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No matter what level of athletics it is there is trash talk.  From pee wee to pro, trash talk can be found in men’s and women’s sports.  It’s just a part of the game that athletes get used to.

Trash talking is insulting or boastful speech intended to demoralize, intimidate, or humiliate someone, especially an opponent in an athletic contest.

Out of all the sports boxing may be most known for trash talking, with some of the biggest trash talkers: Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather.

Muhammad Ali once said, “If you even dream of beating me you’d better wake up and apologize.”

Another trash talker in his time was NHL Hall of Famer Patrick Roy, a former hockey goalie.  He said, “I can’t really hear what Jeremy says because I got my two Stanley Cup rings plugging my ears,” in reference to trash talking by Jeremy Roenick.

Trash talking became more popular after the nineties because of how many popular trash talkers there were, like Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Gary Payton and the Fab Five.

In high school sports trash talking may be most present in basketball.  With basketball season upon us athletes are preparing by shooting, playing defense but also their witty comments.

So why do people trash talk?

Senior members of the girls’ basketball team and non-trash talkers, Sierra Stevens and Abbey Crider gave us their answers.  Abbey said it gives people a sense of self confidence over who you are playing against.

Sierra said, “I think they trash talk to get attention and to show cockiness.”

That may be true. While not a basketball player, junior Jason Shade relayed a story about a time in football when he “completely blew past this kid,” while playing on the defensive line. “He told me that I was really bad, but in an unpleasant manner,” said Shade, “so I told him that was why his mother never loved him.”

Others do it to get an edge.

According to Senior Jake Burch, a member of the boys’ varsity basketball team, “I trash talk because if you get into somebody’s head, you’ve won half the battle.”

2014 grad Alex Bartlett gave us his insight on trash talking.  Alex believes trash talking is a part of sports.  Alex said on the soccer field you won’t hear a worse trash talker than himself.

“Trash talking gets under your opponents skin.  They get rattled easily then,” said Alex.

The question becomes how far is too far with trash talking?

Alex said, “Trash talking is okay until you start making remarks about family, friends, loved ones.”

We can say that trash talking is taken too far when it turns into remarks against personal lives.  Jake Burch said, “If it gets to the point where your focus is more on trash talking than the game, then it’s too far.”

So what is it like to not be a trash talker?  Crider said, “I don’t feel the need to trash talk.  I believe you need to let your actions speak louder than your words.  It’s one thing to say you’re better, it’s another thing to prove it.”