By Zachary Flynn
If you’ve ever seen the Ooks women’s basketball team play, you’ve undoubtedly seen head coach Todd Warnick squatting on the sideline and you’ve definitely heard his voice over the noise of the game.
When you’re putting your vocal cords to the test day in and day out, it’s surprising that coach Warnick doesn’t lose his voice on a regular basis. Warnick said the keys to keeping your vocal cords in top shape are water and balance.
“You try not to be dialled to 11 all of the time,” he said.
Warnick picks and chooses his times to be vocal. He says that he’s vocal in practices and games, but he claims he’s relatively quiet outside of basketball.
“Some people probably picture me at home with my family yelling at my kids,” said Warnick. “I’m actually very quiet and calm and reserved at home. My work-voice and my dad-voice are two different things.”
During the regular season, he has time during the week to let his vocal cords recover and get some rest, but during provincials and nationals, he doesn’t have that luxury.
“Your intensity level’s high, […] the team has to hear you, you’re screaming your guts out. As a coach, you’re up all night watching film till like four or five in the morning so you’re not getting any sleep so… It’s a combination of pretty much everything,” said Warnick.
Warnick says that his voice usually gets scratchy and rough near the end of the year around tournament time. He says that the team’s 6 a.m. practices can be especially tough on his voice and every so often it will crack.
“Reliving that moment of puberty in your mid-40’s is always a little embarrassing,” he said.
When he starts to lose his voice, Warnick says that he is extra selective of when he speaks.Even at home, he stays fairly quiet.
“When I’m at home my wife is excited because she gets to be heard because she talks and I just listen mostly because I just won’t say anything,” he said.
When the game’s going and the gym gets loud, Warnick doesn’t have many options when it comes to communicating with his players. If they want to be heard on the court, they need to be vocal.
Only time will tell whether or not Todd Warnick’s voice will survive till the end of the season.
