Charlotte Flannery ‘19 always puts her mouthguard in her hockey glove before a game.
Zoe Barnette ‘19 has put the same lucky coin in her fencing shoe since third grade.
Phaedra Manikas ’18 holds the ice that will go down her shirt before a soccer game.
Phaedra Manikas ‘18 puts ice down her shirt before each soccer game.
Superstitions and rituals can strongly affect someone’s athletic performance. But are they effective?
According to a 2014 article in Psychology Today, “Superstitious behavior can include rituals you engage in to produce a specific outcome.”
Athletes at all levels, from pick-up players to Olympians, have their superstitions. But why do athletes have them? Superstitions and rituals are usually created by the reinforcement process. If someone does something that results in an exceptional outcome, they will repeat it.
“One time, before a soccer game, I had nowhere to put my earrings because I forgot to take them off, so I pinned them in my shoe,” says Sofia Jordan ‘19. “That game, I had a hat trick, and ever since, I’ve had good luck with it.”
Sofia Jordan ’19, with her soccer cleat and earring
For many people, not knowing the outcome of something can create a lot of anxiety and a lack of confidence. According to a 2016 article in Very Well, by having a certain ritual, athletes give themselves some sort of control over what the outcome may be, even though it is not practical.
Even though superstitious rituals are physical, the outcome of the ritual is purely mental. When athletes practice their superstitions, they tell themselves that they will play well, so they are more likely to perform well.
Lauren Cerratani, ’19 shows off her lucky pre-wrap
Lauren Cerretani ‘19 always puts pre-wrap on her head before every game. “Whenever I wear pre-wrap, I have good games and whenever I wear headbands, I have bad games.” says Cerretani.
The negative effects of being superstitious are just as strong as the positives. If a ritual is not performed correctly, it will discourage the athlete’s confidence and ability to perform well.
Jonathan Toews, captain of the Chicago Blackhawks said in an interview with NHL, “It’s the only thing that’s gonna keep you from playing a big game because if you don’t do it properly, well, then it’s in your head that you’re not gonna play well.”
The upshot of this is that no matter how superstitious an athlete is, the outcome of their performance is based on their mental state of confidence.