Superstitions and athletics are synonymous. Ask any athlete, and nine times out of 10 they will mention some form of pre-game ritual. Whether it be a pre-game prayer, a hearty meal or mental preparation, even the best athletes leave their fate up to powers beyond their control.
Alex Mangold, men’s basketball player and graduate student studying business administration, has quite the routine before games.
“We are a very superstitious team and that stems from Coach Crutchfield. My pre-game routine is to get a hearty meal from Outback with the team before every game, watch the beginning of the women’s basketball game, and head into the locker room to prepare at halftime,” Mangold said. “Before every game, coach tells us ‘There’s no place I’d rather be’ and we storm out onto the court before the girls’ game ends, I look up at our back-to-back national championship banners, we all have a group prayer before the game and end it off with ‘1-2-3 Sharks!’”
Sofia Suarez, women’s soccer player and junior exercise and sport science major, likes to keep it simple when it comes to pre-game preparation.
“I always need to have a good meal the night before a match. Nine times out of 10, it’s chicken and pasta because it’s what makes me feel the best,” Suarez said. “I also usually have a snack two to three hours before a match as well. I always wrap my right wrist with athletic tape, and during the national anthem I like to close my eyes and take it all in, say a prayer, and head out there.”
Amanda Bogle, rowing team member and senior environmental science major, prioritizes mental wellness and manifesting before races.
“Before any race, I always make sure that my mental health and well-being is good. To me, it’s more important than being prepared physically, because you can have the physical capacity to excel but not the mental capacity to execute,” Bogle said. “I also like to envision and manifest exactly what I want myself to do during the race, it plays out like a movie in my head and when it’s all done, I open my eyes and lock in.”
Maya Esparza, women’s swimming team member and junior sport and recreation management major, has quite a meticulous routine.
“My strategies stay the same before every race, sometimes it depends on the yardage. Typically I wake up at the same time, I warm up with a 800-yard run, and then I listen to certain types of music.
Specifically, the song Bad Girls by M.I.A.,” Esparaza said. “I’m really specific about drinking a Peach Vibe Celsius about 30 minutes before I swim. I also like to talk to my competitors before each race so I can relax and remind myself that everyone is in the same position. I warm up again 10 minutes before my race, shake my arms, do a little shimmy and I’m ready to go.”
Luca Alessandrini, men’s swimming team member and senior sport and recreation management major, likes to mentally prepare himself for competitions.
“The days before a big meet are crucial. Mentally I always have mixed feelings, fears, nervousness, and excitement. Physically, I could feel extremely good one day and the exact opposite the next. I’ve learned to not trust my feelings as much in the water before a championship meet because they are not as accurate compared to regular season,” Alessandrini said. “After preparation, I go out with all of my strength and focus on the positive things. I always stick with my routine, which is breakfast two hours before the competition, warmups, stretching, and I try to have fun with my teammates. Then, it’s time to lock in, focus, and visualize my race. I have a word with my coach, moments later it’s just me, the water, my lane, and my thoughts.”
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