Cheerleading Pep Rally Themes Ideas

Pep rallies are a way for schools to garner team spirit amongst the students, faculty and staff. They are often planned right before a sporting event and can be elaborate displays with widespread participation, or informal gatherings with lots of chanting, music and spirited shouting. If you are thinking of planning a cheerleading pep rally, there are several high-energy ideas that you can implement for an excitingly fun event.

  1. Holiday Spirit

    • Take advantage of a holiday theme to have a cheerleading pep rally. For Halloween, create a spooky theme in the gym and have attendees wear costumes. Build a giant cardboard tombstone and write the rival team's name on it. Have a costume contest where students dress like faculty members. Have cheerleaders wear ghoulish face paint. For Easter, plan an egg hunt in the gym or on the school lawn. Use plastic hollow eggs that you can place a note in with the school mascot name or with the a slogan that supports your team's victory. Have someone dress in bunny ears and their uniform.

    Fire Themed Rally

    • One way to show that your team is "fired up" is to have a fire-themed rally. Hand out red hot candies to attendees. Play Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire" song on the PA system. Have the cheerleaders wear costume firefighter gear -- plastic red hats and rubber boots. Get your local fire department involved and see if they will allow some of the cheerleaders or sports team members to arrive on a fire truck at the rally. Have a uniformed local fireman say a few words at the rally about the upcoming game.

    Beach Party Rally

    • If you can't play hooky and go to the beach, bring the beach to your school for your next pep rally. Turn your gym into a beach. Borrow umbrellas, lounge chairs and beach gear. Lay out beach towels and have the cheerleaders toss beach balls to the crowd with your school mascot name on it. Play songs by the Beach Boys. For a good laugh, have the male members of your sports team wear bikini tops and have a swimsuit competition judged by audience applause. Encourage students to wear sunglasses, shorts and Hawaiian shirts to the rally.

    Pajama Party Pep Rally

    • Advertise for a pajama pep rally and encourage attendees to wear bedtime clothing. Have the school mascot dressed in pajamas. Use slogans such as "We're Going to Put Team X To Bed" when chanting about the rival team. Have the cheerleaders create a skit where someone dressed as the rival team mascot is laying on a cot in the center of the floor while asleep, while team members score around him. Be sure to note that while good spirited fun is expected by all, appropriate nighttime attire is expected.