Nothing beats pre-game chants when it comes to preparing players and teams to win.
Many athletes have different methods on how to prepare for games. Some want to be alone. Others like to talk with teammates and coaches. Still others like to pace around. And some have their game faces on: “I’m going to win this no matter what!”
But there’s also the matter of preparing as a group. When I was a young athlete, we got motivation from chants. “We’re #1!” We never meant to put opponents down. It was our way of motivating us to do our best.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYbdSFBXHhQ
I had a coach once who told that if we weren’t out there to win, then why were we out there in the first place? He taught us a valuable lesson because he urged us to do our best.
Things are a bit different today. There’s much more talk about playing for the love the game and being respectful. There’s something to be said about both, but it sometimes hard to put those things first. When you put in hours and hours of practice trying to perfect your play, emotions run high. You want to win!
These days a lot of youth teams and leagues have done away with pregame chants. Chants put too much emphasis on winning, so the thinking goes.
I see it differently. You can’t succeed as a team without a lot of hard work and the desire (and the capacity) to overcome obstacles. Victories generate unforgettable memories.
The goals, always, are to motivate and prepare. And I’ve always believed that pre-game chants can help players and teams achieve both.
