Contribution of Sports Fans

No matter the sport or activity you are bound to have fans. Fans are sometimes vital to a team. The energy and encouragement from the crowd adds to the game and a player's adrenaline. Although fans are great to have, they sometimes overdo it. In my opinion fans should be respectful. This doesn't mean they shouldn't cheer and be competitive, but there are certain boundaries they should not pass. The actions of fans can not only impact the team they support, but also their opponent. This impact can be positive or negative.

When striving to achieve a common goal a positive attitude is key. Ways in which fans can contribute to their team is by cheering when a point is earned or doing group cheers to get the rest of the crowd excited. Almost every single athlete I know would prefer a jam-packed gym over a couple of fans. This is because the cheering and constant screams from the crowd not only put pressure on them, but also the other team. Wouldn't you want to play really well if a lot of people were watching? The nervousness players have adds to the adrenaline of the game and can potentially be a benefit to your team's energy. 

Negative remarks can hurt a team's confidence. I believe fans should not single out one particular person on the opponent's team just to help their team win. Yes, this might get into their head and cause them to make more mistakes, but if you make remarks about the way they play the effects aren't restricted to that single game. When that athlete goes home they will think about those negative remarks and it can potentially harm their self-esteem. It's all fun and games until you actually hurt someone's feelings.

Now I know not many fans act this way, but sometimes things can get out of hand. If everyone is mindful of what they say, about anything for that matter, and think about the effects their words have on others everything will be fine. I do love my school's fans and am very grateful for every single one of them. Each team has those few loyal fans that follow them to away games no matter the distance and each athlete should be extremely grateful for them as well. I am not discouraging fans to go all out and cheer, but remember you can never take back what you already said. Choose your words wisely.