Superstitions.....?

A famous coach once said, “If it works once, do it again.” I’m sure you can apply that to many aspects of your life, but I can relate this to one aspect of mine. It was about the end of 8^th grade when I began competing in fencing. Since then, I have developed many superstitions that I strongly adhere to.

Over two years ago I received a gift of an Adidas soccer shirt. Due to its sweat absorbing characteristics, I began wearing it to every significant competition. Of course I haven’t done well in every competition, but in the competitions where I did not bring it, or wear it, I did not do well at all. However, recently I received a T-shirt from mom as a souvenir when she returned from Paris. I felt that almost 3 years of wearing the same Adidas shirt it was finally time to retire it and try something new. This new Paris shirt will be my new lucky competition shirt. Of course felt like there was some risk involved because if I did not do well then I would never forgive myself for not bringing along my old Adidas shirt. I first wore the new “Paris Shirt” at an Under 19 and Division I North American Cup in Kentucky. Here, I fenced the best I did in my life. I beat several strong people, one ranked #4^th in the United States at the time and another who was on the national team the year prior. Additionally, I narrowly lost (15-14) to the Canadian National Champion who was ranked top 20 in the world. I guess you can’t call losing (15-14) luck, but if I wasn’t fencing well it could have been really bad. Now I bring that shirt with me everywhere. However, recently I decided not to wear the Paris T-shirt and go back to my old Adidas one during an important competition in New Mexico, I lost, horribly.

So you may think that this is all a coincidence, but, last June my mom wore a pink shirt that no one thought anything of. It was at the 2008 Nationals, where I got top 16 in the under 16 age group and won Division II. During the 10 day period that I was in California, my mom was wearing that shirt both days (washed of course). Since then, every U16 national competition I’ve been to my mom has worn that same shirt and I’ve increased my national ranking. She has even worn it in Germany and Sweden at U16 World Cups where I’ve participated. Several months ago I had to travel to St. Louis by myself. My superstition was so strong about that shirt that I threw it in my suitcase and took it with me to St. Louis. Even on the day of competition, I put the shirt in my fencing bag, and I did well again.

Even the great Michael Phelps (pre drug use) has superstitions. Before every race he swings his arms back and fourth twice. In an interview, Michael said that he has never won a race where he’s forgotten to swing his arms. Unlike me, Mr. Phelps usually remembers. A few months ago my grandmother gave me a little necklace that is supposed to bring me good luck. I believe strongly that you need to have a little luck on your side, thus I enthusiastically accepted it. When I compete I always keep this lucky necklace it in my fencing bag and find the time to touch it before every bout. It may seem a little silly but every time I have forgotten to touch it I’ve lost. Once in the middle of a bout I remembered that I had forgotten to shake the lucky necklace. I made the referee call halt, and I ran over to my bag to touch the necklace. When the referee asked what I was doing I told him I was getting a tissue. Unfortunately, the referee gave me a yellow card and I eventually lost (15-14) to the #1 ranked under 17 fencer in America. I feel that if I had remembered to touch the necklace before the bout started I would have won. I’m not sure if it’s a coincidence but really believe that it is an important factor.

Another routine that I do the night before an important competition is read a book. Not just any book, but a book written by Aladar Kogler who happens to be a sports psychologist at Columbia University and fencing coach at my club. It contains strategies for fencing and controlling your emotions during a competition. Before I had this book I was very inconsistent and unable to fully concentrate on the task at hand. According to Dr. Kogler I had too much “negative energy.” After I analyzed the book, it has completely changed my attitude and concentration during a competition. Every night before an important competition I read short excerpts from this book, no matter how late. One time I got back from dinner and felt enormously tired. My mom told me to go to sleep, but I managed to take out my book and read a few chapters. I felt that it won’t matter how much sleep I get because if I don’t read the book I won’t be mentally focused and none of my fencing actions will work the next day.

One last superstition that I have acquired in the last few months is verbal. For those of you who don’t know, it’s quite common in fencing for people to yell out when they got a good touch in a bout. This is similar to football players when do their little victory dance or pound their chest after making big catch or touchdown. For fencers it could be anything, often times people make up words and yell at the top of their lungs, which can actually be quite entertaining to watch. Yet, anytime I have yelled the phrase “Come On” in the middle of a bout I have lost 15-14. This happened twice, once against the top U19 fencer from Canada mentioned earlier and a little Slovakian kid when I was in Sweden. Now I even tell spectators not to say “Come On,” but say something a little more preferable such as “Lets Go.” An example of this was during the county final of my High School League. Our coach was yelling “Come On” to a team member who was losing and was in the deciding bout of the county championship. I told the coach not to say “Come On.” He looked at me perplexed but eventually obliged. After that moment my teammate came back from a 2-0 deficit and won 5-3.

It’s nice to know other athletes have superstitions like I do. I know people who also wear the same shirt and others who wear the same socks at every competition. Of course they can get quite smelly if you neglect to wash them but it’s a sacrifice that we are willing to make. Living with superstitions makes my job as an athlete a little bit harder, but it is comforting to know that in the heat of competition I have a little luck on my side.

-C. Fishler