When one watches athletes before a game or a meet, it is not considered out of the ordinary to see elaborate handshakes, team chants, or absurd eating habits. Superstitions in sports are not to be taken lightly, because for some players it helps them focus and stay confident. To disregard any small superstition would be to jinx the athlete’s performance on that given day.

Many professional athletes follow certain personal codes before each game, some of which they gain a reputation for. Serena Williams bounces the ball 5 times before her first serve, and twice before her second serve, and she even laces her shoes a specific way. Hall of Fame baseball player Wade Boggs, who played for the Boston Red Sox, would eat chicken before every game, earning him the famous nickname “Chicken Man”. No one would expect one of the greatest professional basketball players of all time to rely on superstitions, but Michael Jordan wore his University of North Carolina shorts under his uniform for every game.
Superstitions in athletics may be considered strange and absurd, but there is a benefit to these crazy quirks. Studies show that repetitive actions help players to relax, it gives them a sense of control in a situation that can take a turn for the best or the worst in an instant. Bearing in mind the amount of pressure that athletes are under, it is not all that surprising that some may go to desperate and unusual measures to lift it. Students at Placer have their own rituals when it comes to athletics as well.
“I have a lucky sports bra, I always do the same warm-up routine, I jump three times after a lay-up, and if anyone makes a negative presumption against the opposing team I have to knock on wood,” states senior Kerry McCullough, who is the starting point guard for the Placer varsity girl’s basketball team.

McCullough believes that her peculiar routine takes the stress out of her mind and gives her a sense of security. She is not the only student athlete that has certain habits before performances; there are people in every sport with superstitious beliefs.
“Ruth Braica, our cross-country captain, has the varsity girls hold hands in a circle while she prays. She does it before every race,” shared Macaylea Mitchell, who runs for Placer varsity cross-country.

Praying is extremely common before performances in sports. In a situation that seems too large for any one person or team to handle, it is easier to leave fate up to a higher authority. Praying for a successful performance goes back to the times of Roman battles when warriors would pray and make sacrifices in efforts to persuade the power of the gods to support their side. It is human nature to be superstitious: humans are competitive beings and will consider anything in order to gain a mental edge on their opponents, whether it’s in the way that one dresses, prays, or fuels up before a game.

“Gatorade Prime is a must for the soccer team, we drink it before every game,” stated Brennan Entz, player for Placer varsity boy’s soccer team.
Prayer, lucky sports bras, intricate team chants, and Gatorade Prime; it is no wonder why athletes are the most superstitious people on campus.