Right shinguard first, then left, then right sock then left. Same seat on the bus, same songs on repeat, same color pre wrap. This was my routine for every high school soccer game I ever played. It’s not much but it was my routine, my superstitions. I also kept my same banged up cleats that I had since 7th grade because I didn’t want to get new ones senior year and then not play how I wanted to, how I was expected to, they were my lucky cleats. Most athletes and sports fan have their version of superstitions, that they carry out of game day. If your favorite team wins then you might do the exact same thing every game day, or wear the same jersey, hat, or t-shirt every time they play. Athletes sometimes don’t wash certain things if their team is on a win streak (sometimes it’s underwear, but hey if you winning, to each it’s own). But why do we do it. Wearing a certain article of clothing or going the same route to the rink every day has no effect on how we play, but yet we think in our minds that if we do just the slightest thing different, the world will come crashing down.
Superstitious behaviors often include rituals (an action that is repeated because of “symbolic nature”) to give us the outcome we desire (Whitbourne, 2014). This explains why we do certain things. Since rituals are symbolic, athletes and fans do them to symbolize winning, but why does this at times ludacris behavior make us think that? Whitbourne explains that it has something to do with operant conditioning. “When an action causes a desired consequence, we repeat the action,” (Whitbourne, 2014). An example would be if you’re taking a test and use a pencil designed with soccer balls on it, and then get a 100% on that test, for every other test, you’re going to want to use that same pencil because it was part of that 100% and you think if you use a different one, you will do far worse.
There was a study done at Kent University where they wanted to find out, “the notion that when people are unsure about an outcome, they try to find a way to control that outcome,” (Whitbourne, 2014). They said that one reason could be since the fans themselves can’t control the outcome, they believe their superstitions can, and that in return will reduce their anxiety. It makes them feel a since if control in an uncontrollable situation. Wilson goes on to say that the sports fans who identify strongly with a local team are the ones who engage in the superstitious behavior because they are invested in the team, win or lose. They feel that their activities can help the team win. I know during the Penguins Playoff run I wore only my Malkin jersey because they won the first round and I thought if I changed it that they would lose (which they ended up doing anyways).
A CBS article says that over 50% of Americans believe in superstitions (knock on wood, don’t open an umbrella indoors, good luck charms, etc), while only 40% believe in evolution (CBS, 2012). “The mind just registered that when he put his socks on that particular day, something good happened. And therefore that becomes hard to ignore,” (CBS, 2012). Gilovich says our brains our wired to believe our superstitions because of “cause and effect.” Another scientist, Whitson also says that superstitions help reduce anxiety when we are not in control of the situation.
So overall while these superstitions may not actually work they do reduce anxiety. They are like a placebo, they don’t actually work in a scientific sense, but you believe that they do and it helps.
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I would do the exact same thing before soccer games. I would put my clothes on the same way each game day, eat the same breakfast, put my hair the same way.. they were all my game day superstitions. When my team was on a winning streak we didn’t wash our socks. I also have a superstition with my evil eye bracelet. I refuse to go through my day without wearing it. I don’t know why, but it ALWAYS has to be on.
This post reminded me of my grandmom being superstitious of black cats. Whenever she saw a black cat, she would assume that people would have bad luck. Not wondering where this black cat superstitious theory came from, I looked it up online. At first, black cats were worshiped in Egypt. If you killed a black cat in Ancient Egypt, you would receive capital punishment. However, in the 17th century, cats became linked to witchcraft. This created the superstition of black cats.
I could easily relate with your post because I did the exact same things when I played lacrosse in High School. Before every game, I sat in the same seat with my best friend, sat in the same seat in the locker rooms sandwiched between my two best friends, drank one water, ate a Clif Bar, and listened to the same playlist. So I agree with that. Finally, I had my “lucky shirt” that I wore only for the biggest games of the year. I believe that superstitions in sports is real since even professional players do things before each game to prevent bad luck.
Here is a website about interesting superstitions in various sports: http://www.factmonster.com/spot/superstitions1.html