeling? It’s a simple word, but that’s exactly why it might speak straight to the heart.

When you see this slogan in the midst of tough practice, it can remind you that it’s not all about pushing yourself just to win—what truly matters is the time spent together, laughing and sharing moments with everyone.

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Yuuki

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