The Pendulum
Sports
Thursday, November 6, 2003 • Page 23
Systematic or superstitious
Athletes begin each game day with the same ritual
Kristina Foster
Reporter
Imagine your team is fresh off a losing
slump and looking to continue a winning
streak. You’re facing a top-ranked oppo
nent, Clemson University. In times like this
Elon’s baseball team pulls out “Rally
Sam,” a lucky Gatorade cup wrapped in
sports tape with its name written in marker.
This good luck charm, according to numer
ous baseball players, helped the team come
back 11 runs to defeat Clemson.
Superstitions such as “Rally Sam” and
pre-game rituals are a tradition in sports
that some athletes are keeping alive, while
others have dismissed them as complete
nonsense. Along with the baseball team’s
good luck charm, freshman center fielder
Drew Davis has pre-game rituals involving
sandwiches from Arby’s.
“Every time I eat an Arby’s super roast
beef, I hit a double,” said Davis.
Elon football’s senior defensive end,
Wesley Wheeler, has an extensive pre
game ritual. It begins with him eating three
pancakes or pieces of French toast and one
piece of chicken and a roll, if Harden is
serving any that day. Then he tends to some
personal matters before putting his pads in
his pants.
“Same pads in the same spot every
time,” said Wheeler.
Next he gets his ankles taped and then
goes to his locker, puts his jersey over his
head and takes a nap. Finally, he attends a
team meeting and gets his wrists taped.
Along with his pre-game routine, he also
wears rubber bands on his wrists.
“[I’ll] never take them off unless they
break or fall off,” said Wheeler.
His teammate, junior linebacker Mike
Kristina Foster / Photographer
“Rally Sam" is just one superstition that
Elon athletes follow when playing their
sports. Individual teams and players have
rituals they perform before each game.
U
Every game I have to
have gum. Two pieces. One
for the first half and one for
the second.
—Kerry McCarren, sophomore
99
Warren, chooses the silent routine when it
comes to rituals.
“I listen to my headphones, walk around
the field and don’t talk to anyone,” said
Warren.
The women’s soccer team has a handful
of superstitions. For most of the female
players it’s all about routine.
“Every game I have to have gum,” said
sophomore forward Kerry McCarren. “Two
pieces. One for the first half and one for the
second.”
Sophomore defender Lacey Whitmer
has to tie her right cleat first and wears the
same sports bra for every game. Fellow
defender junior Erin Gaeng has a similar
superstition except for one slight differ
ence.
“I wear the same underwear,” said
Gaeng with a laugh.
The men’s soccer team has a full team
huddle before every game and then a start
ing team huddle on the field.
However, the only prominent supersti
tion is junior goalkeeper Kyle Ostendorf
and his T-shirt. “I’ve worn the same T-shirt
under my jersey since freshman year of
high school,” said Ostendorf.
Cross country isn’t much for supersti
tions and rituals, according to sophomore
Alana Black.
**The night before a meet we all have
dinner together,” said Black.
However, when it comes to her own
beliefs she said she s not very superstitious.
Her teammate, senior Lilian Ciany, said she
only has one ritual: She puts her left shoe
on first.
So for next game day, be sure to clean
that lucky sports bra or eat that Arby’s
sandwich. You never know, these rituals
and superstitions may seem bizarre, but to a
player it’s the difference between scoring a
point and making a bad play.
Contact Kristina Foster at
pendulum@elon.edu or 278-7247.
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