Playlists hype performances

Trae Contryman

Senior Kyle Lin scrolls through his Spotify playlist to prepare mentally for practice. “[Music] helps me get to a good vibe or mood and it helps me prepare mentally for my race or just practice,” Lin said.

Every student athlete must show up to practice with all the optimal gear: shoes, water and most importantly? A fire playlist. Whether it be running drills or preparing for a game, music can actively shape an athlete’s mentality and performance.

Just like how people typically seek out melancholy tunes during a good cry, athletes choose warm-up songs that pump them up and get them feeling confident. Getting hyped up is crucial for any sport, and finding a beat or lyrics that resonate with oneself can help athletes give it their all.

Girls volleyball tends to listen individually to their own preferred music during practice, as they get with their pepper partners or run hitting lines. JV volleyball libero junior Ava Patam’s go-to warm-up song is “Circo Loco” by Drake and 21 Savage—a rap song with a heavy beat.

“I just like the beat,” Patam said. “It’s immediate and it gets me really hyped for my game.”

As for boys swim, the team creates a “jam” on Spotify and plays the songs on a communal speaker so they can feel the energy as a unit. They aim for fast-paced rap songs, with some of their favorite artists being popular rappers like Lil Baby and Drake. For boys swim captain senior Kyle Lin, “Life is Good” by Future and Drake and “Nonstop” by Drake are his go-to for their bold lyrics.

“[Music] really uplifts my mentality, because it gets me hyped and ready to race,” Lin said. “It definitely helps you ease your nerves.”

While athletes tend to listen to more quick-tempo, high-energy rap songs, everybody has music that connects with them. What matters the most is finding the unique sound that gets your head in the game.

“It’s easy to get tired and unmotivated as an athlete,” Patam said. “So having that routine and that reset before a game helps with my focus.” Ω