It’s the game on the schedule that stands out.
The one that fills the bleachers and the stands, no matter how good either team is that year. The one that brings alumni back, and the one that changes the school atmosphere days or even weeks before it.
The one the coaches, players and administrators won’t talk much about, but secretly hope to win.
A rivalry is the purest form of competition, driven by history and tradition. Early on, kids are hard-wired to cheer for one side — and against the other — in these games.
And, high school sports, arguably, present the most simple and pure rivalries. These matchups are where the players are mature enough to understand the pressure of a rivalry game, while also remaining mostly untainted by the monetary incentive and hype surrounding massive college and professional rivalries.
While these games might only affect the communities of two schools at a time, those communities can be fiercely involved. For a night, the monotony of a season schedule is broken and gives way to tension, excitement and frenzy during the game.
The buildup to that Friday night spotlight starts much earlier, days before the game is scheduled. As a player understands more about how much a rivalry game means, they experience more profound and pronounced effects during the week prior.
“There are quite a few differences (between a rivalry and a normal game),” sports psychologist Dr. Yolanda Brooks said. “Primarily from what I’ve read and what I’ve experienced, a rivalry is more sustaining than a simple game or competition where you play the game and then you’re done. A rivalry is ongoing.”
A rivalry game can also have significant mental and physical effects on a player, with their knowledge of the raised stakes of the contest and the importance of their own strong performance.
“Even if it’s not something they’re consciously aware of, there might be more adrenaline flowing, more anxiety, or perhaps a lack of focus,” Brooks said. “Players can be really pumped up sometimes, but sometimes that anxiety can drain the energy and create more distractions. In summary, though, I think (the pressure) is heightened in many levels. It’s something that’s palpable in the atmosphere, noisier, more energy.”
Another aspect of high school rivalry is the limited impact a player might have on the overall status of the rivalry. If two teams play once a season, that leaves as little as four opportunities (assuming varsity-level performance in all four years of high school) for a player to play in a rivalry game during their career.
“I think perennial rivalries are a lot more fun, but also more challenging,” Brooks said. “And I know as a spectator, I probably get a lot noisier and more energized in those types of rivalries. Sometimes we create a situation where there are unreasonable and unrealistic expectations, but the exciting part of rivalries comes from the idea that ‘You never know what’s going to happen’. The team could have a losing season, but when it comes to this rivalry, they really step up, and a lot of times they end up winning. Maybe it’s an anomaly, but it’s one during a rivalry.”
One player who’s no stranger to rivalry matchups is Andrew Laczkowski ’20, who played for four years on the Lions varsity basketball team before playing basketball at the University of Pennsylvania. Laczkowski is one of a few St. Mark’s basketball players to have scored 2,000 points at the school, and was at the heart of many fierce rivalries on the hardwood.
“You definitely know it’s ESD week or Greenhill week based on your preparation,” Laczkowski said. “You’re a lot more focused on what you’re doing, your scout is a little bit different, you’re prepared for them.”
Rivalry games are often susceptible to other factors outside the skill or talent of a team. Some examples include the players’ belief in their own ability and the physical presence of a raucous crowd.
This season, anticipation has reached new heights thanks to the enthusiasm of the school’s SuperFanMen, a legendary squad known for their outrageous costumes and relentless dedication to rallying the community.
“With rivalries such as ESD and Greenhill, it is important to show the opponent our confidence and ability to build up a game,” senior SuperFanMan Mateu Parker said. “The great thing about a rivalry is it doesn’t matter which sport it is – football, basketball or volleyball. It’s really easy to ramp up people’s emotions and convince them to go to the game because there is so much history between the two schools. We really mention the history and try to boost our confidence.”
The buzz and excitement they generate have a tangible effect on the team, generating an overflowing will to win.
More recently, the SuperFanMen’s efforts have been bolstered by social media and constant posts to get the word out.
“In terms of social media, creating a really intimidating Instagram post and other students reposting it really helps,” Parker said. “Even though we do this every week, rivalry week gets the most reposts and hype around it. It’s the best way to get students who don’t play a sport to come to a game.”
By leveraging platforms like Instagram, students can foster excitement and unity around important games, especially during rivalry week, ensuring that the energy extends beyond the players to the entire student body.
For a player who’s been battle-tested in these sorts of games, the buildup is just as important as the game itself.
“Basketball has always been strictly business, so I would wear a suit all day,” Laczkowski said. “It wasn’t the most comfortable, but it gets you in the mindset that this is a big day to prepare for and you have to mentally show up for that game.”
Laczkowski, however, notes that sometimes, he could feel the pressure to perform placed on him by the fans and other players.
“In the game, everything feels more important,” Laczkowksi said. “Each rebound, each possession, each shot, there’s more weight to it.”
But, due to that heightened pressure, players may also experience some negative effects and stressors in the buildup to and also during a rivalry game.
“When the anxiety inserts itself, it can undermine focus, concentration and decision-making,” Brooks said. “The dots aren’t connecting in a productive way, so therefore performance is affected as well. It might take more energy to do simple things in the game, and you might feel more fatigue or dehydration. You might have a brain fog. That’s when you might see penalties or unforced errors. That can be a factor, because it’s a rivalry and the person might be a little more worked up.”
Despite that, Brooks finds that some simple fixes can be applied when a player faces this sort of stressful situation.
“What I recommend is to have a tool kit of things to do that can help you stay calm and focused,” Brooks said. “And I start with diaphragmatic breathing, which slows down the anxiety. The oxygenation of the bloodstream relieves the tension so you’re not all wound up tight. The next thing is visualization, where you shut down everything surrounding you that can be distracting or reinforcing the anxiety and walk through every step, all the way up to playing time.”
And, above all, Brooks highlights that any rivalry game, however historic and heated, is still just a game. While winning might feel great, one must also consider the effects of a loss, and try to empathize with the unfortunate team.
“If you do well, you might enjoy the victory,” Brooks said. “But again, if it’s a rivalry, and you know some people on the other side personally, or maybe it’s the last game for this person, there may be mixed feelings. There’s a sadness. These games are more sustaining in terms of the emotional connection.”