Every athlete has a go-to playlist that they listen to before they take the field, step on the court, or dive into the pool. In Pregame Playlist we bring Stanford student-athletes' playlists to you! Hear from sophomore Nico Provo of Wrestling, who shares his pregame playlist in advance of the Pac-12 championships this weekend.
GoStanford.com: What's your favorite song on this playlist and why?
Nico Provo: "My favorite song on the playlist is probably nine ball. The story behind the song is very relatable and I've recently become an avid pool player."
GS: Who are your favorite artists these days?
NP: "My favorite artists are Zach Bryan and Drake."
GS: What about this playlist gets you ready for competition?
NP: ""This playlist has a mix of relaxing, uptempo and meaningful songs. It gets me ready for competition because naturally I'm very excited and often times this can be a detriment. It's important for my music to be relaxing but have the ability to put me the zone I compete at."
GS: How would you describe your music taste in general?
NP: "My music taste is all over the place. I can listen to just about everything (and I do) except for edm or house. I don't like when songs don't have words."
GS: Does this playlist different from what you listen to normally? If so, how come?
NP: "No, before competing I tend to listen to whatever I'm feeling at the moment and these are examples of some of the songs. It's important to enjoy what you're listening to before competition."
GS: Any unique stories behind what these songs meant to you or your team?
NP: "Run to the Hills holds a special place. My dad on the way to wrestling tournaments would play it to get me "ready" for my matches. Not only that but he would play this song first everytime I used his phone for music before matches as a kid."
GS: How does your music taste compare to the rest of your team's?
NP: "I would say it aligns well with the team because there's plenty of diversity in terms of music taste and I could adapt pretty well. But I am the designated aux guy."
GS: Describe your relationship with music, and how/if that relates to your sport.
NP: "My relationship with music is big. I'm always listening to music. It's especially important for my sport as it helps get through hard times! Nothing better than a hard practice with some music everybody enjoys."
Check out Nico's full playlist below.