John Izzo
Superstitions have been around since the dawn of man. In our contemporary age, we do as much as anyone has in
history perpetuating superstitions.
"Superstitions tend to be passed down from one generation to the
next through the strong oral tradition
of the locker room"(Sports Illustrated p.88)
Athletes seem to be heavily burdened with the mysterious beliefs of
superstitions. Sport contests of today involve athletes trained at their
highest maximum potential, meaning
that most of the time, athletes compete with other athletes - all of whom
possess equal skill levels. Whether it
is an individual sport or a team sport, a win that has had to be scraped up by
a close call, one point difference, or last minute play, usually falls credit
to some kind of luck in the eyes of a majority of athletes.
In the world of competition, athletes love to win, not surprisingly, and
they will do whatever it takes to keep winning, whether it’s believing in
superstitions, making
sacrifices, or worshipping all kinds of gods.
"'A superstition is a way to get through a tough
situation1 wrote Carole Potter in Knock On Wood, a 1983 book on superstitions.
For athletes, superstitions are a crutch, a secret weapon, a way to get
that little edge."(p.88)
Some athletes use superstitions to psyche up themselves. Challenged by fears of misfortunes, injuries,
or losing, athletes reach that pinnacle edge to suffice their required
potential in a competition. It is
through fear that an athlete feels that he or she is being "held
down", forced to hold back, and never reaching the maximum skill needed to
achieve. "Some athletes turn to
superstitions for the same reasons that others turn to religion or drugs -- to
relieve pressure, to convince themselves that results are predetermined, to take the fear out of the unknown".(p.88)
Athletes, coaches, and other sport personnel (aka.
physicians, equipment man, and alumni), follow daily and game time routines
religiously because of their beliefs in superstitions. In the past, teams have been known to never
wash their uniforms or socks during a winning streak for fear of losing the good luck.
Coaches follow the same exact routines, which can be called habit or tradition, routines such as entering and
exiting through certain doors, picking up hair pins for good luck, saying the
same prayers and wearing the same outfit that was worn during a won game. Legendary Oakland Raiders head coach, John
Madden, would never let his players leave the locker room to start a game until
the team's running back, Mark van Eeghen, had burped. "Perhaps Madden was aware of ancient
aural superstitions, such as the wailing of a banshee, which foretold death in Gaelic culture."(p.91)
Such "superstitions like these will
always have a place in sport, if only because an athlete's life style makes him
vulnerable to them. Athletes do the same
thing day after day. They practice at
the same time; they play at the same time
and eat at the same time. Important
parts of their lives are very ordered, and so, perhaps, they want to bring that
same kind of order into every aspect of their lives. Little rituals become obsessions. Obsessions become superstitions."(p.94)
The psychological aspects of superstitions on athletes
can have very drastic effects on their performance. Many athletes feel obligated to pray and
worship some kind of favored god before a contest, for fear that if not
worshipped, that god will strike great misfortunes on them. This can be tied to an athlete’s upbringing
and culture -- not necessarily superstitions.
Athletes tend to lose confidence in their own abilities, talents, and
skills and reward a god for their renowned
fame and assets. If they do not worship
their god, they fear losing their skills and
success. Why do athletes think like
this? Do superstitions really motivate
an athlete?
Whatever makes an athlete perform at his or hers highest
potential is a force that only they should be able to control. And in some cases, we all can control our
superstitions — it’s just that, we need
to control our minds first.
John Izzo holds a BS in Exercise Science, along with certifications from the National Academy of Sports Medicine, American Council on Exercise, National Endurance Sports Trainer Associations, and American Fitness Professional & Associates. He is the founder, author, and webmaster of www.IZZOSTRENGTHtraining.com and www.SecretSkillsofPT.com
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are for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute
for direct examination and exercise prescription by the appropriate
health professional. It is strongly recommended that you do not
perform any exercise program without the consent of your personal
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