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+---- Thread: Pre-game rituals (/showthread.php?tid=1118)
- mutedfaith - 2022-04-04
The league has started again! 10 teams will compete for the coveted title of SSL Champion. But of course there can only be one.. Usually, the team with the best players is supposed to win. Or is it? Because according to popular belief amongst some footballer players, a great win doesn't just require a lot of work and a fighter's mentality. No, pre-game rituals are also a important part of the mix.
Some players believe that tying the laces of the left shoe before those of the right shoe leads to a victory, while others always have to go to the bathroom before they go out on the pitch, or wear the same piece of equipment for every fixture.
According to sport psychology theories, there has to be a reason to have a ritual. At first glance this seems quite logical, but it is certainly not obvious. Athletes must feel that a certain behavior, performance or even accessory contributed to a victory. After all, winning competitions is very important for athletes. And if these matches are won in succession, there is a good chance that the same behavior or object will be taken to the match more often – or even by default.
Unfortunately, wearing a rabbit's foot or gargling with chocolate spread is not always a success formula. And that makes sense, because those same psycholigists state that such pre-game rituals are no guarantee of success. Ultimately, it is about the athletes. But if they start to believe in the rituals themselves, then there might be a so-called placebo effect at work, which will allow athletes to perform at a higher level than before.
However, it is important for athletes to not believe too much in these rituals. Because if too much value is placed in these rituals, it can be at the expense of confidence in their own abilities. And that could have a disastrous effect on their morale and performance when eventually the ritual proves to be ineffective.