Many pre-game rituals begin when athletes establish a correlation between game performance and events that occurred beforehand. Once the seed of this connection is planted, athletes  can begin to associate this event with playing well. These superstitions are not based on fact, but merely personal belief about correlation.. According to CBS News, “Superstitions can combat anxiety through the placebo effect, meaning someone thinks their ‘remedy’ fixed their problem when in reality, it was something more in their control.” Even though these superstitions are not based on scientific fact, they still serve a purpose, and can boost athletes’ confidence.

To learn more about athletes’ superstitions, I turned to the players closest: Wellesley athletes. Each player described a unique ritual, emphasizing that these superstitions are very common but deeply personal.

For soccer player Anna Mytko  ’24, her routine relies on order — she always puts her left cleat on first. When she steps onto the field, she reaches down and rips a piece of grass out. “I’ve done this since club soccer,” Mytko said. “It’s become instinctual, and the repetition gives me a peace of mind before the game.” Similarly, Emily Kulhanek ’27 on the softball team relies on a precise routine to achieve athletic success, every game day she makes overnight oats with frozen fruit and peanut butter . 

For volleyball player Caroline Meyer ’27, meditation is key. She dedicates time in the locker room to envision how she wants to play and what her team needs from her. During this time, Meyer always listens to NLE Choppa. “His music gets me excited and ready to play,” Meyer explained. “If I don’t listen to him I won’t play well.”

For some athletes like lacrosse player Mallory Kennison ’27, their superstitions involve rituals happening many hours before a game. “I have to shave my legs the night before a game,” Kennsion shared. “In high school, I didn’t shave my legs once, and we lost a game we shouldn’t have lost. Ever since then, I make sure to never miss a day.” 

Although these practices vary in process, the habitual act of these superstitions can give athletes a sense of control. The outcome of a game, match or meet is heavily impacted by skill, decision-making and team performance. Yet chance remains a key factor in athletics: referees vary, players get injured, mistakes happen. Because of this, athletes often desire “controlling the controllables.” With familiar personal rituals, each player has their own way of doing what they can to win the game.

While these rituals may provide a sense of ease to athletes, an over-reliance on them can be detrimental. In situations when an athlete skips their routine, they can feel uneasy or out of control, not because their athletic skill has changed in any way, but because they are so focused on the uncompleted task — they believe they have already lost their chance to play well before the game has even started. This dynamic draws a correlation between skipping a routine and poor performance, not as a result of superstition, but because of a lack of concentration for the game at hand.

At the end of the day, humans are creatures of habit drawn to repetition and comfort. For athletes, this comfort comes in forms on and off the field. Pre-game superstitions will most likely remain a common practice as young athletes search for control and routine.

Contact the editors responsible for this story: Julee Sharma, Finley Tipton, Katie McCabe

Flash forward to 2025. The clock ticks down, the ball drops and we substitute these profound “promises to the gods” with gym memberships, eating healthy and procrastinating less. With this newfound motivation, enthusiasm flows through the veins … until January 31.

There seems to be an extremely brief time between when these goals are set and when they are abandoned like our hope for the Clapp Renovation timeline. One flaw in this reconstruction phase is the lack of prior established habits. According to Scientific American, it takes the average human 66 days to develop a habit (far longer than the fleeting motivation that kicks in at the start of the new year). Anybody who has taken PSYC 101 might recognize this process as a form of classical conditioning, where behaviors become ingrained through repetition, creating a stimulus and a response. In regards to building habits, the “stimulus” might be a notification reminding somebody to exercise and the “response” would be getting up to go to the gym. Overtime, this stimulus-response relationship becomes automatic, leading to successful habit formation.

However, without this repetition, the willpower that seemed so powerful on January 1 quickly dissipates.

This struggle is particularly evident in fitness-related goals, which currently stand as the most-searched New Year’s Resolution on Google. Most people who resolve to improve fitness might initially maintain motivation, leading to the stereotypical increase in gym memberships at the start of each year. However, by the end of January, reality settles in and people realize that exercising is difficult, body odor smells vile and the simple option to cancel the gym membership exists.

Although some resolutions may fail, many succeed. The difference often rests in how the goals are set. Resolutions that follow the SMART outline – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound – prove to be more likely to succeed. For example, instead of a new runner setting a vague goal like “I will be an Olympic runner this year,” a more defined SMART goal could be to “run a mile in less than seven minutes in five months.” This approach narrows down intentions and creates a structured and manageable path. Many Wellesley athletes are familiar with this approach, as it is one of the philosophies emphasized by Wellesley Sports Psychologist Jenn McGibbon.

While New Year’s Resolutions are occasionally abandoned, they still reflect an honest desire for change and belief in self-improvement. Even when these goals are not met, the effort put into reaching them signifies meaningful progress. Instead of looking down upon unmet goals, they can be viewed as stepping stones.

I’m here to offer you a perfectly curated playlist to take you through the stages of your workout: depression, false hope, frustration, defeat, happiness and a myriad of other emotions you didn’t know a pullup could induce. This playlist does the work for you. Your only task is to hit “play” when you’re ready for this cathartic experience.

It’s a known fact that the hardest part of going to the gym is actually getting there. I call this the grief stage — where you mourn the loss of the comfort of your “dingle” (a dorm room fit for one person, but shared between two) and anticipate the future sweat running through every crevice of your body. As you begin your journey to the lovely Keohane Sports Center (KSC), start up this playlist and you’ll be serenaded with a ballad by our friend Elliott Smith. “Between the Bars” allows time to reflect on this walk, consider life decisions, and maybe even shed a tear. I’ve included an extra couple of sad songs in case you want to sit with your emotions a little longer before mustering the courage to enter the KSC.

You’ve made it to the gym. This sad music slowly fades out. You swipe your OneCard and lock eyes with the front desk student worker who seems to know this workout will steal your joy. It’s time to warm up. Here, you’ll enter a hopeful mindset — a chance to gain self confidence. 1990’s hit “Barbie Girl” by Aqua is sure to get you in the mood. Step on up to the treadmill and begin your warmup run. This section of the playlist also contains “Rasputin” by Boney M. and “Hung Up” by Madonna so you can enjoy your treadmill strut. Legs feeling fresh, ego inflated, “Barbie Girl” playing, what could go wrong?

Five minutes into your treadmill warmup, reality settles in. The line of sweat appears on your back, your breathing sounds slightly off putting, and the exit sign seems like your destined oasis. Meanwhile, the person on the treadmill next to you has been at a steady pace for over forty minutes without revealing a drip of sweat. But you persist because quitting now would mean admitting Barbie lied to us and no workout is strong enough to handle that kind of heartbreak. Cue “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns and Roses.

The delicious sound of metal grinding against metal in this “dad garage rock” banger calls to your dark side. Ready to lift some “heavy stuff,” you walk swiftly to the weights section like you own the place. With Axl Rose screaming in your ears, you ambitiously grab weights without considering the consequences your body will most definitely feel the next day (but who cares? This is “the jungle.” Welcome.) This section of the workout is dedicated to powerlifting — the main chunk of your workout. Muscles will rebel and threaten to go on strike, but you keep going! Songs you’ll hear in this section include “Back In Black” by AC/DC and Disney’s “Lemonade Mouth” masterpiece “Determinate” by the “Lemonade Mouth” cast. 

After repping out set after set, you reach the spiritual “I am Zeus” status. You don’t just lift these weights, they lift you to new dimensions. Your form? Questionable. Ego? Boosted. Records (and your back)? Shattered.

Post workout — I call this the vanity stage — as you make your way to the wall of mirrors. You pretend you’re not admiring your physique in the mirror even though everybody, including that one student worker at the front desk, knows you are. This is your chance to bask in your success. This unstoppable, on top of the world feeling does nothing but evoke the one and only hit film “The Lorax.” The playlist will fade into “How Bad Can I Be” by Ed Helms and The Lorax Singers because you deserve a profound, earth-shattering villain anthem. Other songs dedicated to this unforgettable feeling include “Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” by Rod Stewart (yes, you are).

There’s nothing better than finishing a workout with classical music in the background — what a cinematic finale. Although you may see stars, you conquered the workout. As you exit the KSC, you’ll hear Tchaikovsky (heavy on the Swan Lake), Debussy and Mozart. This classical trio will carry you home to that lovely dingle. 

Contact the editors responsible for this story: Julee Sharma, Katie McCabe

The National Hockey League (NHL) arrived late to the game in regards to hiring female coaches. This year, the NFL had 15 female coaches, the MLB 42 and the NBA five. While these ratios still reveal a discriminatory gender gap, these leagues seem to be slowly increasing the amount of female coaching positions. Since the NHL’s formation in 1917, no hockey team has even publicly considered hiring a female coach. Until now. 

This past July, the Seattle Kraken selected Jessica Campbell for an assistant coaching position, making her the first female coach in the NHL’s history. Campbell’s new role reflects the monumental changes contributing to evening out this divide.

Before the Kraken, Campbell captained the Cornell University team from 2010-2014. After that, she went on to play professionally in Sweden and Canada, earning a silver medal with the Canadian team at the 2015 Women’s World Championship. 

In 2017, she turned to youth coaching in both Sweden and Canada. She then received an assistant coaching position with the Nürnberg Ice Tigers, one of Germany’s professional men’s teams. In 2022, Campbell was hired for an assistant coaching position with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, a Seattle Kraken minor league subset. The Firebirds are part of the American Hockey League (AHL), which is one step beneath the NHL. She made history as the first AHL female coach, assisting head coach Dan Bylsma. In the two years the two coached together, the Firebirds scored 509 goals, more than any team in the AHL that season according to the New York Times. They also led the team to Calder Cup finals for both consecutive seasons. 

This past year, Bylsma was asked to join the major league team, Seattle Kraken, as the head coach. He agreed to the job but petitioned to have Campbell work alongside him. While Campbell’s extensive qualifications and success in the AHL made her an impressive candidate, controversy has sparked regarding how she got the job. Objectively, Campbell’s hockey background is impressive. However, it has been speculated that because she’s a woman, her qualifications seemed to have less weight. Bylsma played a vital role in putting Campbell on the managers’ rader and given the nonexistence of female coaches before Campbell, it’s safe to say he had to fight for her recognition as a viable candidate. 

After this speculation surfaced, Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis commented in an article posted to NHL.com on Oct. 7th that “She [Campbell] got this job because she is a very talented coach and we think she’ll not only bring the knowledge of a coach, but the ability to work with our players on power skating and skill development. It’s an extra voice in the room and an extra tool to help them in that regard.” 

So far, the Kraken are starting strong with a 4-3 record. Campbell brings a unique coaching style to the ice, focusing on communication and how each player needs different instruction. With a background in skills coaching, Campbell has been recognized for her detailed approach. As reported in the New York Times, she primarily works on players’ skating technique, as well as a special expertise with the power play.

Campbell joins a group of women pushing the boundaries of gender equity. Her new role works to influence not only hockey, but a list of other male-dominated professions as well. Campbell’s historical position sends an inspiring message to younger generations, showing that women belong in the same rooms (and ice rinks) as men. In an interview with CNBC Campbell remarked that “Hopefully, somebody else will have a door held open for them versus them having to push it open and find ways to unlock it.”

Contact the editors responsible for this story: Julee Sharma, Katie McCabe

Schiff grew up in Potomac, MD and started playing field hockey in second grade. He comments that field hockey “became an outlet for me to find my confidence, a community, and a family.”As an only child, Schiff  “grew up looking for that siblinghood” and finally found this sense of comradery in the form of team sports.

After attending Oberlin College for his first two years of college, Schiff came to Wellesley as a transfer student in 2022, explaining he was ready to “come to a place that expected more of me.” Since then, he’s been a member of the Wellesley Blue, contributing five goals and two assists last season.

Schiff started this season off strong, scoring two goals in the season-opener against Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. Schiff comments,  “For my mentality, that reinforced the idea of, ‘I can do this.’ Even though I’m a senior and I know my career is ending very soon, this experience showed me I still have the energy to keep going.” So far, Schiff has scored six goals for the Blue. 

Off the field, Schiff enjoys adventuring to various coffee shops with friends. An artist at heart, Schiff plays the trumpet and piano, paints, and writes while “learning to find joy in the simple things in life.” Schiff has been exploring different artistic mediums as well as majoring in Peace and Justice Studies with the hope of making a career out of both.

To find out more about him, The Wellesley News (TWN) interviewed Schiff (RS.)

TWN: How have your teammates helped you become the player you are today?

RS: My field hockey teams were all about finding family and community. Throughout the years, I’ve learned how to build those relationships with people and know that they’ll have your back no matter what. Especially here at Wellesley, and even going back to my other teams, we always try to stay as positive as we can and recognize that you’re working for something greater than yourself. I think that unity helps foster those friendships.

TWN: How has your mindset helped/hurt your game?

RS: Throughout my field hockey career, my experience has been very intertwined with a lot of my mental health struggles in life. So field hockey has been very difficult at times but I think going through those difficulties helps me be a better teammate. I know what I would have wanted from teammates in those times and I hope to bring that forth to my teammates.

TWN: How do you utilize what you learn on the field in other aspects of your life?

RS: Communication is definitely a big part of how I bring field hockey to the real world. Sometimes I struggle to find my voice in group settings but I think field hockey is a good outlet to figure out how to communicate best in various settings.

TWN: What is your favorite memory from Wellesley Field Hockey?

RS: My favorite memory is our trip to Memphis this year. We went down to Memphis for a game and won. We went to the Civil Rights Museum, walked around an artistic district and went on a Mississippi river cruise. It was really fun!

Contact the editor responsible for this story: Julee Sharma

The day started early at 9:00 a.m. with the Tennis team. The team hosted day two of the Wellesley Invitational — a three day home series of matches against Babson College, Brandeis University, Trinity College and UC Santa Cruz. After a grueling day, the Blue took home 10 wins in singles. First year Sofia Corte-Real finished 2-0 in against Babson and Trinity. Be sure to catch an upcoming match to see the Blue live in action.

Next up at 12:00 p.m. was Field Hockey. The Blue took home the W with an impressive 8-0 final over Bridgewater State University. Senior River Schiff recorded four goals for the team. Other players, first year Claudia Summers, sophomore  Alex Butulis ’27 and Camille Newman ’25 also contributed points for the Blue while shutout goalie Maddie Miller protected the Blue’s territory as a first-year.

Finally, fans gathered in the field house at 2:00 p.m. to cheer on the Volleyball team. The Blue swept Fisher College with a 3-0 W. Kate Giang ’27 led the Blue with four kills, seven digs and three aces. Teammate Caroline Meyer ’27 helped the team with nine kills and seven digs. The team is off strong with a 4-1 overall record.

If you missed this Earn the W Day, be sure to attend the games held at the next one in the Spring!

How do you find a moment of peace in the midst of a sports season, midterms, or just a busy time of the semester?

From G

Dear G,

I find personal time a crucial part of being a student athlete. Because you’re always surrounded by your teammates, classmates and friends, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and in need of some solitude. I recommend blocking off scheduled alone time into your calendar in order to prioritize yourself in the midst of so much stress. As an avid google calendar user, I find this pretty helpful because it forces me to build it into a schedule I look at constantly. In this time, I drop all thoughts regarding sports, academics and even social issues I’m dealing with at the time. I find it easier to focus on all of my work after having a quiet moment to myself. I also personally find difficulties when I procrastinate in my class work. For most student athletes, it’s vital to divide homework throughout the week so it doesn’t accumulate into an unbearable workload on top of your sport. Good luck with the rest of your semester!

Hey Katie,

If one were to dye their hair a new color what color should they dye it?

From M

Dear M,

I think you should go with a color that calls to you. Hair is a really expressive language. I recommend choosing a color that will make you happy and excited to look at the mirror. A few of my friends stick with purple, pink and red! You could always try a sample with a less permanent dye and depending on if you like it or not, buy a more permanent dye.

Hi Katie,

I have a friend who parties and drinks too much. How do I tell her she’s putting herself in danger?

From J

Dear J,

It’s important to look out for your friends, especially in regards to personal health. You can invite her to events and activities that do not involve alcohol. This is a helpful technique to use that still allows her the sense of leaving the room and doing something without the effects of alcohol or the party setting. It may be useful to also talk to her about your fears, although be diligent about how you word this. Hearing concerns from a friend can be a sensitive subject. I recommend calmly talking to her about her habits with alcohol without placing any blame on her. If you have any personal experience with friends, family members or others who have faced this issue before, it can also be helpful to include when talking to your friend in order to explain why you are concerned for her. Lastly, let her know that you are there for her. Support is a vital part of facing a conflict like this and I’m sure your friend would love to know that you have her back.

Katie,

I am really interested in getting a job to have some extra spending but on campus jobs are not offering a lot of hours, do people work anywhere else?

From A

Dear A,

The ville is a great place to work! Its proximity to campus is really convenient, especially because the town of Wellesley pays well. I have a few friends who work in the ville, ranging from restaurants to clothing stores to the bookstore! If you have a car, you can venture outside of the ville and look for other locations like the Natick Mall. The mall has a variety of job options and because it is such a large place, I assume they are in need of workers often. Another job option can be tutoring on zoom. This is a simple and effective way to earn some extra money on the side. The virtual aspect of this job is appealing to lots of college students because you won’t have to even leave your dorm room. I hope this helps!

How do I get over someone who isn’t good enough for me?

From, S

Dear S,

Knowing your worth is a very important step in getting over somebody. If you already know that this person is not up to your standards, then you are making the right decision by wanting to get over them. Sometimes finding yourself is a critical piece of this journey. This will give you independent time to reflect on yourself and decide what you want. If you haven’t already, I would recommend cutting the communication between you and this person. This is a big step, but if you are being tempted to answer their texts and calls currently, this may be making it harder to get over them. After this step, you can venture into finding another person that fulfills your standards. This may take time and that’s ok! All that matters is you take the time you need to complete these steps.

Hi Katie,

I’m feeling really run down and I can tell I’m coming down with a cold, but I have a super busy and stressful week ahead of me. Do you have any advice on how to balance things and how to keep up without further burning myself out?

From, I

Dear I,

I think this is a rough part of the year for many of us. I myself have come face to face with the difficulties of the spring semester. Coming back from Spring Break especially may be challenging as it is such a stark transition back to classes, work, and the atmosphere of campus. In regards to feeling under the weather, you can drink lots of water, hot tea, and electrolytes to flush out your system. Staying hydrated is always important but especially when you’re sick. Fluids assist in regaining strength in your immune system as well as replenishing the body. Burning out is a common feeling among college students, especially during the spring. I recommend finding places and activities outside of your classes that bring you peace and serenity. It is often helpful to separate school work from your personal life in order to maintain the energy to do both. I find it helpful to also talk to a friend when you need a little inspiration. There’s a high likelihood that they may be going through the same thing and talking about it can lead to a release of negative energy that will allow you to move on. Keep pushing through and it will be summer before you know it!

Hey Katie,

I’m a big fan of your advice column and was wondering if you could help me out?! I really love my roommate as a person but I don’t think we live well together. She is one of my very close friends but we live super different lifestyles and I don’t think it’s good for us to room together again. How should I go about telling her?

From, L

Dear L,

Roommates can be a common barrier in many peoples’ college lives. It can be really difficult to find somebody that matches your lifestyles and that’s ok. Since you are already great friends, it sounds like the best way of telling her would just be honesty. You should explain to her what isn’t working in your rooming situation and what is working. You can offer her a chance to fix what isn’t working in the time remaining in the semester. By May, if nothing has changed, then you can feel comfortable in changing roommates because you gave her the chance to change. It’s important to remember just because you are living different lifestyles doesn’t mean there is something wrong in the friendship. Not all friends are meant to room together! Your friendship doesn’t need to change after you tell her. In fact, it may make your relationship stronger because you are being honest with her. Good luck!

Hi Katie,

As a new pet mother would it be preferable to adopt a cat, dog or bird as a starter pet?

From, M

Dear M,

I think this is first and foremost a preference question. If you are willing to commit to being the caregiver to any of these options, I would recommend the animal that calls to you. From a logistical standpoint, I think a dog would require the most effort from you, but would overall be worth the work in my opinion. Dogs are companion animals, so if you’re looking for a comforting friend, go with a dog! In regards to space, if you plan to adopt any animal in the Wellesley dorm setting, I would recommend a cat simply because of the confinement issues associated with the rooms. Many of the cats on campus currently seem to be living great lives. I don’t know anybody with a bird on campus, but that may be an interesting and practical option as well. The only issue would be the confinement of the cage as the bird may want to fly into larger areas. I hope this helps and I look forward to seeing your new pet on campus soon!