“I couldn’t wash my knee pads and I always prayed during the national anthem.” 

Before men’s track coach Briana Jones started coaching at Bellaire, she played college volleyball. 

These are a few of the rituals Jones followed as a defensive specialist for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley women’s volleyball team. Routine allowed her to incorporate elements of her high school self in the larger college volleyball arena. It was something Jones found crucial to having a good game.

“Your routine is how you get in the mode of the game,” Jones said. “I always feel like if I didn’t do my things that I normally do, I wouldn’t play as well as I can.”

Although her pregame rituals were important, Jones also found support and comfort outside of volleyball. Being a collegiate athlete tested Jones’ mentality. She had to learn new ways to push herself and find the positives in the little things and those around her.

“My second college coach made me hate volleyball so my sophomore year was a struggle,” Jones said. “I leaned on my best friend.”

Jones questioned her love for the sport during the times she lost the fiery spark she had always had before. She was thrown into a new environment and had new challenges she had to tackle by herself. Jones had to balance constant travel, weight room on top of her academics.

“When your head coach doesn’t care as to what is going on personally or anything, it is just like, ‘What am I here for?’” Jones said.

Now, Jones works to support other athletes struggling with similar issues she faced while competing at the highest level.

“[My advice] is to reach out to someone that you trust to help you through it and talk about it,” Jones said. “That helps more than keeping it inside.”

Senior Gabriella Alves-Gillete honored her pregame superstitions when she was a gymnast.

“I would ensure all my tiger paws, heel cups and tape went on my left side and then my right,” Alves-Gillete said. “Then, my coaches would have us envision our routines to envision the outcome that we wanted.”

She trained at Houston Gymnastics Academy, later switching to Pearland Elite. As a level 10 gymnast, Alves-Gillete developed routines that she still incorporates in her life today. 

“I would make sure to have everything ready the night before so I wouldn’t rush in the morning, because I hate being late for anything,” Alves-Gillete said.

Alves-Gillete saw herself as a role model to all the other young gymnastics, and she pushed herself to be the perfect example. However, this added pressure and shifted the way Gabriella viewed herself as a gymnast and a person. Starting when Alves-Gillete was young, she was told to be “perfect”, and this is still something Alves-Gillete strives for and struggles with even today. She had extremely high expectations and wanted to be at the top.

“I was thrilled to be at a higher-level gym but also felt anxious about meeting the standards,” Alves-Gillete said. “I became increasingly concerned about my body image and injuries.”

This lifestyle was not sustainable for Alves-Gillete, and she was forced to take a step from the sport because she was “mentally not there.”

“The pressure became too much for me,” Alves-Gillete said. “I was too injured and too tired to proceed anymore.”

However, she has left the sport with a new perspective on her individual value and how to be a better person for those around her.

“I learned how to overcome disappointments and setbacks and how to bounce back stronger as a person, gymnast, friend and family member,” Alves-Gillete said.

“Usually before the kickoff, I start praying to God and try to focus,” junior varsity men’s soccer player David Chiesa said. “[I] understand that everything I’ve done during the week has made me ready for this moment.”

God is the central point in Chiesa’s life. His connection with God allows him to perform at his highest level and do anything that he needs to do. Chiesa believes he can’t be successful without God and looks to him before every game in addition to his countless hours of practice.

“Whenever I don’t pray, I feel like there is something wrong,” Chiesa said. “But once I pray and once I ‘lock in,’ I am peaceful and feel more focused.”

Chiesa plays soccer at Bellaire as well as at Houston Football Club (FC), but he still struggles with staying disciplined and being consistent with his workouts each week, especially with the Texas heat. During these harder times he leans on those around him.

“My teammates are very motivating, as well as my coaches,” Chiesa said. “That’s what makes me become better and what keeps me striving to do better.”

The people around Chiesa are able to support him after a bad game and allow him to adjust his focus back to the positives. 

“Whenever I’m having bad days and bad games,” Chiesa said. “ [The people around him] remind me of the good things that I’ve done before.” 

Chiesa understands what it is like to lack motivation or have bad days. He is able to lay back onto God and set his mind straight again. 

”My advice would be to meditate, and everything will become second nature,” Chiesa said. “You’re going to be focused and everything will get better.”

“The night before, I sit in the hot tub for 30 minutes, and then I do recovery boots,” senior Jatin Presse said. “[Then] I stare at a wall and visualize myself being where I need to be in the race.” 

Presse has his fair share of pregame rituals. Presse runs varsity cross country and plays varsity tennis. His routine starts days before a competition, and he ensures he is giving his body time to reset and to have the best performance.

“I try to make sure everything is very consistent every time I race,” Presse said. “Right before the race starts, I do three big jumps and then a couple little hops.”

Routine is essential to Presse’s performance. 

“I think [rituals] are beneficial, and the consistency allows for it [the routine] not to be a variable,” Presse said.

Presse’s pregame rituals can only take him so far. Presse puts a lot of mileage on his body every week, from his individual runs to team practice and races. So, the way he fuels and prepares his body allows him to stay motivated and push himself mentally.

“If my legs feel strong, that will keep me motivated,” Presse said. “I want to shoot for a PR.”

As a senior, Presse has experienced more on his plate than usual. He balances tennis, cross country, debate, AP classes, college applications, as well as some recent injuries. All these obstacles have taken a toll on his free time and challenge his mentality, but he pushes himself to stay focused on what is important to him. 

“There has been a lot of work to do, so sometimes it is hard to get a run in,” Presse said. “I’ve missed a couple of runs, which I usually feel really bad about.”

Presse has goals of running in college while still attending a school that is a good academic fit for him.

“[My advice] is to look where you can improve and try to move on and keep working on it,” Presse said.“You will make a breakthrough eventually and the performance will start coming.”