Author Spotlight
Celia Condon
It all started about two years ago when I noticed the Cyclone socks my dad was wearing were on inside out. Most days he wore the basic go-to dad socks: grey, black and brown — right side out — so I immediately asked him what was up.
“They’re not gonna win if they’re right side out,” he said without taking his eyes off the screen.
He was referring to the Iowa State Cyclones game. In case you’re wondering, they won because of the socks. Like most students at my school, my dad is a prisoner to superstition, especially when it comes to sports.
Fast forward to about three weeks ago, I’m sitting in an uber, heading down Michigan Avenue in Chicago. The Titans are (to put it lightly) destroying the Chiefs in the playoff game.
The uber is driving too slow — I have to be watching the game for our beloved Chiefs to pull ahead (duh). That was the aha-moment that I realized: I’ve joined my friends and my dad in the superstition prison.
Luckily for me, I’m not alone. East is brimming with teens who have bizarre superstitions — and I mean bizarre. Read on to discover how some students lose their rationality when it comes to their favorite sports teams.
Sophomore Max Franklin has spent the last three Chiefs games in his dad’s recliner in his family living room. And by “spent the last three games,” I mean he doesn’t get up. Ever. Not to use the bathroom, not to grab a snack, not even to stretch his legs through the duration of what could be a four-hour-long football game.
“Oh I just have to wait until halftime,” Franklin said.
Again, duh. At my own Super Bowl party, any person who moved from their seat when the Chiefs were in the lead would be picked up and thrown back into their seat, or yelled at by 25 other seated sophomores.
But not only does Franklin stay put in the chair — when he does leave during halftime (and only halftime), he must take the necessary precautions before sitting back down in the lucky recliner.
“I walk in and out of the room twice,” Franklin said. “It’s kind of weird but I don’t want to mess up the Chiefs.”
On the opposite side of the sports world, soccer is full of fans and players acting in ludicrous ways in the hopes of helping the team. For senior Sydney Daris, game days look like a movie on a repeated loop.
It begins with moderate, normal superstitions. Always putting on the right shin guard, then the left shin guard. Followed by putting on socks in the same order, and finally the cleats — staying consistent, right then left. And don’t forget the lucky water bottle she keeps on the right side of the goal during practice.
“Right is right.” Daris said.
The team watches over the water bottle like a toddler, to make sure the positioning isn’t shifting the tide of the game or Daris’ mojo during a play.
“When I’m playing it has to be sitting upright,” Daris said. “And if I’m on the field everyone else watches to make sure it’s upright.”
East varsity soccer wears an orange and a gray uniform. And when it comes to colors, orange is the “right” one in Daris’ mind.
“I can only wear orange. It’s a specific color to me especially on soccer days.”
During mealtime on game days, if there’s an orange food on Daris’ plate, it remains untouched until the rest of the plate is clean.
During the Jan. 19 AFC game, sophomore Arden Menke posted updates on his Snapchat story straight from Arrowhead.
When the Titans were at peak performance, Menke updated his Snapchat followers with a shot of him taking his jersey off, as if wearing it was bringing bad luck to the team.
“I threw my jersey at my brother, and as soon as I did we got a forty-yard kick return.” Menke said. “The whole game we just dominated.”
Since this bad-luck encounter, Menke is sure to steer clear of any Chiefs gear on game days — or any days at all.
“I don’t even touch it. It brings me bad luck,” Menke said. “I touch my Chiefs jersey and then I lose my phone or something.”
Sure enough, on Super Bowl Sunday, Menke was jersey-less as he cheered the team to victory.
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