Tag Archives: dartmouth

HEP’s chant

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

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

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

Visualization

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

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

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

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

Runway Routine

Title: Runway Routine

General Information about Item:

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

Informant Data:

  • Female, 19 years old, Born in Arkansas, Currently living in Hanover, NH
  • LG is a Heptathalete, meaning she competes in seven track events: 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 meters, long jump, javelin throw and 800 meters

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Track competitions are often as much mental as physical, especially the field events (throwing/jumping). 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 superstitions are common in this sport.
  • Social Context: During a track meet, athletes have a certain amount of time once they step on the runway to jump. During this time they prepare themselves however they want as their competitors watch. Therefore personal folklore is easily passed around as having a certain routine before a good jump may convince younger competitors to do the same routine.

Item:

  • LG has a specific runway routine (superstition) which she believes she must perform before each jump (in her jumping events) or she won’t do well. Although this is personal folklore she says that it was very common among jumpers on her high school team as well as The Dartmouth team. Her routine may be slightly unique but has shared elements that she learned by observing other athletes in jump event competition.

Informant Comments/Quotes:

  • “I rock back and forth four times on the runway before actually going. If I don’t do this then the jump feels off.” -LG

Collector Comments:

  • As a jumper myself I can verify LG’s observation about runway routines and how they are learned from others. Although it has a sense of individuality, it is also a track-wide practice, especially at Dartmouth, so I thought it was still valid to include in this collection.

Collected By: Chloe Taylor

Tiger Balm

General information about item:

  • Tradition/superstition/ritual
  • Language: English
  • Country of origin: United States
  • Informant: WS
  • Date collected: 11/9/2021

Informant Data:

  • WS is a current sophomore at Dartmouth College in the graduating class of 2024. She is originally from Richmond, Virginia and currently resides in Hanover, New Hampshire. She is an Anthropology major. WS now runs mid-distance races for the track team, competing in the 600 and 800, but in high school she participated in both hurdle races. 

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Some athletes use alternative medical techniques which can sometimes equate to superstitious activities, as they are often unfounded/not proven by science and serve the purpose of mental preparation.
  • Social Context: Athletes do whatever they can to prepare for races, and often this means partaking in activities that are simply for comfort’s sake or allow for peace of mind.

Item:

  • “I had to put tiger balm (like bio freeze) on my legs right before my race […] I would put tiger balm on my shins around 10 mins before my race just as a superstition to loosen up my muscles. And the smell calmed me down, it like put me in the right mind set to race.”

Associate file (a video, audio, or image file):

Transcript (description of image):

  • Image shows the tiger balm discussed by the informant.

Collector’s Comments:

  • This ritual was interesting to me as some may not see it as purely a superstition because of the believed medicinal benefits of tiger balm and similar bio freeze products. However, when my informant was describing her reasons for using the tiger balm, she mentioned how the smell calmed her down and put her in the right mental headspace to race. This displays the more spiritual/ritualistic nature of this superstition.

Collector’s Name: Anna Brause

Tags/Keywords:

  • Dartmouth
  • Track/XC
  • Tiger Balm
  • Superstition

Pre-Race Fuel

General information about item:

  • Tradition/superstition/ritual
  • Language: English
  • Country of origin: United States
  • Informant: BG
  • Date collected: 11/6/2021

Informant Data:

  • BG is a current senior at Dartmouth College in the graduating class of 2022. She is originally from Washington State and currently resides in Hanover, New Hampshire. She is a Government and Human Centered Design major at Dartmouth. BG ran the 800, 1500 and 3000 for track, and competed in 5ks and 6ks for cross country. 

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Athletes often repeat specific superstitious or traditions before big races in order to control what factors they are able to in the face of competition uncertainty. For many athletes, their food becomes part of these superstitions. Often this means athletes will repeat the same pre-race meals in hopes of ensuring they have a successful competition.
  • Social Context: Many of the track athletes I interviewed told me about food superstitions they have before races. I noticed that this trend tends to start when the athlete has a successful competition. That athlete will then try and copy everything they did in preparation for their successful race, down to specific details such as the food they ate prior.

Item: “ […] I’m super particular about eating and I always stop drinking an hour before race time. For a while, I always used to eat a Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwich before I raced. Also, for a brief stint I would always have burger king chicken and fries the night before a race. This started because I would beat my personal record by a ton every time I ate this meal, so it just became a habit.”

Associate file (a video, audio, or image file):

Transcript (description of photo):

  • Photo of the described Jimmy Dean Breakfast sandwiched eaten as a pre-race ritual.

Informant’s Comments

  • “I am not exactly sure how that one [the breakfast sandwich] started, but I am sure I continued doing it because I was seeing positive race results and making a subconscious correlation in my mind. ”

Collector’s Comments:

  • Many of my informants followed similar superstitious rituals surrounding their pre-race meals. Often, when athletes see positive race results, they will do their best to repeat all the steps that brought them those results. This includes eating habits.

Collector’s Name: Anna Brause

Tags/Keywords:

  • Dartmouth
  • Track/XC
  • Superstition/ritual
  • Pre-race food