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From the bowels of Goodman Diamond emanates a tune that drives hope from and strikes fear into the hearts and minds of opposing batters.No, it’s not Mariano Rivera’s signature “Enter Sandman” or even Derrick Turnbow’s “Fuel.” Far more fearsome than either of those two Metallica tunes, Trace Adkins’ “Honkytonk Badonkadonk” signals Eden Brock’s entrance.The old saying is “a picture is worth a thousand words.” More so than a picture, music tells a more accurate story of what an athlete’s personality really is.In the case of the UW softball team, a more musically diverse team would be hard to find. From Athena Vasquez’s sampling of Jack Johnson to Valyncia Raphael’s T.I. track, each song has a history and says something about the player.While players were allowed a lot of flexibility in choosing songs, UW head coach Chandelle Schulte did feel the need to put a few minor rules in place.”That there were no cuss words and it was something relevant to sports,” Schulte said, adding, “I don’t know how relevant a lot of them are, though.”Going off these base standards, players went to work picking what would become their trademark songs. While most players went to teammates to ask for advice on which song to choose, a few came into the season with their minds already made up.As it happens, at least one of them should have perhaps first consulted other teammates.”I pretty much had mine [picked out],” said right fielder Katie Hnatyk, who walks to the plate to Eric Clapton’s “Cocaine.” “Everybody liked it, though.”Well, almost everybody. When asked who had the worst song on the team, UW shortstop Lynn Anderson responded, “Hnatyk has [a song] titled ‘Cocaine.’ I’m not too sure about that one, but she’s from Canada, so … ” Anderson said of the London, Ontario, native. “It kind of makes you wonder.”While Hnatyk may own the dubious honor of least-favorite song — no other player polled would come clean about whose song they most disliked — catcher Joey Daniels had the most popular song based on teammates’ comments.Daniels’ “Hood Hop” by J-Kwon was picked by first baseman Alexis Garcia because “hers is hardcore and has dogs barking. It’s kind of like her — intimidating.”Pitcher Theresa Boruta agrees. “I really, really like Joey’s,” she said. “I feel it has the same beat, and she has the same presence when she comes up to the plate with it.”Every player had her own rationale for picking her song.The team’s lone senior, Kaitlin Reiss, selected “Machine Head” by Bush as a nod to her older sister, Meghann, a former UW softball player who used the same song. Given her senior status, Reiss pointed out an important aspect of the process of choosing songs.”[They] just [play] the beginning of it, so you only get a couple seconds and you have to like the opening,” Reiss explained.As one of eight California natives on the team, Vasquez picked a song that reminds her of her home state. “It’s me,” Vasquez said. “It’s a surfing song by the surfer Jack Johnson. I surf back home in California, and it just reminds me of the beach and relaxes me whenever I get in the box.”Raphael, also a Californian, chose T.I.’s “Get Ya S*** Together” due to a role model in the major leagues.”One of my favorite baseball players, Robinson Cano, always has a T.I. walk-up song,” Raphael said. “That song gets me ready, but it’s also my way of connecting with Robinson Cano. I really like T.I., too.” Raphael went on to say that Cano — a former minor leaguer who had a breakout season last year with the New York Yankees — serves as an example of someone who takes advantage of opportunities when they arise, something she tries to do.Anderson steps up to the plate with Cowboy Troy and Big & Rich’s “I Play Chicken With the Train.” “It pumps me up, and the beginning gets me ready for my at-bat,” Anderson said of why she picked her song, continuing, “Everybody does rap songs now. You’ve gotta go with a country song every now and then.”As for Brock, who shares the country vibe with Anderson, “Honkytonk Badonkadonk” is a joke between the two. “It puts me in a good mood and I like to listen to it,” Brock said. “It cracks me up because it’s just funny and a spoof on rap songs.”And on the off chance she was to find her badonkadonk in the batter’s box, what song would she be welcomed with? “I think Liz [Klemp] put one down for me, and I think it’s “Ms. New Booty” (by Bubba Sparxxx),” Brock said.As for what song would be played for her if she were playing, Schulte had a quick answer: “That Nelly song, ‘Heart of a Champion.’ I think it says a lot about me.”Who knows? Perhaps that could be arranged for the next time she takes the lineup card out to home plate before a game. read more