Before every football game, junior Orion Ratanasirintrawoot follows the same ritual before every game: praying. Ratanasirintrawoot’s praying is a habit rooted in faith, but to him, his superstition is more than just a pregame tradition; it’s a precaution. Consequently, the few times he skipped it, he paid the price.
“I kind of got this feeling when I was playing that day,” Ratanasirintrawoot said. “I felt like I just shouldn’t be out there playing.”
In the two instances where Ratanasirintrawoot forwent his pregame praying ritual, he tore his ACL and suffered a triplane ankle fracture. For athletes like Ratanasirintrawoot, every game starts long before the first whistle blows. Success is not just about skill or strategy; it’s rooted in superstition. Many believe that specific actions, objects or sequences of events influence the outcome of a game.
Pre-game rituals can range from physical routines, such as tapping a specific spot before entering the field, to mental practices, like visualizing success before stepping onto the court. Some athletes refuse to step on cracks, believing it brings bad luck, while others always put on their gear in a specific order.
Twenty-two-time Grand Slam champion and tennis superstar Rafael Nadal is known for his meticulous superstition of arranging his two water bottles in a specific position, alternating between each drink, a routine that gives him a feeling of stability. Superstitions and rituals like this provide athletes like Nadal focus, which can be essential in high-pressure situations.
“I have been through difficult career situations, but I managed to overcome them.” Nadal said to Tennishead in a 2020 interview. “If the bottles aren’t right, I can’t concentrate on the game. This way, I make them the same each time so I can concentrate solely on the game and what lies ahead.”
Rituals also serve as a psychological tool to help athletes feel prepared before competing. AP Psychology teacher Michael Brown believes that routines can affect how well athletes perform by putting their minds at ease.
“[Athletes] rely on comfort,” Brown said. “[Routines] actually put you in the right headspace and right mindset. We, as humans, thrive off of superstitions. Whether that’s a sleep routine or an eating routine, our physiology likes routine. It likes balance. It likes consistency.”
Superstitions derive from the brain’s desire for stability and control. The need for structure also explains why superstitions have remained prevalent in society, offering comfort and a way to manage the unknown.
According to an article in Medical News Today, superstitions can have a soothing effect, relieving anxiety about the unknown and giving people a sense of control over their lives. Once a routine is ingrained, breaking it feels unnatural, even dangerous. Rather than questioning their effectiveness, people continue to do their superstitions because it has always been a part of them.
“[Athletes] probably just feel comfortable,” Brown said. “If we’ve done them for years, we can easily trick ourselves into believing it does help. We are creatures of habit. We like to do what feels right.”
Superstitions can be a double-edged sword, offering comfort and confidence, but also creating doubt when they are broken. For some athletes, missing a ritual can feel like a bad omen, leading to hesitation. Forgetting superstitions can negatively affect performance, planting uncertainty in an athlete’s mind.
“If you don’t do your routine, can you no longer perform?” Brown said. “Can you no longer make that free throw? [Having] superstitions could impact you both positively and negatively.”
The placebo effect plays a significant role in the power of superstitions. If an athlete believes that their unique routine will help them play better, they are more likely to perform with confidence and reduced anxiety. Even when an action has no direct impact on physical performance, the belief in its effectiveness can lead to improved results.
“Our brain is super powerful and it can make things come true,” Brown said. “It’s the idea of manifesting something. If you say it’s going to happen, it’s more likely to happen. That optimism does have an impact on us as humans.”
Sports are as much mental as they are physical. Anxiety can interfere with performance by causing hesitation and doubt. Rituals and superstitions act as a coping mechanism to combat nerves. By engaging in a familiar routine, athletes create a sense of control over an unpredictable situation. This is why many athletes refuse to break their rituals, even if they may seem irrational to others.
“We can really trick ourselves into feeling good about stuff,” Brown said. “Once we feel good about something, we generally perform better than when we feel bad about it. The athletes perform better if they truly think this thing is working.”
That mindset is exactly why many athletes hold onto their routines. Whether they believe in superstition or not, the comfort of a ritual can be powerful. For some, it is about feeling prepared. For others, it is about avoiding the unknown consequences of breaking a habit.
“I forgot to pray, and then I got hurt, twice,” Ratanasirintrawoot said. “Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but after that, I wasn’t willing to take the risk anymore.”
