Beyond the diets and the many hours of gym and intense training, there is one thing that sportsmen and women have, through the ages, believed will add that extra pinch of luck to their game. From athletes and soccer stars to golfers and the roughest of rugby players, superstitions play a great part in the psyche of the modern sportsman.
Some of these are quirky and weird while others are bordering on insane. The most famous ritual before any sporting event is probably the Haka, which has become a tradition for the rugby All Blacks every time they play a game. The dance is a Maori tradition and was used to bring warriors luck before a battle. I am sure some quarters might be skeptical about that, judging by the All Blacks’ less than impressive performances at world tournaments. Can anyone say Chokers? We’ll see how they shape at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
There are some really subtle superstitions which players wholeheartedly believe will bring them good luck. Notably, Springbok captain John Smit only wears black underpants on match day, insisting that any other colour would be a bad omen.
Many of these traditions come after a player has a good game and decides that replicating the routine from that day forward will result in a repeat of the performance. This, however, is often not true, but for fans and audiences it is rather entertaining to see our athletes go through the motions.
Many Durbanites will be familiar with the antics of Sree Sreesanth, the Indian pace bowler who has toured South Africa with the Indian national team on several occasions. The hot headed Indian fast bowler has been known to have a strict routine during his run up to every delivery. The boisterous Kingsmead crowd (no doubt led by Castle Corner) were quite happy to tease the fired up bowler, lighting up his notoriously short fuse. Always good theatre on a balmy Durban day.
Sreesanth’s little routine goes something like this . . . he touches a necklace, speaks to himself and taps his head twice. But as one commentator points out, it seems that every time he does not do the routine, he gets a wicket. So perhaps the superstition should be the other way around.
Most of these superstitions start long before the first whistle blows and you would be surprised at the people who believe in them. Springbok vice captain, Victor Matfield, has a diet cheat every Friday before a big game. The top of the pickings, however, have to be those Brits. Their rugby union players have an intriguing blend of superstition and routine in their closets. Ian Balshaw, a specialist fullback, makes use of the same peg in the change room for every game, something that I am sure is bound to start a few changing room rows.
Not to be outdone, however, utility wing Delon Armitage always packs his bag in the same manner before every game. Boots first, the left then the right, then shoulderpads, then the towels. He then watches TV and listens to hip hop. It’s a small wonder how he manages to fit in time for the coach’s instructions in between such a busy schedule.
In the world of golf the way some players set up their shot is painful to watch, a movement there, a shift of the feet here, three waggles of the golf club. What about professional soccer in SA and the belief in mute and witch doctors, is it still practised today? Former South African cricketer Neil McKenzie was famous for his long list of superstitions, the list goes on and on.
Sports psychologists have highlighted that these acts may have an impact on the player. If something goes wrong during the routine, players tend to lose confidence on the field and make mistakes. Perhaps that can explain away some of the mishaps, forward passes and missed tackles we’ve seen over this rugby opening weekend . . . or perhaps it’s just nerves or a bad day at the office.
Maybe some of the players changed the colour of their socks, or ate with the wrong spoon. Perhaps the Bokke will employ a superstitions coach, just to make sure the team gets all this superstitions stuff right before every game, because we certainly need all the luck we can get.