We’ve got the(m) beat Exploring the power of music at varsity sports games

Eliza Lee Staff Writer

Music at sporting events has the remarkable ability to intensify each twist and turn of a game, create a gripping narrative, and even sway the outcome in one team’s favour.

Some might say this is best evidenced by the opening scene of High School Musical 3 , where Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) plays his final basketball game at East High School. With just 16 minutes left on the clock, the high-energy Wildcats weave through the defence singing, “ this is the last time to get it right / this is the last chance to make it our night ,” while the crowd claps along. When Troy is shoved to the ground by the rival team, the encouraging words sung to him by Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) motivate Troy to get his head back in the game and lead the Wildcats to victory.

Although McGill’s varsity sporting events sadly lack East High’s spontaneous musical outbursts, the music played at games serves the same purpose: It fosters team spirit and energizes athletes to perform their best. At the same time, music creates a thrilling atmosphere for the audience, making for an entertaining game.

Meeting the musical needs of both the players and the fans is a difficult task that requires attention to detail and careful deliberation. However, McGill Athletics Varsity Sports Official Tommy Schnarr is up to the challenge. The U2 Education student has set the tunes for lacrosse, hockey, basketball, and volleyball games, and his song choice is dependent on what audience the sport draws. For example, the crowd at volleyball games is often made up of newer fans who don’t follow the sport. Because of this, Schnarr plays high-energy pop to keep the atmosphere fun and exciting.

“We go for, like, fast-paced songs with high levels of energy,” Schnarr told The McGill Tribune . “A lot of EDM [electronic dance music] kind of stuff, especially for time-outs, [which are] a lot more intense. In between sets we’ll play “Country Roads,” kind of thing, but to get the crowd nice and into [the game].”

The influence of hockey culture

In contrast to volleyball, there is a far more pronounced hockey culture in North America, given the sport’s popularity. One important part of this shared tradition is classic rock from the 1980s and 1990s featuring artists such as AC/DC and Guns N’Roses mixed in with newer rock from the Black Keys and Green Day. Much of what Schnarr plays stems from this culture, a culture he was exposed to through his own experience playing and watching the sport.

Zoe Frantz, a forward on the Martlets hockey team, echoed the role that broader hockey culture in North America has had in shaping the songs played at games throughout her career. The first-year athlete noted that the nostalgia associated with older songs from her childhood makes them especially meaningful.

“These aren’t just songs that your team shares, it’s like, ‘I remember this from my other team, I remember this from when I was a kid,’” Frantz said. “And the same thing with throwback songs [from the 2010s] [....] It’s just this really cool thing where it’s like, ‘this song has been such a big part of my life and I didn’t consider it until now.’”

Adapting to unique preferences

When crafting playlists for games, the Martlets hockey team puts their own spin on the song selection while including tracks that speak to North American hockey culture. Many of their picks rally and energize the team because they hearken back to season highlights. One song played at games is “Jimmy Cooks” by Drake and 21 Savage, which the team bonded over before their match against Carleton University on Nov. 4.

“I don’t like saying, [...] ‘vibes,’ but it had really good vibes,” Frantz said with a laugh. “Everyone was [really] into it and you could feel the room wasn’t tense or stressed, it was more just like, ‘okay, we got this.’”

Schnarr explained that part of catering to audience preferences means carefully observing the crowd’s reactions to music throughout the game and modifying the playlist to adjust to their taste.

“If I see someone not [liking] Ozzy Osbourne for instance, you know, I’ll look at them when I play a Taylor Swift song in the next stoppage, see what they like there,” Schnarr said. “If people are moving a little bit, that’s a good sign. If they’re standing still or ignoring the music, that’s not really what you want.” that song, what’s that song?’ And they’ll go, ‘Don’t Stop Believin,’ and they’ll say the word mentally, and in that sense, they’ll be thinking it.”

That same audience recognition works to create an encouraging atmosphere for players, Frantz says. Like Troy and Gabriella exchanging a duet from the court to the stands, enjoying a popular song together can unite the audience and athletes, creating a sense of community and motivating the team to keep pushing for victory.

“It’s cool because you’ve got your team who knows the song, but then you’ve got the audience kind of recognizing the song,” Frantz said. “When you see that everyone’s just kind of enjoying themselves and having a good time [...] [it creates a] connection [because] I know you’re there to support me, and we’re connecting on this deeper level, and we all go to McGill, and we’re all just kind of there to have fun.”

Game day music strategy

Music selection varies along with the events of the game itself. Schnarr plays different music depending on how much time is left in the game. In the case of hockey, Schnarr plays more popular songs during the first and second periods to keep the audience engaged, while in the third period, he changes the music in favour of an energetic atmosphere that will benefit the players first and foremost.

“First period and second period, [the players are] still hyped from the music that they have playing in their locker room, from the music that they have in warm-up,” Schnarr explained. “The third period is when they really need that extra boost of energy from the songs that have high beats per minute, so I play a lot of EDM for that.”

As for Fight Band, they base their music on the play happening in the moment. Band President Rosalie Joly-Simard noted that the band will play the theme from Jaws after an opposing hockey team draws a penalty to build anticipation for McGill’s upcoming power play, or will loudly play their instruments to distract a rival basketball player during their free throws.

Fostering

community through popular songs

Being attentive to the audience’s taste is just as important for the McGill Fight Band. The student-run band has been playing live music at varsity games since 2006 and is an integral part of McGill varsity culture. Fight Band incorporates both older and more contemporary music into their repertoire, from “Hey! Baby” by Bruce Channel to “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga, the latter being one of Fight Band’s hallmark songs. According to Fight Band vice-president Administrative Zachary Roberts, one important feature that shapes the band’s music selection is how recognizable songs are to the audience.

“[The purpose is] to remind the team and the crowd [...] it’s not time to give up yet,” Roberts said. “Because people will recognize the song and be like, ‘oh what’s

“Sometimes it works really well, sometimes the players are like, too focused, it doesn’t work.” Joly Simard said. “We give ourselves really good credit when they miss.”

This careful selection of songs is designed to build excitement and keep spirits high. Even when the game is not in McGill’s favour, the band still strives to create a fun atmosphere—in the event of a loss, the band will play “Fuck You” by CeeLo Green.

Thanks to the thoughtful intention that goes into song choice at varsity games, the music at McGill varsity events is far from background noise. Songs can unravel memories of an entire career in the game, foster team bonding, and rally a crowd around a team. The music at games is more than a beat for audiences to clap along to—it’s a tool to uplift athletes, a source of community, and an expression of a love for the sport.

Living in Montreal certainly has its perks. The city is home to multiple world-renowned universities, Michelin star-worthy restaurants, countless museums, a great nightlife scene, and, perhaps most importantly, a mosaic of diverse cultural communities. The island has historically and continuously been a landing spot for immigrants from across the globe: Around 150 languages are spoken across the city, and over 200 religions practiced. Its multicultural and multilingual character is visible in the numerous cultural festivals celebrated throughout the island, from the energetic Carifiesta to the colourful and vibrant Holi, and it resounds in the array of languages spoken by its residents, from the grocery store to the metro.

Born in Montreal, I was raised to be bilingual. My parents, although anglophone, tried their best to speak both English and French with my sister and me so that we would grow up with the set of tools becoming progressively more important in Quebec. Being able to speak French was something I always took for granted; I didn’t learn it because I wanted to, but because I had to. Now as an adult, though I am much more appreciative of my grasp of the French language, I am equally plagued by an ever-increasing sense of dread as I watch some of my friends contemplate leaving this beautiful city due to its repressive language policies.

I do not blame those who wish to leave. Thanks to Quebec’s government, this province that so many of us call home is becoming increasingly hostile towards those who don’t speak French. Premier François Legault and his cabinet have introduced a slew of legislation that strangles the human rights of linguistic minorities in the province.

One of the Quebec government’s most recent—and perhaps egregious—acts was the adoption of Bill 96, an amendment made this past June to the already controversial Charter of the French Language (1977). The Bill, which many activists have vehemently opposed, limits the use of English in public services and courts of law, grants language inspectors powers of search and seizure without warrant, caps enrollment at English CEGEPS, and imposes stricter francization requirements for businesses with 25 to 49 employees. Under these new regulations, businesses must serve their customers in French, ensure all public signage in non-French languages is less prominent than its French translations, and present all hiring documents in French unless otherwise requested.

The effects of Bill 96 on language education at the CEGEP level threaten not just anglophone rights, but multilingualism’s ability to thrive in the province. Starting next fall, students without English eligibility certificates will have to take a French exam to graduate, meaning that their courseloads will be more French-heavy. Teachers and students at Vanier College, an English-language CEGEP, spoke to CBC recently about their fear that other language courses will slowly be pushed out of the curriculum, and those seeking to reconnect with heritage languages may not get the opportunities they once had. ing her academic responsibilities.

The addition of required French courses at the CEGEP or junior college level is particularly detrimental to Indigenous students’ access to higher education and academic success. The Bill will worsen the Quebec government’s continued neglect of Indigenous leaders’ calls for the decolonization of the Education Ministry’s pedagogical curriculum and preservation of Indigenous culture and languages. Because many Indigenous students are already bilingual (mother tongue and English), the burden of having to master a third language can be taxing and weaken their quality of education and academic performance.

“I did French in high school, and I did it because I really loved the language, but that was six years ago and I lost most of it after finishing [high school],” Jessie said. “Here in Montreal, I tried picking French up again [but] during my master’s I simply didn’t have time to take classes.”

Learning a language can be a full-time job in and of itself, requiring long hours and hard work. When an international student or immigrant packs up their belong -