China Gives Free Lessons on How to Cheer

I don't think I ever appreciated cheerleaders as a high school athlete. I'm ashamed to admit it even now and if I ever disrespected a cheerleader and you're reading this - I'm very sorry. It wasn't until I came to China that I realized how important they were - they don't just invite the crowd to cheer, they teach them how to cheer.

Watching Chinese athletics either in person or in on TV, the one thing you notice is an overuse of the single phrase" 加油！", which literally translated means "add fuel" but is the equivalent to our "Come on!" or "Go team!". Actually, calling it an overuse is an understatement. There is no other phrase in the Chinese language! That's all you can say to spur on your team to victory.

That's why when Beijing's Olympic Organizing Committee announced on June 5th "official" Olympic slogans and cheering routines, I couldn't help but laugh and think to myself "Well, better late than never." In essence, the committee has decided to teach people how to cheer.

So what do you say to teach people how to cheer? Let me give you a few examples straight from the BOOC, which I got from this article:

• "Simple chants and gestures are the best way to cheer on your favorite sportsmen...these gestures include giving a double thumbs up or waving both arms with clenched fists." (see pictured example above if you're not sure what this might look like)

• "All actions may be accompanied by several slogans."

• If by chance you forget how to give the double thumbs up or clench your fists..."Volunteers will also be on hand to direct the crowds how to cheer."

Now don't lie to me and try to tell me you don't think that's not a little bit funny! They're actually hiring 30 cheering squads to be placed at all the different Olympic venues to show people how to cheer. Special training sessions are being held in schools where many of the 800,000 attendees are students. The cheering routines - which are made up of four steps - are supposed to be popularized with the spectators in the weeks before the Olympics through television broadcasts. If we see it we'll definitely let you know.