Junior Danika Dunn enters the natatorium with her Subway six inch veggie sub with extra cheese in one hand, and a pickle in the other. After Dunn finishes eating she finds the rest of her team mates and joins them on the sidelines of the pool.
Before every meet the swim team eats at Subway where the swimmers typically purchase the same sandwich every time. This ritual started because of the close distance between Subway and the MISD Natatorium.
“If there was a day where I did not eat subway and then I performed badly I would blame it on that,” Dunn said.
On top of eating at Subway, Dunn also eats a pickle before every meet. Her personal ritual started her freshman year when her mother brought her a pickle to the meet, and every time following.
“I have to eat a pickle no matter what,” Dunn said. “If I was to perform badly I would definitely think it would be because I didn’t have a pickle.”
The swim team also says a cheer before every meet. The chant consists of all the team members forming a circle, putting their hands in and yelling ‘V-I-C-T-O-R-Y that’s the Bronco battle cry’.
“We do the cheer because we can’t think of anything better and it pumps us up,” junior James Copeland said. “Also it is easy and you can’t mess it up.”
Before every meet freshman Madison Yale eats a bowl of cold noodles. Yale has loved noodles since she was younger because they give her a sense of comfort. She also likes how easily she can pack them.
“I would just feel weird if I didn’t eat my noodles,” Yale said. “If I didn’t eat them I would be hungry, and then all I would be able to concentrate on would be food and not swimming.”
Junior John Canclini also has some personal rituals of his own. Before every meet he prays that he won’t drown, talks to the coach, envisions the race and stretches. Canclini likes to think about how the race will go before he actually swims so he can calm his nerves and prepare himself mentally.
“Doing these rituals helps me feel secure,” Canclini said. “Once I start swimming my mind goes blank.”
