High School Volleyball Athletes’ Perceptions of Creating and Using Pre-Competition Warm-Up Music

Abstract Historically there has been a strong relationship between music and sport performance. While research exists examining the relationship between music and sport performance, little attention has been paid to the role of pre-competition warm-up music or the effects of having teams create music playlists. After interviewing 12 female high school volleyball players, it was determined that warm-up music can play a large role in enhancing sport performance. Using a thematic analysis, four major themes were found: motivation, mood, performance effects, and cohesion. Future research should explore the effects of music for sport performance using an experimental design. Additionally, the following variables warrant further investigation: individual differences in music preference, the impact of seniority on playlist creation and cohesion, the quantitative assessment of the themes (motivation, mood, performance effects, cohesion), and how music can be detrimental to performance.