May Josefa S. Buslig
Superstitious rituals are repetitive, symbolically meaningful behaviors that athletes believe may influence performance, despite the absence of a direct causal mechanism. In competitive sport, these rituals often serve as coping mechanisms for uncertainty, pressure, and fear of failure. This study explored the superstitious rituals practiced by top-ranked team sport athletes in the Cordillera Administrative Region Association of State Universities and Colleges (CARASUC), the purposes athletes attributed to those rituals, and their perceived effects on performance. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, 15 top-ranked team-sport athletes who self-identified as highly superstitious in a preliminary screening were interviewed individually during the 2019 CARASUC Athletic Meet. Interview transcripts and field notes were analyzed thematically. Findings showed that all participants practiced at least one ritual before, during, or after competition. Reported rituals included carrying religious items, wearing “lucky” clothing, performing repeated bodily gestures, reciting prayers, and following rigid routines tied to play situations. Five themes emerged regarding the perceived purpose of these rituals: comfort and relaxation, avoidance of negative consequences, mental preparation, injury prevention or protection, and beliefs related to luck. Although participants generally acknowledged that the rituals did not objectively determine game outcomes, they described them as psychologically beneficial because they reduced tension, strengthened confidence, and created a sense of control in uncertain competitive settings. The findings suggest that superstitious rituals among collegiate athletes operate less as irrational oddities than as psychologically meaningful coping practices embedded in performance culture.