In sports, we see many rituals: shoving matches, chants, hugging goal posts to get excited for games. It is the same here at the high school with every sports team.

“We listen to music and dance,” senior softball player Jenna Crider said.

Before sports, players try to focus in on the game and how to react.

“We have this competition–the managers and coaches versus the girls hitting these wiffle balls into line drives to see who gets more points,” Crider said.

These type of rituals excite the team for the game or competition they are going into together; however, different teams all have a special variation to get ready.

“Before every game we say an old ancient Mayan chant,” senior swim team captain Quinten Yeary said.

Though not a team chant, softball has changed so every girl gets their own song to run out on the field right before the game starts.

“(I chose) ‘Crank That’ by Soulja Boy because it’s catchy and has a good beat that gets you hyped up,” Crider said.

Whether it’s singing, dancing or competition, every team has one thing to get excited for a game and show that they are ready to play.

“It scares the other teams, and we get really pumped,” Yeary said.

Superstition or true to their purpose, rituals are a tradition of the school.

“It’s been here since before I started swimming,” Yeary said, “and it’s going to be here after I leave.”