Informant listens to music before every game

Before playing any sport it is important to get into a “zone” so one is ready to play a full game.  One way to get into a “zone” is to listen to music.  Listening to music causes one to ignore all outside distractions and focus on one thing: the game.  It is common for many players to listen to music before a game, whether it is basketball, baseball, football, soccer, or any other sport.  My informant has played basketball ever since middle school and has listened to music before every game ever since his first basketball game.  The reason why my informant started this ritual is because he realized he had a connection with music which helped before games.

The reason why this ritual is so important in my informant’s world today is because he loves basketball.  Whether it is going outside on a warm day to play a pick-up game or just watching a game on ESPN, my informant just loves being a part of the game of basketball.  He grew up as a huge fan of the NBA, so it makes complete sense that basketball means so much to his life.  Since his favorite hobby is listening to music, this ritual is a way to incorporate both basketball and music into one idea.  My informant stated that music pumps him up and gets him ready, and music is very important in his life so it is a way to “reflect and examine myself before every game to get me ready.”

When I interviewed my informant, I asked him what he thought of this basketball ritual and he said “it is a good way to get motivated and is a way to get ready for a game.  Before a game you feel a lot of adrenaline and the music feels it.”

My view on this ritual is that it is an extremely good idea, because basketball is such a complicated sport that one needs a certain ritual to stay focused.  If one doesn’t have a set ritual to get focused, then it could lead a player to have a lot on their mind during a game which could affect his or her play.