Everyone has a lucky number. Maybe it’s the day of the month you were born, or just one that’s always stuck out to you, but chances are, you actively seek it out. For example, if your lucky number is 22, you’ll probably choose something with that number given the option. 

But what happens when you’re actively associated with a number you don’t get to choose, like a jersey number for example? Could you actually perform better with the perceived added benefit of your lucky number? Here’s what some WHS athletes think. 

Gabriel Reyez, a varsity soccer player here at Wylie, plays as #3. His lucky number is 9, but he also enjoys the number 3 because of its association to 9. 

 “Yeah, it’d probably be worse. I like the number 3, a lot,” Reyez said when asked if his game play would be worse if he were another, more random number.

Katie Sharp, also feels similarly. She on our JV softball team and currently plays as #36. Her lucky number is thirteen, and has a sentimental meaning to it.

 “13 has always been in my family, and I feel I’m representing my family when I wear the number. But I mean, I play as hard as I can every game, regardless of the number,” Sharp said. “I would probably feel better about [playing] cause of its meaning to me.”

According to general athletic legend, the number 7 is especially lucky. This is evident in things like the seventh-inning stretch in baseball, and some iconic players in sports history playing as number 7. 

And while there are the traditionally lucky and unlucky numbers, many don’t take superstition into account when choosing theirs. Sharp’s lucky number 13 for example, is famously unlucky, while Reyez’s 9 is known as lucky. 

Within the world of sports though, there’s an endless number of lucky or superstitious things. Like lucky socks for example, which basketball player Jason Terry wears five pairs of at every game. Or day-specific colored underwear for Olympian Kwak Yoongy.

Athletes are prone to do whatever they can to maximize their performance. Even if it’s something seemingly small, like wanting a specific number displayed on their back. It really is all the small things that make the difference.