Title: Men’s XC Cheer
General Information About Item:
- Verbal/Customary folklore
- Language: English
- Country of Origin: United States
- Informant: CD
- Date Collected: 10/21/21
Informant Data:
- Male, 19 years old, Born in New Hampshire, Currently living in Hanover, NH
- CD is a long distance and XC runner at Dartmouth
Contextual Data:
- Cultural Context: Cross country races are both a team and individual sport. While individual performance is important, so is the team’s as a whole. These races also take place outdoors with hundreds of competitors from different schools all starting on the same start line.
- Social Context: Since Cross country is a team sport, making sure that the team is bonded and eager to help each other is essential to placing well in a meet.
Item:
- CD described a team cheer which the Men’s cross country team chants before every meet. The whole men’s team gathers in a huddle to perform the chant. He described two parts, person A (usually the team captain) leads the chant while the other line is shouted by the whole team in response.
Informant Comments/Quotes:
“We have the same cheer before every race.”
Person 1: “Men of dartmouth set a watch”
All: “Lest the old traditions fail” – CD
Collector Comments:
- The team cheer seems like it really gets the whole team excited and ready to work together in the coming race. I can see how it’s extremely important to have the team get together for one final chant before it’s time to compete.
Collected by: Chloe Taylor