When it comes to athletes, no matter the sport, there is one thing they all have in common – pre-game rituals.
Often these rituals manifest themselves as something so minute that bystanders may not notice. Others occur on such a large scale that athletes become famous for them (a la LeBron James and his pre-game chalk throwing).
I’ve become fascinated by the pre-jump routines of my fellow skydivers. Like hockey players, some skydivers have a religious set of pre-jump habits that start the moment they are manifested on the ground. You know, always put your right leg in your jumpsuit first for good luck.
Though honestly, I haven’t encountered many that are quite as hardcore as those hockey players. The skydivers I spend my time with aren’t quite as superstitious. Then again, we don’t have to pray not to get a slapshot to the teeth every time we get in an airplane.
For skydivers, the ride to altitude is when many of these rituals begin.
*Photo by Katya Suvorov, courtesy of SkydiveBlog.com
In my short time in the sport, I’ve witnessed a number of these fascinating events:
- Untie and retie the tennis shoes for security
- A squirt of Listerine mouth spray just before the door opens
- Running through the cut away sequence multiple times as the door opens (great safety ritual, really)
- Applying Chapstick around 10,000 feet
- Passing around a tin of Altoids to the entire plane
- Adjusting the Velcro on an altimeter so it’s just right – guilty
Those are just a few of the fun rituals I’ve encountered.
I even jumped with a guy who sneezed twice every time the plane got to 6,000 feet. Of course, this isn’t something he had control over, but it’s interesting none the less.
And you can’t forget about the standard fist bump as a last good luck, have fun, blue skies gesture.
What are some of the pre-game rituals you have noticed – as a skydiver or other athlete? Do you have any traditions that you’ve adopted over the years?
Blue Skies!
Ashley
I always kiss Bear for good luck (or rather, he kisses my helmet, haha). When we’re on the same load, it’s right before it’s our turn at the door; when we’re not, it’s a kiss on the ground right before the load takes off.
Otherwise, my DZ does the slide-fistbump handshake-y…thing for luck when we get to exit altitude. Do other skydivers do this? I’m not sure. But right around 13,000ft, everyone on the load does to to everyone within reach.
Also, I have to have someone other than Bear do a gear (closing pin) check. Although that’s less superstition than safety, I suppose.
My DZ does the fist bump thing, too. They also do a call-and-response right at take-off: “Shawanga!” “Fly, baby, fly!” It refers to a legend about the nearby mountains.
I’m not superstitious, but I do have my habits – adjusting my altimeter, practicing the cutaway, and airing out my googles.