Spooked!

Superstitions, routines and rituals are a part of any athletic organization. Georgia College & State University coaches and athletes are no exception.
So, where do some superstitions come from? Black cats were once believed to be re-incarnated witches; to have one cross your path was believed to be bad luck.
Walking under a ladder is considered to be bad luck because when a ladder leans up against a wall, it forms a triangle, which was considered to be a symbol of the holy trinity. To walk under it meant that you were purposely breaking the union of the trinity and consorted with the devil.
In Europe during medieval times, house servants were part of the curse of the broken mirror. The owners of the estate would worry about their valuables being broken so they created a myth that if a servant broke a mirror it would result in seven years of bad luck.
Sports’ superstitions are more personalized. They are in the minds of an individual team or athletes. Whether it’s wearing the same socks during a winning streak or going through the same pre-game rituals every game, athletes and coaches have some of the most interesting quirks or rituals around.
“Through superstitions, we all affect the game,” said Sports Information Director Brad Muller. “I know that if I move or anything I do will have a direct affect on the game.”
Muller found a voodoo chicken’s foot on a trip when he was in college. He believes the foot brings the athlete’s success during games.
“I always pull out my lucky chicken’s foot during games,” said Muller. “I rub it for good luck or point it at the other team to put the whammy on them at an important part of the game. Some people have a lucky rabbit’s foot, I have a lucky chicken’s foot.”
Good luck charms are one thing, but what about good luck suits or outfits? Head Women’s Basketball Coach John Carrick believes that what he wears on the court has an impact on his players’ performance.
“When I first started coaching I would actually chart the win/loss record of what I wore for the game,” said Carrick. “Then I would wear the one that had the best record.”
Carrick has chewed the same brand of gum (Trident) and avoids pre-game interview spots where he talked to a reporter before a loss.
Last year, the women’s softball team had an incredible 26-0 run to start the season. Head Coach Windy Thees didn’t do anything differently, but her players always followed the same pre-game routine.
“We do the same thing every game,” said Thees. “All of their gloves have to be touching on the bench and all of their feet have to be touching.”
Even during the streak, the team wanted to keep everything exactly the same every game.
“We really didn’t do anything different or unique each game,” said Thees. “But we made sure we did the same thing and when we loss, we looked for new things to do to get back on a streak.”
The coaches’ attitudes towards superstitions is one thing, but athletes have rituals that stretch from weird and bizarre to everyday normal events that cannot be messed with.
“Some of the girls had their things,” said Thees. “They would touch the same spot on the bat and one girl even wore the same shirt for a few games, but she did wash it.”
“In baseball, no one ever steps on the foul line coming off and on the field,” said Bobcats’ Infielder Bret Benson. “I always wear black eye tape when I’m hitting good.”
“I don’t know if it’s a superstition, but I always have to pee before I run for a meet,” said Cross Country Runner Misha Tenenbaum. “Even if it’s just a little, I don’t feel comfortable unless I go before I run.”
So, after all the chicken’s feet, clothes, glove positions, and empty bladders, the question still remains: What affect do all of these superstitions have on the outcome of the sporting events?
“Absolutely none,” said Carrick. “But I’ll still do them. Just in case there’s any way that I could be responsible for a loss because I wore the same shoes or did an interview in the same place. I’m not going to take that chance.”
Anyone headed to the Centennial Center or West Campus Complex should bring their lucky rabbit’s foot and look out for black cats in your path because GC&SU athletes are looking to put their luckiest foot forward.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 31 2003. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry