There are many rituals and traditions athletes perform before, during or even after a game, whether or not the team or they as individuals are succeeding. The Sacramento State women’s volleyball team is one of the most superstitious teams on campus.

Not only does the volleyball team prepare for its competition with conditioning and practices, but their rituals and “old school” traditions also cater to the team’s chemistry. Sac State performs at least three traditional chants before every game to get hyped for the match.

Senior setter Melissa Melcher said it is an honor to keep the traditions alive of former Sac State players who have succeeded. She would like to follow in their footsteps.

She said that biggest superstition the team has dates back at least 20 years. Based off “Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves,” Melcher explained the relevance of the Hornets’ favorite tradition.

“With ‘Ali Baba’ we all get into a large circle and follow the actions of whoever is the leader for that game. While chanting ‘Ali Baba and the 40 thieves’ over and over, we dance or do whatever silly thing the leader does. After, we huddle up and end with a cheer,” she said.

When coach Debby Colberg retired after 32 years at Sac State in 2007, Ruben Volta was hired as Sac State’s new head coach. The Hornets struggled last season with an overall record of 10-23 and 8-8 in the Big Sky Conference. Volta’s rebuilding process has begun, rituals or not.

Melcher said that the team is improving but that transition is slow. As of Saturday, Sac State has an overall record of 10-9 and is 2-3 in conference play.

For more than two decades, Sac State’s typically dominant program has continued its routine of rituals and superstitions. These rituals bring excitement to each game for the Hornet faithful.

Senior outside hitter Desiree Hoyum said that she believes that “Ali Baba” serves as a reminder of coming into each game focused and with an attitude that the team is always the underdog going against its opponents. Even when the volleyball program is down the Hornets still perform their rituals.

“After warm-ups we run outside and do our ‘Ali Baba’ dance – the underdog story,” she said. “It reminds us that with every game we start out at ‘the bottom’ and work our way to the top – similar to Ali Baba’s story.”

Although “Ali Baba” is the most respected and cherished superstition of past and present Hornets, each year they come up with new superstitions in hopes of bringing back the program’s winning tradition.

Melcher said she has taken it upon herself to keep one of Sac State’s longest traditions alive.

“Before each match, our coach will draw our game plan on the whiteboard. We adopted the idea and after he’s done, we draw too. We basically draw a tree, and on it will be several symbols relating to that game,” she said. “For example, if we were to play UC Davis we would probably write, ‘annihilate the Aggies’ and hang the mascot on the tree. In the meantime, we also draw a hornet defeating the opposing team. Kelsey Elston and I have taken over this tradition that has been going on for a while.”

Melcher said that each individual has his or her own superstitions that are subtler than the major traditions that involve the entire team.

“I have different handshakes with a few of the girls on the team, which usually take place before the game and sometimes in between sets,” she said. “We also have a tradition when announcing the opposing team and our starters. We all stand in a line and will hands while the announcing takes place – we clap once for the competition and twice for us.”

Hoyum said that she has a preferred superstition that pumps her up before each match.

“We have a traditional chant that we do right before the game begins that basically just says, ‘We want a victory.’ We will always alternate with who the leader is, and they will yell ‘What do we want?’ while the rest of us respond in ‘Victory.'” she said.

Britney Rossman can be reached at [email protected]