Superstitions and traditions are something many athletes are familiar with. Whether it is wearing the same socks or eating the same food, athletes will do whatever it takes to make sure their team has the best chance of winning.
Many JC students have their own superstitions and traditions.
Varsity soccer player Ryan Skandalis has things he must follow before each game.
One thing Ryan is wearing the same compression shorts from when he was 12. He also always gets his ankle taped — even if he is not hurt. Ryan even tapes his wrist, so he can wear his favorite bracelet during the game.
After that Ryan must “only pass with one partner, Luke Mejia, until we stretch and take shots.” After that, Ryan runs over to his mom on the sideline to grab an energy ball she made. Ryan said, “It’s my last source of fuel for the game.” Then the most important thing to Ryan is when he leads the team in prayer.
Ryan’s helps him feel game day ready. He is not the only one with a long routine. Juniors Lydia and Julia Ward who both play girls varsity lacrosse also have routines.
Although they may be twins, they have different superstitions and traditions. Lydia gets ready for her games by always drinking a certain drink, and making sure she has the right socks on. She even has to wear a certain hair tie and bow in her hair.
Another thing important to Lydia’s routine is always chewing a piece of gum during warm-ups. Lydia feels that “it just makes me play better,” and when something good happens, she will add to her routine so it can happen again.
Julia has her own superstitions and traditions, too. Since Julia plays goalie, she must follow her own way of putting on her gear and warming up the same way every game. Now one thing the twins do have in common is they both have to wear the same hair tie and bow every game.
Most importantly Julia always sets herself up the same way for free positions. Without doing these things Julia feels she “played bad mentally,” resulting in why she does not change her routine.
Freshman varsity baseball player Miguel Leon’s routine changes depending on how he plays. His routine starts in the locker room or on the bus when he is listening to music. One thing especially important to Miguel is to make sure he is wearing his Venezuelan arm sleeve.
Miguel may change the sleeve he is wearing, “but it will always be a Venezuelan one.”
He also changes other things while playing depending on how well he is doing, like whether he has his batting gloves or his sliding mitt in his pocket, or even which sunglasses he is wearing.
If Miguel feels he plays poorly, he might change what he is doing, but if he plays well, he would not change what he does.
Miguel said, “For me, if it’s working, I am going to stick with it, and if it isn’t then I’ll switch some things up.”
Some people have simple superstitions and traditions, including junior Addison Steffes who plays varsity badminton.
Addie’s superstitions and traditions only consist of three things. First she must wear her badminton uniform the same way every time. Next she must always drink Yerba Mate before every game. Lastly, if she scores a point, Addie taps her racket on her feet.
Addie thinks that when she taps her racket on her feet that it will “win [her] another point.” Addie has always done these things and said she does not know what will happen if she does not do them.
Junior JV lacrosse player Corinne Baikauskas has tried not following her routine before, and it has ended in a way she did not like.
Corinne’s routine consists of eating mozzarella sticks at lunch, and eating a cosmic brownie before she plays her game.
When Corinne does not do this, “then the lacrosse team loses.” However, when she does follow this, her lacrosse team wins.