There are many student athletes within our school that have their own personalized superstitions, all of which are unique to them. The superstitions have been practiced each time these individuals have competed and have helped bring them a feeling of luck and success on the floor, field, the mat or the pool.

Junior Halee Evans, a swimmer of nine years, has a superstition called “double capping” that she has followed since middle school. 

Her superstition is inspired by an older teammate she looks up to who also follows

the same double capping routine.

“I put on a latex cap first, then put on my goggles, and then top it off with my jaguar cap.” said Evans. “I convince myself my caps or goggles will fall off if I don’t.”

Evans’ cap had fallen off two time in a row last high school season when she didn’t double cap.

“I lost my latex cap that I usually double capped with so I couldn’t do it for a few meets during high school season and my cap fell off during almost every race.” said Evans.

Evans believes there is a more logical reason behind her superstition but continues to follow it. 

“I’m pretty sure that since my hair is pretty thick it is what causes my caps to fall off if I don’t have a latex one on underneath, but all of the team caps we are required to wear for racing are silicone,” said Evans.

Sophomore Dillon Cooper, a varsity wrestler, has been carrying out a superstition for the past year, which is eating Lucky Charms before every tournament.

“It became a thing when I was cutting a lot of weight. I wanted to eat on the morning of so I could have energy by the time I wrestled.” said Cooper. “I wrestled well so I kept doing it and it became a habit.”

As this is a superstition Cooper has been practicing for a year, he believes it may or may not have an effect on his success.

“I don’t think I would perform that differently but you never know since I’m so used to it.” said Cooper.

Junior Brody Shulda, a bowler, participates in a superstition in which both the boys and girls bowling teams place stuffed animals on the tables where they bowl. 

The superstition developed unexpectedly and gave the athletes a sense of luck.

“During one of our earlier meets TJ Cathey won some little stuffed animals from a claw machine at the bowling alley we were at and kept them on the table and we did good I believe it helps with the luck.” said Shulda. 

Senior Dylan Hooper, a Stanford commit, has been playing soccer for fourteen years. Hooper has a couple of superstitions that he practices before every game. 

“I typically drink a full Pedialyte bottle the night before, and then eat the same meals the day of the game,” said Hooper. “[I eat] two scrambled eggs, one sausage patty and a turkey sandwich, and I never use my phone the day of a game.” 

Hooper practices this superstition because he believes it enhances his level of play. 

“Cramping is quite frequent and once I started to use Pedialyte I stopped cramping almost completely,” said Hooper. 

“I eat that because that is enough food to energize me and not be too much. I don’t use my phone because one day on a trip I left my charger at home so I didn’t have access to my phone and I played really well,” said Hooper. 

Hooper’s superstition is unique to him and his game day routine and will be a vital part in his collegiate soccer career.