Team sports coaches often shout, “Make a voice!” at their players. I used to do the same when I first started coaching, and I now regret it. Looking back, “Make a sound!” is as abstract and meaningless as saying, “Hit an attack!” or “Get that reception!” It can be very confusing for players.
While no one would tell a player to “Hit an attack!”, coaches often resort to this vague command when it comes to “make a voice.” This is likely because the purpose of “making a voice” is not fully understood, and many coaches simply think it’s important or were taught to do so themselves.
I believe this happens because “making a voice” is not recognized as a highly technical skill. This article will explore the concept of “making a voice” in team sports, especially volleyball.
Is Making a Voice Even Important?
Is making a voice really so important in sports? It’s physically demanding, so if there’s no benefit, there’s no need to do it at all.
As a player, I was a relatively vocal person. I never questioned the importance of making a voice in practice and games, and I felt it was effective. However, if someone were to suddenly ask me, “What’s the purpose of making a voice in sports?” I wondered if I could give a truly convincing explanation. This is why I decided to write this article.
I will break down the purpose and effects of “making a voice” into three main categories to help you understand its importance.
The 3 Purposes of “Making a Voice”
I believe there are three main purposes for making noise in team sports.
1. Smooth Communication
The first purpose of “making a voice” is to communicate effectively. In this case, “talking” or “speaking” might be a more fitting term.
During a game, the situation changes from moment to moment. No matter how much a team practices, a game will always present a unique set of circumstances. Players must communicate instantly with their teammates to adapt to the situation and perform at their best.
Let’s use volleyball as an example.
During a rally, players must make quick, momentary calls like “OK!”, “Mine!”, or “Out!”. If a call is even a moment too late, it can become meaningless or, in the worst case, confuse teammates.
In contrast, out-of-play time offers more leeway for complex communication. Players might say, “Let’s shift our reception positioning to the right a bit for the next serve,” or, in a critical moment at the end of a match, “Let’s set up a dedicated block for their ace hitter.”
However, this type of sophisticated communication requires a lot of experience and knowledge. Therefore, it’s crucial to incorporate game-like drills into practice to make communication a habit. During these drills, coaches should avoid giving one-way instructions and instead create an environment where players can take the lead in communicating.
2. Boosting Immediate Performance
The second purpose of “making a voice” is to improve immediate performance. This effect is very apparent in both team and individual sports.
You’ve likely seen hammer thrower Koji Murofushi shout “Ngaahh!” when he throws or table tennis player Ai Fukuhara shout “Sa!” after winning a point.
These types of non-word vocalizations, known as sports onomatopoeia, play a huge role in boosting immediate performance. Onomatopoeia is a French term for words that mimic a sound or action.
You can watch the following videos to see when and how they are used:
So, what effects can we expect from using sports onomatopoeia?
Increased Power and Speed
A sudden shout can create a “shouting effect.” By shouting instantly, a player can remove the inhibition on their nervous system, allowing them to exert power at their muscles’ full capacity. This is what Murofushi is doing when he shouts during a hammer throw. You’ll see similar shouts from volleyball players when they spike or from tennis players when they serve.
Rhythm and Timing
As you can see in the Ai Fukuhara video, her “Sa!” comes right after she wins a rally. She doesn’t shout it during the smash. In that moment, she uses a different type of shout to increase power and speed. If you watch carefully, her “Sa!” always comes immediately after she wins the rally. She is using this vocalization to manage her rhythm and timing.
Relaxation and Motivation
The “Sa!” sports onomatopoeia also has a relaxing effect. It’s a “vocal routine” for her. By repeating this vocal routine every time she wins a rally, she keeps her mental state stable even as the match situation changes. The repetition of “win a rally → ‘Sa!’ → win a rally → ‘Sa!'” connects the vocalization to the idea of winning, which in turn boosts her motivation.
3. Mental Control
The third purpose of “making a voice” is to manage your mental state. The goal is to motivate yourself and, by extension, your teammates.
Placebo Effect
The placebo effect is a term used primarily in medicine, and in sports, we can apply it to making a voice. For example, by telling yourself, “My next attack will definitely be a kill!” or “I’m going to receive the ace’s attack this time!”, you can create a self-fulfilling prophecy. This type of self-talk is a form of mental control.
Encouragement
In team sports, encouraging your teammates is crucial. You can do this by:
- Telling a teammate who’s feeling down, “Let’s get the next one!”
- Telling your ace hitter, who just got shut down by a block, “I’ve got you covered, so just go for it!”
- Expressing gratitude and praise with comments like, “Thanks!” or “Great play!”
These types of vocalizations can significantly boost a team’s performance.
Reducing Tension
Some players get so nervous that they can’t perform at their usual level. These players also tend to be the ones who don’t make much voice. There seems to be a causal link between “not making a voice → feeling tense → reduced performance.”
Players who get nervous can alleviate their tension by making a loud voice right before or at the start of a match. This is because the human brain is not good at complex, simultaneous tasks. By focusing on making a loud voice, the brain forgets to be nervous. This is worth trying for anyone who struggles with pre-game jitters.
Furthermore, making a loud voice comes across as confidence to the opposing team, giving you a mental advantage from the start.
“Making a Voice” Is a Highly Technical Skill, Not a Sign of Motivation
I’ve organized the purpose and effects of “making a voice.” At a glance, it might seem simple, and you might be tempted to say, “Anyone with motivation can do it!”
It’s true that anyone can mechanically repeat a set phrase, like a recording. However, when you consider the purpose and effects, that type of vocalization is just a waste of energy and noise. The key is to make a voice with a clear purpose.
As I mentioned at the beginning, when a coach says, “Make a voice!”, players don’t know what kind of voice to make or when to make it. It’s important for both coaches and players to recognize that “making a voice” in team sports is a highly technical skill.
Instead of thinking, “They aren’t making voices because they lack motivation,” coaches should think, “They aren’t making voices because they don’t understand the purpose or don’t have the skill. I need to make the purpose clear and help them hone this skill every day.”
Just as we practice attacking, receiving, and serving, we coaches must also be committed to training our players on the skill of making a voice.
