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About Tom Houser
Expertise
I can answer any type of volleyball question: school, college, club, coaching, playing, etc. (I am not, however, a athletic trainer! haha)

Can you believe that 25% of the answers that I send to people are never read? It's been really surprising to me. If you're going to take all that time to send me a question, how about taking a few minutes to read it! :) haha I will almost always answer your question within 24 hours.

Then would you please come back and grade my answer!

Experience
23 years coaching varsity, JV, club.

You can see all about me at www.coachhouser.com There are also free downloads for coaches & parents, and hundreds of smiling faces for you volleyball players!

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www.yesIcansports.com

Education/Credentials
BS degree from Va Tech in Math Education. MS degree from Va Tech in Secondary Administration. 28 years teaching high school math!

The Picture!
The picture that you see is my team after winning the 52-team Capitol Hill Classic in February 2008 in Washington DC. We were the only undefeated team in the 15's division. However, they presented our awards to the team that won the SILVER division! haha So the tournament directors had to reorder our medals and our player's MVP trophy, then mail them all to us later!

You are here: Experts > Recreation/Outdoors > Volleyball > Volleyball > Is a chant after each rally really proper etiquette

Volleyball - Is a chant after each rally really proper etiquette

Expert: Tom Houser - 10/31/2009

Question
My daughter is playing in a league with 4-6th grade girls. An opposing team would say a chant after each point they scored
They would chant Go baby, Go baby -then they would stomp their foot two times and yell go Go! This happened every time they scored a point. Is this proper volleyball etiquette? Would a jr.high or high school ref allow this? It was very distracting.

Answer
Good morning and welcome to www.allexperts.com!

The situation you've mentioned is not only normal, but accepted. Referees have no issue with it b/c it is not unsportsmanlike. This trend started, I recall, around 1990. My teams didn't do it in the 1980's, but began doing it around 1990 each time we got a spike kill, an ace or a stuff block. Some were really cute, some were memorable, but none were unsportsmanlike.

When will a referee get involved? When the chant is directed at an opponent, then the players look/point/motion toward opponents, if it uses foul language or a taunt, or when it's excessively long.

Distracting? Is that all it is? Then it is legal and sportsmanlike. If it's distracting, then that's a pretty nice fringe benefit! haha Normally, teams that do little chants want to have some girl fun, and if it irritates the opponents, then that's the opponents' problems. Even my stepd's college vball team does some very short cheers after rally ending plays.

I hope you guys have a great season? Does your team have a website? If so, I'd love to visit it! And I hope you have a chance to visit me at www.coachhouser.com! The smiling faces are an indication of my outstanding staff! They're incredible.

Chat later!
Coach Houser

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