Japanese School Cheering Squad

Most schools in Japan, mainly high schools and collages, have a cheering squad.

I guess that their way to cheer their sports team during a game is very different from a similar cheering group in other country.

Cheering Squad

Besides the guys actively cheering the team, there is also a member who is just holding a huge school flag during the whole game.

Flag Holder

The flag itself is undoubtedly heavy and becomes much heavier when wind blows like in the above picture.

Besides, the flag holder has to bow and get down the huge flag twice in the beginning and end of the game when the cheering squads of both teams exchange greetings.

As can be seen in the above pictures, the squad members usually wear the collar type student uniform, which I recently mentioned (see Uniform), by uniquely arranging it in accordance with the squad's tradition.  Their trouser is very baggy, and jacket is long.

Japanese Cheering Squad Members in Uniquely Arranged Uniforms

The center member is wearing a kimono-like uniform, indicating that he is a leader of the squad.

The cheering squad usually consists of just male members and has very military fanatic style.  Most of their training seems to me to focus on development of mental toughness, rather than physical one that is directly related to their cheering actions.

Japanese Cheering Squad - Training

For example, the above picture shows members doing push ups, however, I don't think of strong necessities for push ups for their cheering actions and believe they are doing push ups just to develop their will power by continuing the push ups when they feel they can't do it any more...

As can be seen from the above example of push ups, they are just like a cult sort of group and consist of any unreasonable things which members have to follow.

Interestingly, the members are usually welcomed by companies in Japan and their employment rate is very good.

It might be indicating that the Japanese companies welcome a person like the above cheering member who just follow unreasonable things without asking why...

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