Many fans focus on what happens during the big game and don’t worry about anything else.  In reality more happens before a game to prepare than actually happens during the game.  One major part of every athlete’s life involves superstitions.  Superstition is doing something ordinary or not the same way before an event on belief that the same result will occur every game.  This is why if a player has a good game, the next game he will do everything the same to try and have another good game.                                          

Some people don’t think superstitions are real but an athlete will do anything to try and be successful at the highest level.  Superstitions can range anywhere from eating the same food as the day before or can be something as extreme as wearing the same underwear every day and not washing them.  Some superstitions that go on in DHS are having team prayers before every game, eating the same food every day and wearing the same undershirt or undershorts under a uniform for every game.                   

Being an athlete I have my fair share of superstitions as well. During basketball season no matter how weird it may sound I always rub senior Matt DeShone’s head three times front to back. It started as a joke but then we got on a roll and I’ll do anything to keep winning.  During baseball season I always wear the same undershirt. I have done it for a number of years just because our team has done well so I want it to continue.  I remember one game I forgot it, and not wearing that special shirt gave me a feeling that I was going to play bad.  This is why superstitions play a major role in my life.                                        

 Superstitions also affect professional athletes.  When the Detroit Tigers came to Midland to talk about themselves they admitted that Justin Verlander goes and eats Taco Bell before every start that he makes.  Another Tigers pitcher, Drew Smiley, said that every game he wears the same shorts under his uniform. He said the shorts he wears were the first shorts given to him by the Tiger’s organization so they are special to him.             

Superstitions range from all ages and will forever be a part of the game.  No matter how weird or crazy they may be, athletes have to do what it takes to do well and succeed.