Rally....

On Thursday, my Junior High held a kind of sports cheer during sixth period.  The sports clubs were dressed in their uniforms and introduced themselves to the non-sports clubs.  Their names and positions and/or numbers were all read off one by one.  Beforehand, after the sports clubs had entered the gym, the principal gave a speech.

Once they were all introduced--the junior high has boy's baseball, boy's volleyball, girl's volleyball, boy's tennis, soft tennis, girl's tennis, ping-pong, girl's basketball, kendo, and one other that only had two members-- a kind of cheer was performed.  A group of students, some from the sports clubs and some not, took turns leading the cheer to each individual team.  The teams themselves did not participate in the cheers, but the non-sport club students did.  I am going to try my best to describe the cheer.

The leader stands facing the sports clubs, feet apart, knees slightly bent, arms behind his or her back, hands clasped.  Everyone else participating in the cheer stands the same way.  The leader shouts while leaning backwards and bending at the knees.  The participants repeat the same action, but with a different word shouted.  This is done three times.  The leader then brings his/her hands to either side of his/her head and, while shouting, extends each arm out to the side individually.  With another shout, he/she brings both hands to his/her forehead.  While still shouting, he/she bounces the hands from the forehead, to the chest, to the stomach.  Another shout brings the arms up again--the participants doing the same in unison--and everyone claps to the beat of a drum while shouting (sorry, I cannot remember the words).  Then the leader and participants clap three times quickly, pause, clap once, then shout while throwing their right fist into the air.

It goes very quickly, and at the end the team it was directed toward gives their gratitude in unison.  It was a lot of fun, and very interesting to watch.  After the second or third time, I participated as best I could.  If I am understanding correctly, they have tournaments going on right now.

After school, I stuck around to write notes about the ceremony--the closest American equivalent I can think of is a rally--and one of my teachers asked if I would mind playing table tennis with the club.  Since I had planned on watching the clubs any way, I said I would, and got to play for half an hour.  I felt bad for my opponents because I am not very good, but I think we all had a lot of fun any way.  I accidentally hit a ball into the top of one of the student's heads.  Luckily it was soft, and after I apologized we all had a good laugh about it.