Slogans are used around the world, with some of the most notable belonging to college athletic programs. Take Michigan’s “Those Who Stay Will Be Champions” as an example. Though it may not be as popular as “Go Blue,” it still unites the community. The same unifying characteristic belongs to Notre Dame’s “Wake Up the Echoes,” “Hook ‘Em Horns” at Texas, and “Hotty Toddy” at Ole Miss, just to name a few. Each of these sayings is meaningful and significant to these schools’ students, professors, alumni and fans.

Last year, Caroline Ballou and Juliet Eden of the 2014-2015 JV girls’ soccer team were feeling inventive and came up with an original and new team cheer that went along these lines: “Play Like Them, Be Like Them: Warriors!” “We were having a really good season and thought it was good motivation to work harder,” said Ballou.

The 2015-2016 Girls’ junior varsity soccer started its season 1-1-1, with a 1-2 loss to Chamblee, a 5-0 win over North Springs and a 2-2 tie with Grady.

At the time, the newly adopted cheer was meant just for the team, but the slogan has become so meaningful to the JV girls that they want it to belong to the whole school. “I think that the cheer reflects the team and soccer program and North Atlanta really well,” said Ballou. “We play with heart and like warriors every game so it’s a reminder before we get on the field of how great we are.”

“It’s pretty self-evident what the term ‘Warriors’ means. Those in this category always fight and play tough,” said first-year JV coach Jack Stenger. “Our name and our cheer are perfect as it relates to our strategy for each game. Each player is expected to embody and to fight like a Warrior. She has to give it all she has.”

Who knows how far the cheer will go? Maybe it will show up on t-shirts next year or – perhaps – emblazoned in paint on a locker-room wall down the road. One thing’s for sure: the idea of playing like and being like Warriors is one that every player and coach holds in their heart.