![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Athletes prep up to step up: students perform pregame rituals to prepare to compete
(LEFT) Arnav Tandon (12) prepares to throw a water polo ball. (MIDDLE) Vivian Wang (11) performs the butterfly stroke during a swim meet. (RIGHT) Prameela Kottapalli (10) plays defense in a basketball game. These three athletes partake in special pregame rituals in order to prepare for sports games.
October 11, 2016
Many athletes have their own rituals or routines to focus and prepare before important games. These pregame rituals range from simply breathing to physically preparing for a game or competition.
Some athletes take time before a game to calm themselves and concentrate, including swimmer Kevin Xu (11).
“After the warm-up, I put my head on a lane line and drown out all outside noise,” he said. “Then I get in the zone.”
For Vivian Wang (11), another swimmer, the concentration for a race begins the day before.
“The day before a big meet, I usually hang out with friends, watch TV or anything that calms the nerves. Then, the day of [the meet], I try to stay positive and listen to music so I can focus on my race,” Vivian said. “I usually try to focus on my own race and not worry too much about my competitors because it helps me perform better.”
Many other athletes also prioritize this concentration and take similar steps to clear their minds before athletic events.
“I always take five deep breaths before a basketball game. Then, as a team, we all like hang out in the team room and sometimes watch videos of the other team,” Prameela Kottapalli (10) said. “When we don’t watch videos, we just hang out and then [our] coach gives us a mini lecture about what to expect before we enter the gym together. After we enter, we do warmups and our usual [preparation].”
Some athletes’ rituals are more concerned with the physical aspects of their preparation and are very specific about details regarding their rituals.
Athletes also establish joint rituals with teammates. Juniors Rahul Mehta and Peter Connors perform a specific handshake with each other before basketball games.
Other athletes base their pre-game routines around the environment of their home courts, using specific aspects of the courts as part of their rituals. Water polo captain Arnav Tandon (12) has a ritual specifically for the upper school Singh Aquatic Center.
“The sequence for home games is I change, go into the bathroom and wash my face, get my mouthguard and then on the way to the pool, I slap all the black poles next to the fence and the shower poles,” Arnav said. “Then I do [an] arm shake [and] stretch my legs. I also listen to music.”
While different athletes prepare for games and events in different ways, their goals are ultimately the same: to prepare for the game and have the greatest chance of winning.
