In sports or everyday life, people experience “getting in the zone”, an important and personal method used by athletes to prepare for their games. This looks different for every athlete. Today we will talk with 5 players of different ages on the All Saints Episcopal School Varsity Football team and hear their thoughts and tendencies when it comes to locking in.
Getting in the zone can vary from avoiding people to living a normal day. Drew Brown 25’ likes to, “Sit on my phone and relax” and have a normal day at school. While Brown takes it easy all day, Jourden Billings 26’ said, “I like to eat lunch and then start my process of locking in until I reach the field.” Although the players’ answers varied, everyone emphasized the importance of locking in because they believed it affected their performance on the field.
Rhythm is a big part of sports, like getting in the zone, it involves doing the same thing every week before a game. Donovon Hollis 26’ said, “I take a salt bath every night before a game”. Salt baths are important for helping reduce muscle soreness and inflammation. While Hollis prepares by taking a bath, Jourden Billings 26’ writes in his journal every night to go over his game plan for the next night. Having a rhythm for football can play into a healthy lifestyle as demonstrated by Hollis and Billings.
Superstitions are an interesting factor for athletes that not many people look into. Superstitions can be wearing the same clothing like Drew Brown 25’, “I have to wear no-show socks” and Donovon Hollis 26’ who wears the same cleats every game. Superstitions don’t just fall in line with clothes but also daily routines like Jourden Billings 26’ who has to close all of his drawers in his dresser or Jacob Mainord 25’ who has to pack his football bag a certain way to start his day.
The last but arguably the most important is how players dress and does it affect their game and mindset. The answers varied from no drip like Drew Brown 25’ and Donovan Hollis 26’ who said that it wouldn’t matter for them if they had no drip while others like Jourden Billing 26’ who said” I dress like the inspirations that came before me. Jacob Mainord 25’ has a meaning behind whatever phrase he chooses for his undershirt and Bourke Toler 26’ likes to look good and play good.
