How Superstitions in Sports Affect Athletes and Fans

Superstitions have been around for years. There are a few superstitions that are embedded within the very fabric of our being, whether it's to not break a mirror, step underneath a ladder, or put the first shoe on a particular foot each morning while you're getting ready. The sports world is no exception to this mysterious Voodoo magic.

Fans, in particular, are heavily burdened by these beliefs and superstitions. Some fans have pre-game rituals such as cooking a particular meal, wearing a lucky pair of unwashed socks, or sitting in one spot the entire game. If you're like, you twist and sit in certain spots throughout the game until you find a spot that gets your team on a roll. It's ridiculous to believe that by your awkward sitting position it can affect a game that's occurring hundreds of miles away, but it's all part of the fun of the sport. Fans fill the innate duty to participate in the game. After all, any fanatic can tell you the statistics and personal history of each player on their favorite team, so it's sort of as if we feel like we know the athletes. For instance, I'm an avid North Carolina Tar Heel fan. During basketball season, I participate on the InsideCarolina.com message board with discussions on the team. Every game there is an "Official Game Thread" topic. If the Tar Heels lose, a new poster is assigned to start the game thread since the prior poster now has "bad luck." It's all part of the superstition.

However, while fans have their own superstitions, athletes are also burdened by these beliefs. Any athlete playing on the platform of college or professionals levels are competing at the maximum level against others that possess the same skills. This pertains to both individual and team sports where competition is fierce and games or matches are often decided on some element of luck. In this realm of competition, athletes will do anything to get an advantage over one another. These "superstitions" provide athletes in confidence that they have the edge over their opponent.

What are some of these superstitions, you may ask? The type of superstition varies tremendously just like the stars in the sky. Being a Tar Heel fan, I do know that Michael Jordan always wore blue UNC shorts under his Bulls uniform for good luck. He was a graduate from the University of North Carolina and I suppose this provided him with a certain comfort level. After all, confidence is everything in sports. Former Boston Red Sox third baseman Wade Boggs would only eat chicken the day of the game and used to draw a symbol in the dirt at home plate before his bat attempt. That's as superstitious as it gets.

Every sport has its own set of superstitions. While some of them are customized to each athlete's liking, there is also a common and accepted understanding of the do's and don't regarding superstitions. For instance, ever noticed a basketball player wiping the soles of his shoes throughout a game? Or while shooting free throws some players can be seen saying a prayer or saying before each shot is released? These are just a few superstitions you'll see in basketball.

Baseball, more than likely, has the most superstitions. Several players have been known to skip over the baselines as they run to and from the field and into the dugout. Most players will not exchange bats with another because it is generally bad luck. Football isn't loaded with superstitions, but it is a common knowledge that changing numbers each time a player is traded to a different team is bad luck.

Superstitions could be one of the most important unspoken aspects of professional or college sports. Athletes are often seen praying before and during a game so that the god they are praying to will bestow good fortune on them. Whatever makes an athlete perform at their highest potential on a consistent basis is all that matters. Sometimes it's not necessarily the physical talents that are important to an athlete's performance, but the mental aspect plays just as big of a part.