“Some people, maybe who are not athletes, might think that a lot of these routines are weird, and it’s OK that they’re weird,” Burrows said. “It’s more that the consistency gives athletes peace of mind and it helps them perform better. It doesn’t really matter what the ritual is, it’s doing it consistently — that’s what helps.”
Sydney Acol
Lacrosse defender Sydney Acol (senior) said she always gets to the locker room an hour and 15 minutes early on game days. Acol said this routine gives her the time and space to get into the right mindset.
“It’s all just become part of my routine for game day,” Acol said. “I’m used to doing it every single game, so if I forget it, it might not feel the same way when I am getting into the zone. It is like warming up and getting your muscles activated.”
Acol said some of her superstitions and rituals formed during high school lacrosse. Acol said she follows similar routines and still uses the same gear for game days.
“One kind of superstition [is] that I wear the exact same stuff that I have [had] since high school,” Acol said. “I wear the same sports bra, the same spandex and the same hair tie. It’s kind of crazy, but it works for me.”
Part of Acol’s pre-game routine involves her teammates. Acol said Tirzah Rivera (sophomore) or Olivia Okamoto (senior) always braid her hair. However, Acol said sometimes she has to change plans.
“One time, Tirzah was sick. She wasn’t there to braid my hair before the game, and Olivia was in the trainers. I found someone else to do it, but I still want to get all of my routines or pre-game rituals done, even if it takes a little change,” Acol said.
Reagan Rosenthal
Softball outfielder Reagan Rosenthal (first year) said she has many superstitions she relies on during competition.
“I believe in literally resetting yourself and resetting your mind,” Rosenthal said. “This is why softball and baseball are two special sports, because you’re forced to confront your problems. When you go up to bat, and it’s literally just you and the pitcher, and you have to face your problem – [the pitcher].”
To help with the pressure involved in softball, Rosenthal said she takes every opportunity to reset during games.
“If I chew gum in a game and I am chewing it for an inning and I didn’t like how that inning went for me, I spit out the gum and start [chewing] a new piece,” Rosenthal said. “It is like a restarting point.”
Rosenthal said she uses some of her superstitions to calm herself in other aspects of her life.
“When it comes to preparing myself for an exam or something else, I’ll find myself shaking off the bad vibes,” Rosenthal said. “That is something that I [also] do when I’m on second base or when I’m running. I have to shake my hands to get ready. I’ll catch myself doing that before I walk in for an exam or something like that.”
Benjamin Burrows
Burrows said he started playing tennis at 14 years old, and trained at IMG Academy in Florida, where he learned about nutrition. Burrows said his preparations for matches always start the night before when he eats a healthy meal from Panera, but that some of his superstitions get a little more specific.
“Bouncing [the ball] between serves is not only [something I do] in matches, but it’s something that I incorporate during practice,” Burrows said. “The whole idea is it doesn’t matter if it’s an easy point and there’s no pressure, or if it’s a match point and it’s to clinch and you have all that pressure. If you’re doing the same routines over and over again, that eases your anxiety.”
In addition to bouncing the ball before serving, Burrows said he does not walk on the white lines in between points, and he always puts his shoes on in the same order. Sometimes superstitions can get in the way of an athlete’s performance, Burrows said, but he is intentional about remaining focused during practice and matches.
“You really want to focus on the things that matter, and if you’re distracted by anything else, that doesn’t help,” Burrows said. “I think routine just puts you at ease. It primes and prepares your brain.”
Burrows said even though some of his superstitions may seem odd, everything counts during a match.
“Tennis is a sport where so much is uncontrollable, whether it’s the sun, the wind, the opponent,” Burrows said. “The margins are so slim, so if I can get a one or two percent difference in a tight match just by doing consistent routines over and adding up all my superstitions, however weird they are, and they give me a one or two percent edge, I’ll definitely take each percent.”
Contact Nora Youngelson at youngelson@oxy.edu
