September 13th

For some, the number 13 is unlucky, not for me. In fact it’s a very special number.

When it comes to sports psychology, there is a fine line between rituals and superstitions and what I call “routines” for success. The former create a false sense of certainty (with no benefit) whereas well designed “routines” significantly improve your chance for success because YOU control them and they are directly tied to the outcome you want.

A superstition can be:

  • Not walking on the white lines of a tennis court after a rally is over
  • Placing your water/juice bottles with the labels all facing one direction
  • Not leaving the squash court without hitting a nick
  • Always being the last player on or off the court
  • Tying and untying your shoes 3 times each time you put them on

A routine can be:

  • Making sure you have no less than 3 wristbands in your sports bag
  • Having 3 or 4 rackets strung at the same tension
  • Warming up for 15 minutes at least an hour before your match
  • Getting up 2 or 3 hours before a morning match to be fully awake.
  • Taking the time to tie your shoes properly

When superstitions get out of hand, you’ll slip into Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)… That is something you want to avoid at all costs. It IS preventable, but breaking the superstitions as soon as they “Start”.

Coaches and parents should STOP this behaviour immediately in young, junior players who don’t fully understand the long-term ramifications of developing OCD tendencies. Many top players now afflicted with OCD readily admit (in their published biographies) that they shouldn’t have started them in the first place, but are now “stuck” with them.

 

 

 

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