Even after putting on the uniform and stretching, some athletes still need one more element to put them in the zone before a game — music.
Certain songs fire up athletes’ intensity and get them pumped up for a game.
Will Ferrell’s character in the movie “Blades of Glory” put it succinctly — “It gets the people going!”
A few Wildcats shared some of the music that helps them get ready before games.
Name: Whitney Branham Year: first-year Sport: women’s basketball
“(I listen to) mostly rap songs that are upbeat and get you going.”
Name: Brooke Bowen Year: junior Sport: women’s basketball
Artist: Migos Song: “Fight Night”
“Every time we are driving to the game as a team, we listen to ‘Fight Night’ because it gets us pumped up and ready for the game.”
Name: Brooke Langeloh Year: junior Sport: softball
Artist: Cupid Song: “Cupid Shuffle”
“We listen to ‘Cupid Shuffle’ and dance. It’s our way of loosening up before it’s time to get down to business.”
Name: Cailin Garmon Year: sophomore Sport: softball
Artist: T.I. Song: “Go Get It”
“I listen to T.I.’s ‘Go Get It’ because it talks about grinding and hustling. Softball is my grind, and I’m hustling on the field so it motivates me.”
Name: Emily Denton Year: senior Sport: track and field
Artist: Eminem Song: “Lose Yourself”
“I’ve been doing it since high school, and it’s become kind of my pre-meet routine so I always have to do it.”
Name: Robert Engels Year: senior Sport: baseball
Artist: YG, Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z Song: none specified
“Something to get the blood going, something like that.”
Name: Gordon Deacon Year: senior Sport: baseball
Artist: E-40, Mac Dre, G-Eazy Song: none specified
“Some of their stuff can be pretty motivational, coming from nothing and now they’re making it.”
Name: Jordan Barton Year: senior Sport: men’s basketball
Artist: Meek Mill Song: “Dreams and Nightmares”
“It’s very inspirational and an upbeat kind of song.”
Name: Jalen McFerren Year: first-year Sport: men’s basketball
“It’s uptempo and gets me going.”
Nick Martinez-Esquibel can be reached at [email protected] or @THENickMartinez on Twitter.
