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“So before lacrosse games I’ll always close my eyes and visualize what I want the game to look like for me. And I always, um, listen to like classical music. Kinda like, movies, like I listen to Interstellar sound tracks and like classical music like orchestra stuff or anything by Hans Zimmer to calm down. I don’t really like listening to loud music, I feel like calming down is helpful. And I always drink a lot of water and pray before games, just to help with calming down and like getting in the zone too.”

Context
HL says that unlike many of his friends, or many athletes of this generation, he dislikes loud (often rap) music and prefers calm classical instruments and soundtracks. He used to just go with the flow before games and mess around with friends, but for the past year or 2 he sets aside 5 minutes on the bus or in the locker room to close his eyes, tune everything out, and visualize and calm himself down. He will also pray to honor his faith of Christianity and keep him connected to God and have a strong mind during games.

Analysis
HL’s pregame routine is an example of a personal spin on a very common ritual for athletes to calm down and get in the zone before games. In his routine, he includes specific music choice, his Christian faith through prayer, and embodiment/performance through sitting with his eyes closed before every game. HL’s routine embodies Kaptchuk’s description of rituals, as his structured ritual is meant to transform him into a game ready mental state through sensory actions and attention to emotions. The embodiment/performance aspect of the ritual also shows that belief is more than just an idea of the mind, and can be present throughout one’s body. The act of getting mentally ready pregame was something that HL learned from his family as well as other athletes, but the specifics of his routine were created on his own, showing how even as folk lore is transferred, people put their own spins and interpretations of it. I think it’s really cool that everybody has their own ways and methods (multiplicity and variations) to achieving the same goal, which is being mentally ready and calm before a big moment like a performance, game, or interview.