Many athletes would agree, music is one of the only things that has the potential to get their adrenaline pumping before a game.

With the fall sports athletes already in play this year, the spring athletes are practicing tentatively in the gyms. With hours of practice and schoolwork waiting for them every day during the season, music fuels these athletes.

Gene Cassell, Washburn University’s sports information director,  said the teams have the chance to pick the music they wish to listen to during the game warm-up and then give a CD of music to the sports department office.

“We then have the right to toss songs based on content, wording or suggestive lyrics,” said Cassell. “We will then give the CD back to the teams to make new selections.”

Should the team’s second CD have another list of inappropriate music, the sports department then has the right to choose the final song list that will be played before games.

Leah Talley, junior captain of the soccer team, said on behalf of the other two senior captains that the soccer team’s music for practice sessions and game warm-ups is usually picked out by team DJ, junior Bri Ament.

“A couple of my favorite artists to listen to before games are Eminem and Lil Wayne,” said Talley, “but mostly any hip-hop or rap is what pumps me up personally.”

The soccer team, said Talley, is usually very good at pumping each other up before the games.

“None of us are really shy or afraid to dance around—we just love to rock out,” said Talley. “It really builds team chemistry to have that comfort with one another.”

Junior men’s basketball captain William McNeil spoke of the team’s favorite artist.

“Usually the team artists kind of vary, like Rick Ross and maybe a little Eminem here and there, but mostly this season the guys have been listening to Lil Wayne,” said McNeil. “Lil Wayne has a huge part in getting the team pumped up—he’s a well-known artist and some of his music has a special beat that will get you into the flow of things. People will rock back and forth and get into it.”

Courtney Wallman, senior captain of the volleyball team, said that similar to the soccer team, they also had the music for their practice session and game warm-ups picked out by a teammate—junior Sami McHenry. Some artists from McHenry’s mix include Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga and the Spice Girls.

“Before games, the team meets in the locker room to do a pre-game ritual,” said Wallman. “It’s not really a superstition, but it and the music really help us get pumped up and focused.”

Justin Cooper, one of the senior football captains, said the football team—just like the volleyball and soccer teams—have a designated player who makes the team’s mix.

“Everyone has their own preferences for their music, but we listen to one mix together that will get us pumped up,” Cooper said. “Personally, I like to read my Bible before a game and then give a little speech of encouraging words to the team.”