Written by Abbey Williams \/\/ Graphic by Wagner Valdez<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harding athletes don\u2019t always need luck, but some Lady Bison softball players have good luck traditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Junior outfielder Ashton Bryce said she believes in luck as an athlete. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI do believe luck exists, especially in sports,\u201d Bryce said. \u201cYou can look at so many different instances in sports where luck 100% played a factor in a game.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bryce said the team does some things based on superstitions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t believe that we have ever won a game purely based on luck,\u201d Bryce said. \u201cThere are several things that we do that are more superstitious, I think, than luck. For example, we have the same pregame routine and do it the exact same way every time. There are sometimes when a call goes in favor of us and not the other team, and that could be luck in that case.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bryce said if they played a good game and didn\u2019t win, that could be bad luck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSame thing goes for losing,\u201d Bryce said. \u201cOne call or one play that didn\u2019t go our way that could\u2019ve, that lost us the game could be considered luck. Coach says, \u2018We didn\u2019t have luck on our side,\u2019 or \u2018We just needed some luck that game and didn\u2019t have any,\u2019 if we played a really good game and didn\u2019t win.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senior outfielder Madison Fraley said she is superstitious when it comes to softball. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t focus too much on luck, but I would say I\u2019m very superstitious when it comes to softball,\u201d Fraley said. \u201cI like to have a routine. It keeps my head clear and helps me feel in control.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fraley said she believes a tradition she and her teammate do contributes to winning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe most definitely win games because of one of our superstitions,\u201d Fraley said. \u201cMy teammate Jordan Cabana and I have a certain tradition we do, but only when absolutely needed. Multiple game-winning hits and plays have been made right after we do it. I can\u2019t say exactly what we do because it would ruin its power, but we both have to 100% believe it will work. Ninety-nine percent of the time it works.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fraley said the softball team participates in \u201cVest Friday,\u201d a tradition started by sophomore catcher and infielder Brooke Johnson, who stole the idea from her cousins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe softball team does connect over wearing vests,\u201d Fraley said. \u201cIt gives us something to look forward to on Fridays. The best part is when we meet up in the Hammond Student Center after chapel and look at all of our vests.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fraley said Vest Friday is a fairly new tradition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVesting on Fridays is a fairly new tradition, and I\u2019m not sure I can contribute a win to the vests yet,\u201d Fraley said.\u201dHowever, I do believe the vesting will continue to grow in power. My dream would be to look into the stands on a Friday home game and see a crowd full of fans, all in vests. I believe that would most definitely contribute to a Harding softball win.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fraley said she does a few other things for superstition besides Vest Friday, such as putting on eye black, glitter, a helmet, EvoShield and gloves the same way every time. She uses the same throwing balls throughout the entire game and fires remix cheers in the dugout as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnson said the team connects over Vest Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is something that we started doing about a month ago,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cMy whole family loves vests, and they started an Instagram account called @vestfriday. We all get together and take a photo, and it just makes the team and some people around campus feel a sense of community.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnson said luck gives her a sense of comfort and confidence when it comes to softball. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI believe in luck,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cNot in a way that it directly affects the outcome, but it gives you a sense of comfort and confidence to play to the highest level due to your routine that you trust. There\u2019s an element of luck in every game, whether that is the umpires or refs, weather, or things just unfortunately happening.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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