Softball Cheers - Positive or Distracting?

I know there are people out there that think Softball Cheers are more of a distraction in a game than a help. Most of the time it's male coaches and parents that I hear this from.  These people feel that there are other more important things players could be focused on besides singing and dancing (like what the other team's tendencies are, what the pitcher likes to throw, etc).

I've actually had the chance to experience both sides. As a high school aged player, I had a coach who did NOT allow any of the singing, clapping, dancing type of softball cheer.  We could "cheer for" and encourage our teammates on the field, but we just couldn't do any of the "fun" cheers.  Then when I got to college, it was a whole different story.  We did more cheering than I'd ever done in my entire life.  It was so much fun and everyone on the team was into it.

So what do I think of the idea that girls softball cheers are more of a distraction than anything?  I just can't seem to find myself agreeing with that thought. I think cheering in softball is a good thing! Yes, it's true that some players may get distracted from the game by the cheers, but to be completely honest, I think those girls would get just as easily distracted without the cheers.  Just sayin'.

Also, if you listen carefully, most teams do cheers based upon what's currently happening in the game which means that they have to be paying attention in order to choose the best cheers to do at the best time.

Another issue here is the fact that men are different from women in many ways.  It may very well be true that cheering IS distracting to a male, I really don't know because I'm not a guy.  But I happen to know that female athletes are fully capable of cheering AND paying attention to the game at the same time. Remember how earlier I said that I had never done as much cheering as I did in college?  Well, fact of the matter is, I had never done as much scouting of the other team or game analysis during the game as I did in college either.  In spite of all the cheering, I never felt more "in" the game even if I wasn't actually in the lineup.

One of the main reasons though, that I LIKE softball cheers, is because I think it can help with the mental game. Don't believe me do you?

Here's the deal…

When cheering is done right, it is consistent and stead from the beginning of the game all the way until the end.  No matter what the situation is, a team that's doing it right, will continue to cheer with the same gusto and excitement throughout the ENTIRE game.

How does that help with the mental game? Well, ideally, players strive to be consistent, to approach various situations with the same confidence, to avoid letting what just happened or what's about to happen affect how they feel, what they're thinking and how they play.

When a team can achieve that in cheering, they are more likely to be able to do it on the field while actually in play.  If they can learn to be consistent in their cheering from the very first pitch to the very last out no matter what may be going on on the field, it's a very important skill to develop.  Being able to do it through cheers brings them one step closer to be able to do it on the field in an actual playing situation.  Good teams will not let the events, or the highs and lows of a game affect their cheering, just as you don't want players to attitudes or mental approach to change with the ups and downs of the game.  Cheering is a great way for them to practice this skill of staying positive and staying consistent mentally regardless of what the situation is.

Not only that, when a team cheers throughout the game, they celebrate everything! They celebrate every victory no matter how "big" or "small" - every hit by a team member is a reason to cheer.  Every out made by the defense is a reason to cheer.  Heck every strike thrown by the pitcher is cause for celebration.  This mentality reinforces the concept that there are no "little things" and that every out and every offensive opportunity is important.  By the same token, it helps minimizes "pressure" situations.  Players are less likely to see situations as "big play" or "big at bat" or "big pitch" situations when, through cheering, their mindset weighs every situation as equally "important."  Every situation is approached, celebrated, and cheered for the same way regardless of what inning it is, how many outs there are, or how many people are on base.

To me, softball cheers serve as a great way to "practice" the mental game approach that leads to great softball performances and execute the team unity necessary for a any team to be successful.  Plus it's just so much fun!

I'm eager to hear your comments...