In the world of high school athletics, athletes are constantly searching for ways to improve each time they perform. Whether it’s a game, meet, or match, athletes have to prepare themselves in more ways than one. While being a consistent participant at practice, fueling their body with the right nutrition, and even focusing on their mental health, athletes attempt to get into the “mindset” that is required to guarantee peak performance. Something that many athletes swear by is superstitions; from lucky socks to specific songs, athletes practice rituals all the time. This article will dive into the specific superstitions that some Berkley Bears practice and you may not even notice!

Senior Kai Nielsen takes a slightly different approach than some may think. Nielsen loves to see the number 3 on gameday. To many people, seeing the number 3 may be insignificant, but any soccer player, or even a soccer fan would know that per district soccer game if a team wins, they earn 3 points to the league (OAA Red). With that being said, he does everything in threes. Nielsen also notes that it’s typical to always put your right cleat on before your left. He explains that while rituals don’t necessarily impact how you play, superstitions can create a routine which installs stability into what can be a stressful day. Whether it’s a small detail to add to your day, he says that the consistency of gameday really matters. Nielsen adds that “If I don’t do [the superstitions], I won’t be in the right headspace.”

Sophomore Norah Stahl, plays on the JV basketball team. Before a basketball game, she makes sure she gets lots of time on the court to warm up and practice her free throws. Stahl notes that many of her teammates including herself have their “lucky” socks and shoes that they wear every game. She adds, “I don’t think my superstitions affect the way I play, but it gives me comfort knowing that I have my routine and it’s something I can stick to.” Through other teammates, she has picked up on wearing a lucky hair tie. She has found this is something that’s easy to stick to and she also continues to adapt to new rituals as she plays more and more games!

Junior Caleigh Tracey, a Varsity Basketball and Volleyball player insists on having a RedBull before each game. Like Stahl, she has a warm up routine that she likes to follow before each game. She practices her shooting for basketball and for volleyball makes sure she practices her touches before its game time. Tracey adds, “I think the best preparation you can do is practicing how you’ll perform in practice and talking with your teammates”.
In conclusion, athletic superstitions serve as an assistant to confidence and team camaraderie. Whether its shoes, numbers, songs, or even hair ties, many athletes have rituals that they follow! It may seem silly to some, but many people believe in the small acts athletes perform before a game. Superstitions and rituals create a big piece of how athletes go about their day!