We all know what it takes to be a good sports team: discipline, teamwork, and talent. But there’s one underrated element that brings it all together: music. Whether it’s blasting before a big game or just bonding at practice, teams across the board use music to boost energy and build connections. Here’s how five M-A teams get in the zone with their go-to tracks.
Girls Lacrosse
The girls’ lacrosse playlist is a dynamic mix of upbeat, energetic tracks that blend pop, electronic dance, and indie vibes—perfect for keeping the team energized and motivated.
Songs like “Heads Will Roll” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs and “I Love It” by Icona Pop bring a high-energy feel, while “Sunday Morning” by Matoma and Josie Dunne adds a chill, uplifting touch. With dance hits like “Wasted” by Tiësto and “Peanut Butter Jelly” by Galantis, the playlist keeps the momentum high, helping players stay focused and pumped during practice or pre-game warmups.
Music is a regular part of the girls lacrosse team’s routine. The team is allowed to play music during both practices and games, with a few simple rules in place. “The main rules are nothing vulgar and no music with words on game days,” Head Coach Alexis Longinotti said.
“Usually, it’s peppy music that puts everyone in a good mood, so I don’t see any reason not to allow it. If it were to become a distraction, then we’d revisit the policy,” Longinotti added.
The players often lean toward certain genres before games. “Our team listens to a lot of instrumental rock,” senior EB Hoffman said. “But when we’re allowed lyrics, we like hype stuff like house music or early 2000s music.”
The team also rotates music responsibilities so everyone gets a turn. “We split up who’s on aux and don’t have a single player in charge,” Hoffman added.
Baseball
The boys’ baseball playlist features a vibrant mix of energetic pop and dance tracks that keep the team motivated and ready to compete. With powerful hits like “Meet Me Halfway” by Black Eyed Peas and several anthems from Rihanna such as “Only Girl (In the World)” and “We Found Love,” the playlist maintains a high-energy atmosphere perfect for game day. This playlist reflects a team that’s pumped, focused, and ready to bring their best to the field.
For the boys baseball team, music sets the tone, especially at practice. “During practice, we play music over the speaker. During games, we’re not allowed to play music with lyrics, so it’s just instrumentals,” Head Coach Jordan Paroubeck said. “We don’t let kids individually listen to AirPods, just the speaker.”
The team keeps their music consistent. “Varsity usually controls the music so it doesn’t vary,” senior Tyler Rosenthal said.
Before games, the team cranks up the energy with a variety of genres. “We listen to all types of music, mostly house and rap before games and country and pop at practice,” Rosenthal added.
Track
Music is part of the track team’s rhythm—literally. “They listen to all types of music: hip hop, country, pop,” Head Coach Aisha Swayzer said. “I let them listen at practice and during the warmup. At tournaments, it’s only during warmups.”
The team enjoys a mix of tracks to get hyped up. “We listen to a lot of hype music, which is a mix of house, the Rio Soundtrack, and happy songs in general. We all have similar taste,” senior Claire Gong said.
Music plays a big role in keeping the group connected. “We have a shared playlist that we all contribute to,” Gong explained.
Softball
The softball team’s playlist combines uplifting classics and energetic pop to create a motivating and feel-good soundtrack. Songs like “Three Little Birds” and “Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley bring a relaxed, positive vibe, while timeless hits like “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison and “Dancing Queen” by ABBA add a fun, nostalgic energy. This playlist perfectly balances joy, teamwork, and motivation, helping the softball players stay confident and connected during practice and games.
For the girls softball team, music is all about setting the mood—before practice, during warmups, and sometimes even off the field.
With no official DJ, the team takes a collaborative approach. “We don’t have any person in charge, but we made a shared playlist on Spotify so everyone could contribute their own songs,” junior Elise Koo said.
Head Coach Danica Kazakoff sets a few boundaries when it comes to the tunes. “The team rule I have is that the music needs to stop after warm ups,” she said.
“We have a rule where our songs can’t be explicit, so we have a lot of clean, upbeat summer-vibe songs,” Koo added.
Even after the speakers turn off, music continues to play a role. “A lot of girls listen to music in their headphones before games and practices, and even on the bus,” Kazakoff said.
For Koo and many of her teammates, the playlist is more than just background noise. “I think music makes everything more fun, so it’s fun to have more good vibes,” Kazakoff added.
