Spring Hill College’s Softball team participates in pregame superstition rituals before each game, and each player has a connected meaning to their rituals in order to feel confident in their game performance.
Senior Macy Holt has two main superstitions that she practices on a game day in order to play her best for a game. Holt said, “I always have to have mascara on, but only mascara and no other make up. Then for my hair I always have a side french braid that goes into a ponytail. Then afterwards I braid my ponytail. Then I put my ribbon in my hair and tie it like a little bow.” Holt continued, “I started doing this around my freshman year of high school and I have done well since then with it. The one time I changed my hair I did horrible.”
Holt is not the only one who is superstitious about how she puts her hair up for game days. Senior Lindsey Mecom stated “If I have a game and I don’t do as well with a certain hairstyle, I change it for the next games.” Sophomore Cat McCulley is a player who does not believe in superstitions. McCulley stated “I don’t believe in superstitions and that they have an effect on how the game turns out.”
Not all superstitions are meant to help make sure a player does good in a game. Leighanna Turk, a sophomore pitcher, has more of a memorial superstition. Turk, for every game day, wears a yellow patterned ribbon that is tied into a bow. Turk stated “I wear my yellow ribbon in a bow for my Pawpaw. It was his favorite color and I wear it in honor of him. He spent a lot of time with me at the ballpark, helping me grow into the player I am now. So when I wear the yellow ribbon in a bow, it still makes me feel like he is at every game with me still.” Turk always has the yellow ribbon on and never changes it out for a new one. She has been wearing her yellow ribbon since junior year of high school when he passed away.
Some superstitions are shared between players. Taylor Pittman and Meadow Villar share a special moment before each game. Villar stated, “Before every game, we pray as a team, before we take the field. My best friend and I kneel next to first base and put one of our hands on first-base. Then we put our arms around each other and we pray, to honor everything we do on and off the field. We have been doing this for years.”
Each player that has a superstition believes these practices will assist them in the game and impacts their performance on the field. If you are interested in seeing their superstitions in action you can come watch them play this Saturday and Sunday against Lane at home. Or you can find another game to attend by visiting shcbadgers.com.
