Cal Lanouette
Sports Editor
Sports are filled with superstitions and rituals: LeBron James with his chalk, the Red Sox growing out beards for the 2013 World Series and Cristiano Ronaldo stepping on the pitch with his right foot first.
Superstitions can come in a variety of forms: a pregame or postgame meal, where to sit on the bench, how to celebrate, or just how athletes go about their day.
One of the most famously superstitious athletes of all time was Cleveland Indians outfielder Kevin Rhomberg, who believed if someone were to touch him, he would have to touch them back.
Rhomberg also refused to make right turns on the field because base runners were always turning left. If he wanted to go to his right, he would have to make a full circle.
Webster has superstitious athletes too.
“On the day I’m supposed to pitch, I keep my glove in my backpack,” senior baseball player Tyler Ludwig said. “I also make sure to never step on the foul line. I’ve been doing the foul line thing forever, but for putting the glove in my backpack, I’ve been doing that since sophomore year.”
According to senior basketball player Sturt Hollandsworth, the Varsity basketball coaches are superstitious.
“[Coach Scott] Stallcup does not shake hands with anybody before game time and Coach [Scott] Gauthier gives every player knuckles before and after warm ups,” Hollandsworth said. “We also, as a team, pray before each game.”
“I have my own superstitions too,” Hollandsworth said. “I wear the same pair of socks underneath my game socks every home game. They’re the same socks I wore freshmen year.”
Senior soccer player Charlotte Kennedy’s superstition is putting on her shin guards and tying her cleats in a certain way.
“I wrap two pieces of electrical tape tight around my shin guards. Then, I have to make sure my shoes are tied in a double knot, but I bunny ears and then loop it twice under instead of a double knot. I started this about three years ago,” Kennedy said.
“Also, I always visualize myself in the game before the game because it gets me in the mindset of the game. Then I say ‘let’s rock n’ roll’ in the huddle because it makes my teammates laugh and gets me pumped,” Kennedy said.
