A non-exhaustive list of good cheering practices and ways to exercise mindfulness in sports while observing good sportsmanship during sport events.

1. Cheer for your team. They need your support and energy to build up their own spirit for the event. There is nothing wrong with supporting players when done properly, genuinely and respectfully. And cheering for a beautiful play from the opposite side is just as important. For it brings the recognition a little higher still, since it comes from the opponent.

2. Do not over cheer but do not under cheer. Supporting our team until the very end is expected and necessary. If we stop cheering in the middle of the game because our team is winning, it can be felt as humiliating for the other team. And unsettling for our own. As for over cheering when our side is well ahead, this is plain disrespectful and goes against good sportsmanship. Finding a healthy middle to support all players will go a long way in making the event successful. No matter what the outcome is.

3. Be loud but not offending. It is good to highlight a great play, no matter what side it comes from. But some ways to actually express it are affecting deeply the rest of the audience, including the players. Cowbells, whistles or clapping devices can feel offensive, just as cowboy cheers. A strong supportive applause acknowledging a good play will go much further to congratulate players. And will be much better received by the opposite party than disproportionate celebrations.

4. Use alternate cheers when appropriate. Applause instead of vocal expression of your satisfaction on a great play can go a long way when the crowd is on edge. Somehow removing the human component inherent to voices helps alleviate negative energy when tempers flare. Voices can hold a level of irritability that may push some people’s buttons and bring them way out of their comfort zone. Vocal chords are much better used in a meaningful way, and moderately.

5. Use appropriate language. Negative words are simply not acceptable, no matter what the situation is and no matter who they are directed to. Elegance always prevails, even when testosterone runs high in the event. Supporting a good play or suggesting one will come naturally to those of us who need to talk it out. But remember that no matter what, players will likely not hear the overall public’s comments since they are—as they should be—focused on their game and looking for the guidance from their coaches before anything else.

6. Be fair with the calls. Referees, umpires, officials and all figures of authority present for a game are necessary to the successful completion of any sporting event. But it does not mean they are always able to make the right call or perform entirely impartially. Mistakes can be made and many factors may influence the judgment of the officials. This can be—quite—frustrating for the players and public alike. If a call is clearly unfair, it is important to remain impartial. There is no need to back it up, even if it favors our team, nor voice out loud our discontentment. A game is won on fair grounds and questionable decisions from officials shall not be impacting the performance of the players.

7. Sit wisely. If team supporters tend to gather together, making the informed choice of sticking to the one side favored by our team is a good option. When beautiful plays will be acclaimed and wrong calls pointed out, being within the opposite fan base may feel overly offensive or difficult to deal with depending on our ability to handle pressure and harsh comments.

8. Do mingle and share small talk with all audience. Regardless of their side. Before and after the game. Sports are a great way to socialize and build relationships within our communities. Not just for the players, but for the public too. And, well, this is Nova Scotia. No matter what activities we try, we like, we pursue or we choose not to continue, we will likely see the same faces in other events at some point or another on our path in the future. No matter if it is within the same field of activity or something totally different. So let’s make it a pleasant journey, take all we can from those recurring events and build meaningful relationships all along.

9. Accept the competitiveness. Being competitive is a strength and a fantastic tool to build a healthy and meaningful lifestyle. Endorsing competition means that we acknowledge we want to reach a little higher than where we are at one point in life. It means we are ready to put in the efforts to get a little further into our skills’ level and abilities to achieve something meaningful. It means we are willing and able to surpass ourselves. Although too often demoted as a negative behavior, competitiveness is an asset when handled mindfully and should be considered as such.

10. Sit down, be humble. Accept the outcome with constructive assessment. It is ok to be disappointed after a disheartening loss or when the officials clearly were partial. It is ok to be greatly satisfied after a challenging win that needed much efforts and clever logistics to come through. The only thing is to remember to take those feelings off the field, off the court, off the game with humility. To be able to look back at them, study the high notes and the misses, and to build from them. So that the team as a whole, players, coaches, supporters and all in between can feel greater and more prepared for the next game.