Listening to music is a common pre-game traditions for athletes. Whether it’s in the locker room before running onto the field, playing over the loud speakers to crowds in the gym or in the headphones of athletes as they quietly await their chance to compete, music helps athletes focus on the task at hand and get excited about the competition ahead.

According to a 2012 study by researchers Costas Karageorghis and David-Lee Priest, listening to music while exercising has an effect that results in “higher-than-expected levels of endurance, power, productivity or strength” and can be considered “a type of legal performance-enhancing drug.”

Some teams prefer to play loud music as a pivotal part of their pre-game routine, while others prefer a quieter lead up to competition. 

Seniors and team leaders from every Linfield team contributed their favorite pump-up songs to create one master list: the ultimate Wildcat hype playlist. 

Head over to our Spotify to listen.

Men’s Soccer

ICON- Jaden 

Down Bad- Dreamville 

“Music is definitely a big part of our traditions, the guy who gets to make the playlist every year is bestowed with a large task to amp up his teammates. I was fortunate to get the job this year and make a fun playlist for the guys to jam out to before the game,” senior defender Chase Whitaker said. “[Listening to music pre-game] is very important. It’s been a part of my personal routine since my freshman year of high school, and I was really happy to see that music was regarded as equally important at Linfield!”

Football

Duffle bag boy- Playaz Circle 

Swag Surfin’- F.L.Y

“Music is a big part for our team’s pre-game. I’m having flashbacks of when Mo Bamba came out and the locker room was going crazy,” senior linebacker Brock Klosterman said. “For me, I think music helps me play well. It really gives the team an adrenaline rush before we go out there and play.”

Volleyball

Hot Shower- Chance the Rapper

Year 3000- The Jonas Brothers

“Music is one of the biggest components of our pre-game traditions. We show up to the locker room 30 minutes to an hour before we are supposed to start warmups to pump up, sing, and dance together while getting ready,” said senior middle blocker Hannah Waterman. “When we had our time off the court for the other team to warmup, we go back into the locker room to listen to a few more songs and really get hyped up before we begin.”

“I feel like music is an important part of our pre-game routine, if not the biggest. Music is something that everyone on our team enjoys and when one or two people really get into the song, it encourages the rest of the team to get into it as well,” Waterman said. “We all just laugh and dance together and it helps shake out any of the nerves we have before the game and puts us in a positive, winning mindset.”

Women’s Basketball 

How Do You Like Me Now?!- Toby Keith 

Ayy Ladies- Travis Porter ft. Tyga 

“Music is a big part of our pregame ritual. We listen to music in our locker room when we are getting ready for games and often times brought music into the treatment center while getting treatment,” senior guard Jordyn Feinauer said. “We always play music for warm ups and even during shoot around we play music. It gets us hyped for games.”

“Music is an important part of my pregame traditions. It is something that gets me ready while also calming any nerves I have pregame,” Feinauer said. “Whether it is the team’s music or my personal music, I am more often than not listening to music up until game time.”

Women’s Golf 

Know your worth- Khalid & Disclosure

Kings & Queens- Ava Max

“As golfers, music is not a big part of pre-tournament traditions because we are typically warming up around 80 other golfers who expect the course to be a quiet and a tranquil place,” senior golfer Raegan Barr said. “It’s usually a mixed bag at tournaments whether players listen to music or not. If so, they would be wearing headphones. As much as we are a team and enjoy our time together, golf is an individual sport so we all have our own traditions that we have brought from previous years of playing.”

“I personally feel that music is a good part of the pre-game routine. I grew up also playing volleyball where it was unnatural not to have music playing to pump us up,” Barr said. “I have adapted to listening to music on the way to courses to help me get into the right mindset for my tournament, but ultimately opt out of listening to anything while warming up on the course to help my game personally.”

Swimming

Life is a Highway- Rascal Flatts

Repercussions- NAV and Young Thug

“Music isn’t a big part of out teams pre-meet traditions, though it is usually used to get the team pumped up to swim fast,” said senior Kahili Helm. “Music personally helps me get me locked into swimming mode to help me focus.”

Softball

Dior- Pop Smoke

Too Hotty- Quality Control

“I would definitely say music is a big part of our program’s pre-game warm-up tradition, actually it’s a huge part of our program all around. Even during drills at practice our coach will turn music up loud to work on the infielder’s communication skills, forcing them to yell and be louder than the music. That drill is always fun at a 5:30am practice,” senior centerfielder Kelsey Wilkinson said. “We also have a specific playlist that is made by the seniors every year that we play during warm-ups of every home series. Katie Phillips even brings her speaker into the team room to listen to music before our playlist starts playing over the loud stadium speaker. So you could say we are constantly listening to music.”

“Personally, I would say music is for sure apart of my pre-game routine. I seriously cannot start a game day without listening to my favorite ‘hype’ playlist,” Wilkinson said. “I would say that’s pretty true for most people on the team… we have a lot of music junkies.”

Men’s Tennis 

All of the Lights- Kanye West

6 Foot 7 Foot- Lil Wayne

“Music is a big part of our pre-game traditions. We listen to music on the speaker during most practices, but also during every pre-game warmup, with a playlist that we all collaborated on,” senior Ethan Myers said. “I don’t think [music is] necessarily essential, but it’s a great way to calm nerves, stay loose during warmups and keep the team’s energy up.”

Lacrosse 

WIN- Jay Rock 

We Ready- Archie Eversole

“Music is a huge part of our pregame. The team has used the songs [I added to this playlist] since before I was even on the team, which I think is pretty cool,” said junior midfielder Josie Duey. “We almost always have a speaker going, whether it’s for pregame or even at practice. A lot of us will dance in the locker room blasting music to get excited to play.”

“I absolutely feel that music is an important part of my pregame,” said Duey. “Sports are just as much of a mental as they are physical. It’s important to get yourself in the right headspace to compete, and I think for a lot of people, music helps with that.”

Men’s Golf 

The Spins- Mac Miller

Martin & Gina- Polo G

“Not as much as a team’s pregame tradition, but most of our players usually always have headphones in while warming up. Since we are at a golf course, we can’t necessarily play music out loud, but we all do listen to our own music before heading out on the course,” said sophomore Ahron Abraham. “I think [music] is very important. I don’t have a specific genre that I listen to before heading out onto the course, but I do need something that will get me focused on my game. Generally, that is pop or hip-hop for me.”

Baseball 

March Madness- Future 

Don’t Stop the Rock- Freestyle

“I would say music is a big part of team traditions, especially pre-COVID when we could use our clubhouse,” senior outfielder Ben Ranieri said. “Whether guys listen to their own music before games or the music we are blasting over the speakers, I would say 90% of the team has some music going on. We also have a set pre-game playlist for on-field BP that always plays. We used to blast music in our little clubhouse right up until we had to take the field. Music and on-field BP are also one of the best pregame traditions.”

“I always have music going in my headphones before the game. My style is to not talk much before games, and putting in headphones is a good way for me to distance myself and focus pre-game,” Ranieri said. “I like listening to a certain kind of music depending on how I feel that day, more relaxed music if I am amped up and more up-tempo music to give me some energy. It is a must for me to get ready to play.”

Women’s Soccer 

Bad & Boujee- Migos (Can’t Touch This Remix)

Thief- OOKAY

“Yes [music] is a huge part [of our pregame routine]. Ever since our freshman year we have been meeting in the HHPA classroom to blast music and dance before our coaches would come in to talk to us,” senior forward Michayla Sponsel said. “I believe that the music is really the beginning of our routine as a team to prepare and get in the right state of mind to play. It is also the one thing that is consistent no matter who or where we play.”

Cross Country

Waves- Kanye West

Baby- Justin Bieber

“Because there are strict regulations about when and where you can listen to music at cross country meets, music hasn’t been as much a part of our pre-game tradition at meets as it has our team building traditions,” said junior Kimberly Roberts. “Before COVID, our team would have dinners and movie nights together which always included an epic mix of music. Since COVID, we’ve all leaned on music when we can’t be together for workouts; it inspires and comforts us, and reminds us of our good times together.”

“As far as my own pre-race rituals are concerned, music has always been a major part of competition days. I have different playlists that I’ve made to fit different moods,” Roberts said. “Regardless of where I am when I get on the bus, I know that I can find comfort in my music and since Covid, it’s helped me to remember the days when I listened to those pre-race songs and what I’m really working towards.”

Women’s Tennis

Hot Girl Summer- Megan Thee Stallion (ft. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign)

Jenny from the Block- Jennifer Lopez (ft. Jadakiss and Styles P)

“We’ve worked [music] into our daily practices, so in a sense we’re practicing to the vibe and level we want to compete at, “ sophomore Lexie Matsunaga said. “I think everyone has their own special ritual with or without music before playing, but we all come together and get into a more team-focused atmosphere when the music is turned on.”

Men’s Basketball 

The Difference (feat. Quavo)- Meek Mill

Me vs. Me- Moneybagg Yo

“Music is a big part of our pre-game routine. Before every game we listen to music in the locker room and on the court warming up,” said senior guard Will Burghardt. “For me personally, my routine is the same with or without music, so it doesn’t make a huge difference for me. But, when music is playing I do enjoy it before games.” 

Track and Field 

Hooked on a Feeling-Blue Swede and Björn Skifs

Dancing Queen-ABBA

“Music is a huge part of our workouts but for meets it’s definitely more of an individual thing with headphones and such,” said senior pole vaulter Meg Angier. “We always have something on a speaker for practices, which pumps our team up especially on days where we have harder workouts. I think music is a big part of the pre-game routine because it puts us in the zone. It also sometimes helps you cope with the nerves and your surrounding competition.”