Superstitions are very common and used daily. In fact, superstitions are used in practically any sport imaginable.

Baseball might be the most superstitious sport there is, if you count all the odd things that players have done over the years. For example, some common superstitions include never touching the baselines while running off and onto the field between innings, and if a pitcher is throwing a perfect game or a no-hitter, never speak of it while it’s going on.

Here at SHS there are a lot of superstitions and rituals that occur before a sports activity. Among the basketball players, since his sophomore year senior Spencer Welch refuses to wash his hands before a game. “I don’t know why,” Welch said.

Senior Hailey Ligocki always eats a snickers bar before a home basketball game.

Track players also have quite a few rituals of their own. Senior Michael Rotellini always warms up with the opposing runners and prays before a track meet. He says that, “Warming up with the guys just gets me ready.”

Senior Kyle Dietsche says he usually ties his shoes three or four times until they are perfectly tied. He also practices the ritual of singing a song before every relay race he is in, and depending on the race he also has a chant or a motivational speech. During his sophomore year when he ran the 4×800 relay race they always gave a motivational speech before the race began. They would all huddle together and someone would say, “Ok boys, it’s our last meet of the year. Let’s get out there and be aggressive and beat people. Don’t give up, because it’s not you that you are giving up on, it’s your team. Now let’s go make Sheridan proud.” The team always seemed to do better if they heard this speech, so it became a ritual for the relay team that year.

Although superstitions may seem a little silly at times, a lot of athletes believe in them and don’t feel comfortable without following them. Junior Tyler Julian tells a story of how he was driving one time and a black cat crossed the road that led to his house. Terrified, he drove all the way around to the back entrance of the road and went home to avoid crossing the path the black cat took. Julian said “I had a big game coming up and I didn’t want to take any chances of having bad luck.”

Students at SHS are not excluded from the rest of the world as they too believe in the bad luck that can come from superstitions and not following rituals.