The Skater That Roars

On a normal day I tend to be a pretty quiet person. I also have trouble asserting myself. Unfortunately for me, I can't be that kind of person on the track. Track Me needs to LOUD, otherwise how are the other skaters on my team supposed to hear me? And if they can't hear me, how are we supposed to communicate effectively as a team? One of the things you may need to work on if you are the quiet sort like me, is your "track voice". The trainers on my league take this very seriously and have call out different things during drills. Because, now matter how well a person may know a play, if they can't communicate it quickly and effectively to their teammates on the track, it's pretty much worthless. Here are some of the things I have been doing to get better at being heard:

1) Talk in the shower
It's just you and your shower head. Go for it! Practice talking loud or even singing loud and USE YOUR DIAPHRAGM!

2) Go to a roller rink
Practice giving off your position to the skaters in front of you. Do this at practice too. A simple "INSIDE!", "OUTSIDE", or "MIDDLE!" should do the trick, plus your teammates will really appreciate it.

3) Record yourself
Get a small recorder, use an iPhone app, or a computer and record yourself saying things at the level of loudness you consider your "track voice" to be at. Play it back. How does it sound? Keep in mind, you may think it sounds loud enough, but when you have music playing, fans yelling and clapping, skate/wheel sounds, and other skaters yelling, you'll quickly be drowned out.

4) Ask a friend
Ask a friend to skate with you and whenever you go by them, call your position out to them. Have them let you know if they can't hear you.

5) Sing karaoke
I normally don't like to draw a lot of attention to myself, ergo I talk quietly. To get more comfortable being loud, grab some friends and pay a visit to your local karaoke joint. It'll get you comfortable talking in front of strangers, plus you'll probably end up having a blast!

These are some tips that have worked for me. Let me know if you have any of your own!

Until next time.....Watch Emma ROAR!