Lehigh athletes bring tradition to the field

Holly Lovett stands in the batter’s box. She takes a swing, and the umpire makes a tough call. 

The sophomore third baseman picks up some dirt, rubs it between her hands, wipes both hands across her helmet and takes a deep breath before stepping back into the box. 

This is the “red reset routine” she does after every poor swing or call.  

This is just one example of the many routines, superstitions or traditions that athletes develop individual or as  teams. 

Lovett said other rituals practiced by the Lehigh softball team include wearing certain socks, carrying a lucky stick and eating specific foods before games.

She said while some traditions are mandatory, others are personal and vary by player. 

“Two weekends ago, I didn’t play well, so I switched up my hair, and then I played well,” Lovett said. “Now I’m going to keep my hair the same way this weekend until it stops working.”

Lovett said these practices, whether calculated or spontaneous, help boost morale and performance, despite being largely psychological.

She said team bonding activities, such as annual class dinners and apple-picking trips, bolster morale and foster camaraderie. 

She said the softball team has also bonded over playing hacky sack before their games, which in turn aids their play on the pitch.

Team bonding activities like these are also familiar to Lehigh’s football team.

Sophomore running back Connor Hilling said t the team goes out every Wednesday night to get cookies, and some players habitually wear sunglasses every Monday. 

“It helps create comfort with each other which helps you play better,” Hilling said.  It’s all fun and games, but we do kind of take it seriously.”  

Hilling also has personal traditions he does before each game to help him get in a “game ready” mindset, including wearing one strip of eye black on the right side of his face. 

Sophomore kicker David Fishbarg said there are even some team traditions alumni are involved in. 

“After training camp each year, we have Lehigh alumni that were on the football team come down, and they cook up all types of meat,” Fishbarg said. 

This tradition has been around since long before both Fishbarg and Hilling joined the team.

Lehigh women’s volleyball senior outside hitter Megan Schulte and middle blocker Emily Stewart, have taken on a leadership role to facilitate team bonding activities and keep traditions alive. 

Schulte said when the volleyball team goes out on the court before a game, they huddle in a big circle to get energized and discuss their plan for the game.

Schulte said she feels honored to play in active role in this tradition. 

“Just being able to feel like I have enough influence on the team to say something in those huddles to hype everybody up is a very valuable skill,” Schulte said. 

Stewart said her personal routine before serving is very specific — she bounces the volleyball exactly three times with both her hands before taking a deep breath. 

She also said game day hairstyles are a big superstition for many of her teammates, as it  helps them demonstrate their individual styles while maintaining consistency from game to game. 

Much like the football team, the volleyball team has long-standing traditions that have been around since both the seniors’ inaugural years, such as their annual cupcake wars in August. 

“People are more superstitious than others, but I try to do what I’m feeling for the day and then anything else that kind of feels familiar,” Stewart said. “Familiarity is comforting which allows for a better mindset, leading to playing better.”