Music is everywhere and helps millions of people around the world connect and bond. For example, you might pick a song to dance to with friends or choose a playlist to help you focus while studying. In sports, music is commonly used to improve both athletic performance and mood.

“Music impacts my emotions by calming me down before I jump.” Chris Beck said, “It’s important to have a level head coming into a meet and just relax and most importantly have fun.”

In track, music can help you to regulate your emotions before a race or event. It makes you to focus in on what’s really important. You can finally push all the worries away,  and let you be free and have fun.

“Music just helps remind me that no matter how good or bad I perform it doesn’t define me.” Jaxson Wanza said, “So overall the music just helps take the pressure off of me and how I perform and allows me to focus on getting 1% better each day.”

Music can almost serve as a mentor or guide; it can give you that push when it feels hard to keep on going. And can lead you through your mistakes and allow you to learn from them. While also improving your confidence to be the best it can be.

“I feel like music for me is a kind of inner piece. It allows you to sit there take a deep breath and just really channel in who you are as an athlete, that allows for you to become better in the head.”Jaxson Wanza said,“Music has always been a part of my athletic journey. I used to listen to music as a way to pump up, trying to get myself hyped. But it quickly turned into a way for me to escape all the noise and energy around me so I could calm down.”