While stepping onto Chessa Field brings a tremendous amount pride to members of the Ohio soccer team, it also comes with a lot of pressure.
The Bobcats have developed several routines to relieve the pressure they will go through before they open conference play against Eastern Michigan today.
As the first conference games of the season, this weekend’s games will have added importance. Goalkeeper Mattie Liston has her own tradition before each game that she has done for as long as she can remember.
“Every half when I come out I hit the closest post with both hands first, and then the other side I hit both hands and then I hit the top bar,” Liston said. “That’s just my thing. I’ve always done that, and then I go out.”
While the players have certain activities they do on their own before the game, it is what the team does together that rallies the Bobcats to take the field with energy.
Before each game, the coaching staff enters the locker room and gives the team some advice before giving the players two minutes of alone time. The team will then form a circle and face off against one another in a dance off.
“It’s free style dancing, you just bring to the table your own personal moves, some better than others,” Liston said. “We get a song to pump us all up and then someone just goes in the middle and dances. It’s pretty funny.”
Coach Stacy Strauss said she is more than fine with the players’ dancing before the game, saying it can only help the team in getting energized for the game.
“In my experience, there’s been a lot of that through the years, and typically people in general are better when they are upbeat or enthusiastic,” Strauss said. “I think the same holds true for athletes at all levels. It’s just something they can do to get excited and get mentally prepared to go out and take on an opponent.”
The players and Liston all have fun and get excited for the game. There can be enormous pressure for the players to perform at their very best each game, but there is a little weight taken off their shoulders when they dance and shake out the jitters before leaving the locker room.
“It’s just one of those things that being too serious before a game is counter-intuitive, so it’s better to be having fun and getting ready to play soccer like everyone has done for 19 or 20 years of their life,” Liston said.
mb832409@ohiou.edu
