Category Archives: FA21-Grp-05

Topic: Pre-xc/track meet traditions/superstitions at Dartmouth

HEP’s chant

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General Information

  • Language: English 
  • Tradition
  • Country of Origin: USA
  • Infromant: EL
  • Date Collected: 10/1/2021

Informant Data

  • The informant has been doing cross country since she was in middle school. She became the cross country captain during her sophomore year till senior year. As of right now she has no idea what she wants to major in but she does enjoy art a lot.

Contextual Data

  • Cultural context: EL states that the context behind the tradition is to bring members of  the track and field team closer together. Especially during the final meet called the HEPs where the entire team has dinner together and a chant right after, emphasizing team bonding and increasing morale.

Item

  • The item collected is a tradition that is done by the entire team right before their final meet which is called HEP’s. Before the meet members of the track team assemble at foco and grab food together. Once they’re all done they all rally and start chanting hyping up the members getting ready for the most important meet in the season

Informants Comments

  • “This bonding experience is what helps the track team be united. Our passion for the sport and our members trying to make each other feel at home helps keep the morale up”

Collectors Comments

  • I can agree with the informant that having team bonding experiences helps the players get comfortable with each other. I’ve been in soccer teams where there has been no bonding experiences and it doesn’t work because the players are comfortable with each other, which ruins the chemistry of the team.

Collectors Name

  • Robert Lopez

Shoes ready? Check

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General Information

  • Language: English 
  • Tradition
  • Country of Origin: USA
  • Infromant: JF
  • Date Collected: 10/16/2021

Informants Data

  • Unlike the traditional running or jumps in track the informant was recruited for the throwing events which consists of javelin throws, shot put, the hammer, and the discus. The informant plans to major in Econ and philosophy. During HS he used to be part of the varsity football team for 2 years and did track for 3 years.

Contextual Data

  • Cultural context: JF states that the most dedicated members of the track and field team have their own traditions that help them either focus before an event or help them get mentally prepared.

Item

  • Before each throw the informant said he ties his shoes over and over again. Since he needs his shoes really tight before he goes in circles trying to throw the put as far as possible he needs to make sure nothing is wrong with his shoe or else it’ll mess up his routine.

Informants Comments

  • “Tying my shoes has been a tradition that I and others in many different sports do in order to make sure we’re not slipping”

Collectors Comments

  • As I’ve previously mentioned on another post, tying the shoes is something that I used to do when I played soccer. I would always do it to alleviate any nervousness I had and to make sure they wouldn’t untie mid-game.

Collectors Name

  • Robert Lopez

The cursed baton

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General Information

  • Language
  • Tradition
  • Country of Origin: USA
  • Infromant: JC
  • Date Collected: 11/17/2021

Informants Data

  • The informant started running when they were in Middle school. She now does various Track activities on campus like hurdles and 4x400m relay races. She plans to major in Engineering and minor in studio art. 

Contextual Data

  • Cultural context: Since JC does relay racing the passing of the baton is one of the most important moments during a relay race. If the baton isn’t passed correctly and swiftly then you lose invaluable time that’ll cost you the race.

Item

  • The item collected is a superstition where if you drop the baton before practice it is considered bad luck and it is a sign that you’ll drop the baton during the race. In order to undo this curse JC said that doing some push ups will help.

Informants Comments

  • “Track is all about team bonding experience”

Collectors Comments

  • I can relate to this superstition, before a soccer game if your strikers were missing every shot then that’s a sign that they won’t have a great game.

Collectors Name

  • Robert Lopez

Runway

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General Information

  • Language
  • Tradition
  • Country of Origin: USA
  • Infromant: EH
  • Date Collected: 10/29/2021

Informant Data

  • Informant started running when he was in 6th grade. He always did track to try and get stronger and faster. He likes to compete in a lot of events and considers himself a jack of all trades. Hence, why he now competes in pole vaulting and long jump at Dartmouth.

Contextual Data

  • Cultural context: Before when EH was in HS, track was mostly used for football players to get faster and explosive. However at Dartmouth the people in the track team are all dedicated to that one sport, which makes the team’s morale stronger since they care for the sport and each other.

Item

  • The item collected is a series of jumps that EH performs before he starts. EH jumps and rotates his arms around 3-4 times. This tradition is common amongst jumpers in order to relieve any last minute nervousness and to get the jumper ready. 

Informants Comments

  • “The main purpose of the track team is a place to have fun and where they can hangout”

Collectors Comments

  • I’ve never done track or field but I did play soccer from MS-HS and there are certain traditions that players do right before a game to alleviate any nervousness. I would either tie my shoes over and over again, or do high jumps right before the whistle blew.

Collectors Name

  • Robert Lopez

Visualization

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Title: Visualization

General Information about Item:

  • customary lore, personal
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: JS
  • Date Collected 10/22/21

Informant Data:

  • Male, 20 years old, Born in New Jersey, Currently living in Hanover, NH
  • JS is a 400 hurdler on The Dartmouth Track Team

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Track competitions are often as much mental as physical, especially the field events and hurdles. Since track is an individual sport there is a lot of self-motivated pressure on an athlete to do well. Messing up only leaves ourself to blame so mental training is common in this sport. 
  • Social Context: During a track meet unlike the field events, sprinters and hurdlers only have one shot at their race. Hurdles can be mentally challenging as it is easy to mess up the rhythm and get hurt/loose the race.

Item:

  • JS has a certain visualization routine before every meet where he focuses on the feeling of running and successfully timing up each hurdle jump. He claims that it calms his pre-meet nerves and helps boost his confidence for a good race. He said that he learned this method from an older teammate in high school and has been doing it since.

Informant Comments/Quotes:

  • “I always have to visualize myself running the race the day before the meet.” -JS

Collector Comments:

  • Visualization is a common practice among track athletes because of how mentally challenging the sport can be. Although this practice is somewhat personal, I can personally verify, as a member of the track team, that this practice is extremely common especially at Dartmouth.

Collected By: Chloe Taylor

Don’t Drop the Baton

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Title: Don’t Drop the Baton

General Information About Item:

  • Customary folklore
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: CH
  • Date Collected: 10/22/21

Informant Data:

  • Female, 20 years old, Born in Los Angeles, CA, Currently living in Hanover, NH
  • CH is a 100m, 200m, and 400m sprinter at Dartmouth

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: In every track meet there are individual races and team relays. During a relay a baton is passed from member to member until all four have completed the designated distance. This means only one per team is running at a time.
  • Social Context: There are usually three main relay races in every meet. The most difficult being the 100 meter relay. This is because the baton handoff has to occur in a certain zone on the track. Since the distance is so short, the speed at which the handoff occurs is extremely fast. This unfortunately makes it easy to mess up and drop the baton. Dropping the baton is an instant disqualification from the race.

Item:

  • CH described a tradition in which the relay batons are kept off the ground the entire meet.

Informant Comments/Quotes:

“The relay teams don’t let the baton touch the ground the entire day of the meet so that they won’t drop it in their race.” -CH

Collector Comments:

  • While this tradition is not Dartmouth specific, Dartmouth Track and Field has been practicing it for many years. CH does not know who started this trend, only that it has been with the team for many years. The superstition that dropping the baton before the meet could cause them to drop it in the race is very understandable considering how difficult and high stakes the hand offs can be in competition.

Collected by: Chloe Taylor

Men’s XC Cheer

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Title: Men’s XC Cheer

General Information About Item:

  • Verbal/Customary folklore
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: CD
  • Date Collected: 10/21/21

Informant Data:

  • Male, 19 years old, Born in New Hampshire, Currently living in Hanover, NH
  • CD is a long distance and XC runner at Dartmouth

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Cross country races are both a team and individual sport. While individual performance is important, so is the team’s as a whole. These races also take place outdoors with hundreds of competitors from different schools all starting on the same start line.
  • Social Context: Since Cross country is a team sport, making sure that the team is bonded and eager to help each other is essential to placing well in a meet.

Item:

  • CD described a team cheer which the Men’s cross country team chants before every meet. The whole men’s team gathers in a huddle to perform the chant. He described two parts, person A (usually the team captain) leads the chant while the other line is shouted by the whole team in response.

Informant Comments/Quotes:

“We have the same cheer before every race.”

Person 1: “Men of dartmouth set a watch”

All: “Lest the old traditions fail” – CD

Collector Comments:

  • The team cheer seems like it really gets the whole team excited and ready to work together in the coming race. I can see how it’s extremely important to have the team get together for one final chant before it’s time to compete.

Collected by: Chloe Taylor

Women’s XC Cheer

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Title: Women’s XC Cheer

General Information About Item:

  • verbal/customary folklore
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: AJ
  • Date Collected: 10/21/21

Informant Data:

  • Female, 19 years old, born in Boston, MA, currently living in Hanover, NH
  • AJ is a mid distance and cross country (XC) runner at Dartmouth

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Cross country races are both a team and individual sport. While individual performance is important, so is the team’s as a whole. These races also take place outdoors with hundreds of competitors from different schools all starting on the same start line.
  • Social Context: Since Cross country is a team sport, making sure that the team is bonded and eager to help each other is essential to placing well in a meet.

Item:

  • AJ described a team cheer which the cross country team chants before every meet. The whole women’s team gathers in a huddle to perform the chant. She described two parts, person A (usually the team captain) leads the chant while the other lines are shouted by the whole team in response.

Informant Comments/Quotes:

“We do a certain cheer before every race at Dartmouth.”

Person A: “Run”

All: “Fast”

Person A: “Run”

All: “Relentless”

Person A: “Run” 

All: “Ugly”

Person A: “Lone pine pride on three”

Person A: “1 2 3”

All: “Lone pine pride”

Collector Comments:

  • The team cheer seems like it really gets the whole team excited and ready to work together in the coming race. I can see how it’s extremely important to have the team get together for one final chant before it’s time to compete.

Collected By: Chloe Taylor