Sacramento State’s men’s and women’s basketball players’ pregame rituals can be a little strange, yet, as simple as listening to music right before each game.

It takes a shiny, freshly shaven head to get Sac State’s men’s senior forward Heath Hoffman ready to go.

What was once a daily routine, Hoffman has made it into a pregame ritual he started doing at the beginning of the season to bring his team and him good luck.

“Everyone on the team has their own thing they do,” Hoffman said. “I like to keep my head clean.”

Every year, Hoffman said he tries to find another thing he can do differently that will help him get ready for each game.

“Last season, if we won, I would keep and wear the same socks,” Hoffman said. “This year, it’s been the head shaved.

Needing to eat the right food as game time approaches also creates a particular routine, Hoffman said.

“In the morning, I have to eat a bowl of Kelloggs Krave that’s the good, new stuff.” Hoffman said. “And usually two peanut butter sandwiches right before the game.”

Hoffman said music is also part of his routine – it’s what brings his focus together during shootaround.

“I like to be the first one at the gym getting some shots up while listening to Wale and J. Cole,” Hoffman said. “I could listen to them all day.”

As for teammate John Dickson, his ritual came to him as a surprise that started back in high school.

Dickson said his feet were hurting him a lot one day while playing a game for Fairfield High School.

“At halftime, I got some lotion and Vaseline because I thought it would help,” Dickson said. “I wanted my feet to feel smooth and it worked, so from then on I would do it before each game.”

Dickson said he continues to rub his feet and toes down with lotion and Vaseline as a Hornet before each game, adding the only brand of socks he will wear on his feet are the NBA logo ones.

“They have been the only socks not to cause my feet problems,” Dickson said.

Before the game, Dickson said he likes to get a lot of rest and shower before leaving.

“It helps get all my nerves calmed down,” Dickson said. “So when I show up for game time I can listen to Meek Mills, FAB and other R&B artists to help get me going.”

Josh McCarver had a ritual that dated back to his years in junior college.

“I have a lucky rubber band I play with, but take off for practice and place in my left sock.” McCarver said.

McCarver said he also has a sleeping routine that involves him waking up to do something, only to fall right back asleep afterwards.

“I have to have a nap, it ruins everything if I don’t,” McCarver said.

At every halftime, McCarver said he switches out his old piece of gum and replaces it with a fresh piece every game.

For freshman forward Megan Mullings’ pregame ritual, it involves putting a contrasting color rubber band around her shoe. It started back when she was in high school on her first club team and continues to do so each game as a Hornet.

“The girls that I talk to from that team still do it to this day,” Mullings said. “It was started by a teammate who would always have these random color rubber bands. She told us to put one around a shoe for good luck.”

She would switch the rubber band from shoe to shoe if she was having a bad game, Mullings said.

To help prepare herself, Mullings said she would go over scouting reports on the team’s best player, while listening to her favorite song “A– Back Home” by Gym Class Heroes.

“Music helps gets all the clutter out of my mind,” Mullings said. “I am able to be focused as game time approaches.”

Mullings said in high school she had a ritual of making herself rowdy and angry before each game – something she’s changed in college.

“It didn’t help me at all,” Mullings said. “I had to learn how to control my emotions because if I didn’t I would get called for a lot of technicals.”

Now, since being a member of the Hornets’ women’s basketball team, she is more comfortable handling herself, Mullings said.

“I am able to visualize, in my head, what I see myself doing in practice or game.” Mullings said. “Doing this has helped me a lot because I can expect when I am about to get a foul called and not freak out.”

Gabriel Pacheco can be reached at [email protected].