OPINION

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Writing in a journal, bouncing a ball before serving. Friday the 13th. Knocking on wood. Lucky socks. A black cat. Superstitions. We all have them.

People subscribe to superstitions all the time. Whether you are preparing for a baseball game, about to take a physics test, or anxiously waiting for a snow day, a comforting superstition can put your mind at ease. Does flushing an ice cube down the toilet heighten the possibility of snow the following morning? I’m not convinced. Does eating lucky fried chicken before every game improve your performance? Definitely.  

Wade Boggs at third base for the Red Sox in 1988. Photo credit: Ted Straub via Wikimedia Commons.

According to a 2021 article from Reader’s Digest, 50 percent of Americans consider themselves superstitious. Even though these individuals might think their superstitious habits are ridiculous, they confidently knock on wood to avoid bad luck. Oftentimes, these habits have a soothing effect, easing stress and allowing people to feel as though they have some control in situations when they really have none. 

Athletes use all types of superstitions to ready themselves for upcoming challenges. Even some of the best athletes of all time rely on consistent routines to allow themselves to compete at their highest level. Superstitions can boost confidence, which frequently improves performance. For example, drawing in the sand of the batter’s box before batting in baseball or softball can distract you from the upcoming pressures, give you a sense of control, and comfort you with a steady routine in a situation with an unknown outcome. For baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, superstitions mean writing the Hebrew word “chai” (meaning “life”) in the batter’s box and, additionally, eating chicken before all games. 

Similarly, arguably the greatest basketball player ever has superstitions. After guiding the University of North Carolina to a national championship in 1982, Michael Jordan believed his uniform shorts were lucky. Jordan brought his good luck charm to the NBA. During his time with the Chicago Bulls, he wore his North Carolina shorts under his uniform to every game.

Michael Jordan wearing his University of North Carolina Shorts under his Chicago Bulls uniform. Photo credit: @HistoryJumpman via Twitter.

Clothing choices are frequently athletes’ trusted superstitions. Assigning luck to something tangible can add tranquility to the intangible results of a game. Varsity basketball player Randolph Campbell (‘24) wears two socks on both feet for each basketball game. Campbell explains that “I did it once, played well, and never turned back.” Although wearing two pairs of socks probably had little to no impact on his performance the first time he did it, the results were too favorable not to continue with this routine.   

Allowing yourself to focus on minute details can take your mind off of looming stresses. Athletes often direct their attention to the smallest details to calm them down before a challenge. Lucy Ottley (‘23), a member of the Collegiate tennis team, says during matches, “I always have to have an orange Gatorade, and it has to be on the left side of my water bottle on the bench.” Although Lucy is not sure this ritual helps her, she stays loyal to it, as it helps her relax. 

During home soccer games, Shep Lewis, Upper School history teacher and soccer, basketball, and lacrosse coach, always sits on the back of the bench to the left of the players. Also, at both home and away games, you will always see Coach Lewis with Haribo Twin Snakes candy. Lewis says, “I know they don’t change the outcome of anything athletically, but if I have my Twin Snakes and sit in the right spot, that’s something I can control, which makes me feel at ease.” He further explained that it’s not healthy to fully rely on superstitions to perform well, but doing whatever you can to calm yourself down is a beneficial thing. 

So, can superstitions change the future? Not exactly. Or at least not directly, but small, superstitious actions do change people’s attitudes, reducing stress and calming anxiety. And this change in attitude changes your physical performance as your brain automatically manifests a positive outcome. Although superstitions seem irrational, superstitions allow people to make rational decisions in stressful environments. Superstitions provide comfort in a world where you can’t control much at all, producing a sense of control where control essentially does not exist. 

Featured image credit: Michael Meier.