Jacob Brunton ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.
This is part of a series of articles about student-athletes’ pre-game rituals. Read them all here.
Jacob Brunton ’25 is a 2nd-year member of the Northwood Prep hockey team, and he has a unique pregame routine. All the Prep team members would agree his routine is extreme compared to the rest. His routine is consistent but varies depending on where the game is, what time the game is, and other factors.
A full 8 P.M. home game routine starts with waking up 12 hours before game time. From there, Jacob will get dressed and walk into town to the Soulshine Bagel shop to get bacon, egg, and cheese. He then comes to the team stretch and does a light workout. Jacob then tries to get in a 2-hour nap before he walks back into town to go to the rink, sharpen his skates, and grab a coffee from Starbucks before coming back to school. Once back at school, he has his pregame meal of pasta and chicken, then gets in the shower and listens to the same songs as he showers. After getting ready, he will sit in the living room for 40 minutes before the bus picks players up to head to the rink.
Once he gets to the rink, he has another set of superstitions to go through. He can do these things no matter when or where the game is. He gets changed right away from his suit into the undergear that he wears for the game, puts his Northwood shorts on, and has no shoes. He then tapes both of his sticks and puts them blade up in the locker room while the team warms up and he dresses. Once he is in his equipment, he leaves the room 30 minutes before game time and goes through a stretching routine and some meditation.
Brunton as a recent game. Photo provided.
Some days he cannot accomplish all the things he would like to before game time, but he has three things that must happen, no matter what. “My pregame coffee is a must; I usually walk to a nearby Dunkin or Starbucks if we are on the road,” Brunton said. He will settle for a hotel coffee if neither of those is local.
“My second big thing is my stretching routine; I need to make sure my body is in the best shape possible for every game,” he said. His last must is his meditation routine. He believes being in the right head space for a game is the most important way to be prepared.
Brunton said he has been superstitious for a lot of his life, which is where this comes from. “If something is working, why switch it up?” Although he said if he is going through a slump or the team is not winning games, he may change some of the details but will stay consistent with most of his routine.
