Keeping your voice for the whole week!
 

Ok we have talked about beating the heat, and other items of taking care of yourself at tournaments. I have an issue that seems to happen everytime I'm at a week long tournament. I lose my voice, I communicate a lot on the diamond and am not usually quiet (I know those of you on this board who know me are saying no sh*t) but by about the 4-5th day I am horse and find it hard to communicate effectively. My last game last year I was really struggling to communicate where I knew my partners could hear me, and that sucks!! Usually my throat doesn't hurt...just horse.

So does anyone else have this issue? Does anyone have any suggestions to solve this problem??? Granted my wife and even fellow umpires don't mind me shutting up for awhile....but on the diamond I would like to be able to be heard when need be!

Hot Toddys everyevening... Extra Honey and Lemon

Extra malt and hops works, too... :D

Don't or try to less smoke! The same for alcoholic drinks. I found out that it killed my voice. Together with short nights and rain (or rainy weather) it sure makes you unable to speak.

Try licorice with honey, we call that honey-drop, takes away the rough feeling and softens the throat. Then the voice comes back...

Well I already don't smoke or drink so that doesn't help. Or maybe I should start!!! :eek:

I talk a lot in my job (lawyer) and in two of my primary hobbies (acting, umpiring). There are two common reasons for getting hoarse from too much talking:

1) Dehydration. Even if it's not super hot, keep drinking. I'm assuming you know all about that.

2) Using your throat to create volume. It's a natural thing to do, to tense up your throat when you yell, but it tears up your throat. So don't yell. Keep your throat relaxed and add more air; deepen your breaths, breathe from the diaphragm, and drop your pitch (which relaxes the vocal cords). If I could hear you, I could tell within seconds if you have this problem.

If neither of those help, time to see the doctor; a normal throat shouldn't get hoarse just from being used a lot (or I would have lost my voice twenty years ago :D)

I was going to say much of the same things. Many people don't speak using the diaphragm. However, teachers, lawyers, and others who must speak for a living know to do this.

Singers too, I guess.

A good topic. I agree with the ideas posted, especially increasing volume by using the diaphragm. In the Navy we called that "command voice." The simplest way to do it is to lower your voice a bit and speak from your chest.

I also tell my people to exercise their voices as the season approaches. A good way is to sing along ... loudly ... with your music. Hopefully you can do it while driving alone. It may be too late for this year, but could help in the future.

Yes we do. Very true.

I think this is why some calls sound more like a grunt.