One of the defining aspects of the Washington Nationals’ miraculous run to become Major League Baseball’s World Series Champions in 2019 was the emergence of Pinkfong’s “Baby Shark” as Gerardo Parra’s walk-up song. Earlier in the season, the veteran outfielder changed his walk-up song to the favorite of his then-two-year-old daughter to break out of a slump. The team and entire fanbase bought into the superstition surrounding it so heavily that their diamond-encrusted championship rings also feature an engraving of the shark.

Athletes’ music choices stem from different backgrounds. Some use music to hype themselves up; others to calm their nerves. Some, like Parra, are superstitious. The Trinitonian asked student-athletes on campus to share what they listen to before they compete, and how their preferences came about.

Marisa Amarino, senior volleyball player.

What songs, artists or genres do you listen to before you compete?
“Rap, Pitbull, EDM, throwback 2000s and one of our favorites is the Big Booty Mixes by Two Friends.”

Why do you choose to listen to these specifically?
“Our team likes to have fun in the locker room to loosen the vibes for the match. We have the best chemistry so having fun and dancing and singing together is something we have always loved doing. I wouldn’t say it is routine but it’s just become a normal pregame activity. Before we play our typical intense schedule, we love to have fun as a team but also get hyped for the competition ahead.”

Ashlyn Milton, senior basketball player.

What songs, artists or genres do you listen to before you compete?
“[It] could be J. Cole, Rihanna or Beyoncé one day, or the Doobie Brothers and Stevie Wonder, but sometimes I have some alternative bands that I routinely mix into the playlist.”

Why do you choose to listen to these specifically?
“‘Sir Duke’ by Stevie Wonder is normally in my rotation. My dad shared this song with me when I was younger and it just always puts me into a good mood and before a big game, can loosen up the nerves and remind me to just go do what I love to do. … I love some music from powerful women like Rihanna and Beyoncé. … These songs just get my confidence and competitive energy ready before a game.”

Harris Good, senior football player.

What songs, artists or genres do you listen to before you compete?
“Right now I think my favorite song is ‘John, Take Me With You’ by JW Francis. I also listen to a lot of The Beths and Cottonwood Firing Squad.”

Why do you choose to listen to these specifically?
“I’m kind of weird in the pregame music I listen to. Most people expect football players to listen to heavy metal and rock. I listen to a lot of indie stuff. … I get pretty loose when preparing for games, so I like the music I listen to to be fun. Working myself into ‘the zone’ is something I do internally. My music doesn’t really affect it so I like my music to be stuff I’m comfortable with.”

Sam Miller, sophomore tennis player.

What songs, artists or genres do you listen to before you compete?
“I have a playlist I put on that is mostly a mix of country artists like Midland, Turnpike, Tyler Childers and Chris Stapleton. It also has a mix of songs that are an alternative or indie genre like The Lumineers and Lord Huron.

Why do you choose to listen to these specifically?
“I know that’s probably different than the majority of other athletes who listen to music that gets them hyped up but I am always pretty nervous before matches, especially singles. … College tennis is a little different for me than junior tennis because in juniors I would put my headphones on, put my phone away and not talk to anyone almost the entire day until my match. However, at Trinity, I have teammates to talk to and coaches to strategize with so music is not as prevalent in my pre-match routine anymore.”

Bailey Meyer, senior soccer player.

What songs, artists or genres do you listen to before you compete?
“‘Hotel Room Service’ by Pitbull, ‘Bet On It’ from High School Musical, ‘Too Close’ by Alex Clare and ‘Wop’ by J. Dash.”

Why do you choose to listen to these specifically?
“Honestly, I don’t know how we started listening to [‘Too Close’], but it is a MUST in our locker room. I think I played it one game day and the next game someone asked if we could listen to it again and it has just stuck ever since. Without question, this song is played every game day and you will hear almost everyone in the locker room sing along at some point in the song.
[Wop] is just a fun song that everyone is familiar with and that has a catchy beat. This year, the tradition has been that this is the last song that we listen to before we begin our warmup.”