The Malatesta-Minute: Like Never Before, Sports Do Matter

Pregame routines, meals, music and even attire are often very habitual for athletes, and most would say they can never change it up if it works. Vype wanted to know what it looked like for Boerne Champion and Brandeis High School Volleyball teams before they stepped on the court for the Tuesday night matchup at Champion.

Photo by VYPE Bradley Collier

Marissa Drange of Champion said her pregame starts the night before with a spaghetti dinner. She follows that up with either a turkey sandwich or salad for lunch on gameday. For home games, like tonight, Drange said, "we always jam out to music in the locker room to get hype for the game!" Although the Southern Utah University commit is out for most of the season due to shoulder surgery repairing a bicep tendon, she said she will continue to bring a "winning mindset" and continue her goal to do "everything that I can to contribute to my teams success." You will catch her on the sideline tonight I am sure chewing during the game just like she said she always did for matches.

Photo by VYPE Bradley Collier

Senior setter and right side hitter, Emilia Guerra starts gameday prep with a fresh stack of pancakes, which she said is a game day tradition. As the Broncos head over to Champion tonight, she mentioned the team will be will be listening to their pregame playlist, and as they get close to the gym, the team will blare "Next to You" by Chris Brown- a tradition since Guerra's freshman year. Before the game, you could find her singing along and dancing in the locker room with everyone else to get pumped up. In volleyball preparation, it seems as if everyone puts their socks, kneepads, ankle braces and shoes on all at different times- some travel in them, and some wait until the last minute. Guerra said she happens to always be the one everyone is waiting to finish getting her gear on as she admitted, "I am easily distracted with time." Before the first serve tonight, Guerra and the Broncos will be heard doing a chant during warmups. "It starts off very quiet and eventually grows louder," she said, "everyone enjoys this while we have fun and lout any last minute nerves if any right before the game begins."

To catch the teams in action, head out to Champion for a 6:00pm start.

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