As cheerleading squads across the country gear up for a rousing fall football season, coaches should strive to convince their squads that safeguarding their voices from damage is as important as guarding against shin splints or ankle sprains.

"No other sport requires as much from the throat and body at the same time," says Renee Grant-Williams, a leading voice coach and communication-skills expert.  "As exciting as it is to root for the home team, leading yells can seriously damage the vocal chords.  At the very least, cheerleaders risk becoming hoarse or losing their voices.  At worst, nodes which are callus growths that can alter the voice may develop and possibly require surgery."

"One thing coaches can't do is to tell these yell leaders to tone down the volume on their cheers.  It's simply not going to happen," says Grant-Williams.  "So, if you want to help them, you have to recognize that 'cheer softly' is not an option."

What coaches can do is to urge cheerleaders to take other precautions to guarantee that their voices last as long as the season does.  For instance, they can learn to use their bodies – not their throats – to protect their fragile voice mechanisms.

"Cheering routines draw heavily upon gymnastics and dance techniques," says Grant-Williams.  "Why not use similar lower body strength and physical control to support their voices?  If cheerleaders would breathe low and support their yells by standing with a solid grip that presses into the ground, it would help take the pressure off their throats."

Cheerleaders are routinely exposed to conditions, such as rapid body temperature changes due to intense spurts of activity and unpredictable weather conditions that practically invite the common cold.  They should take steps to prevent upper respiratory ailments. 

"Just as in football, the best defense for your voice is a good offense," says Grant-Williams.  "Don't wait until you wake up one morning without a voice to start wondering how to take care of it."

Grant-Williams offers tips for keeping cheerleading voices in top form:

• Drink plenty of fluids.  Physical exertion leaves the body dehydrated.
• If the weather is cold, sipping warm liquids will soothe your throat.
• Eat a good balance of protein and carbohydrates for consistent energy.
• Stay away from alcohol and caffeine products, which dehydrate the body.
• Layer clothing that can be added or removed as the weather dictates. 
• Having a scarf handy during cold weather is a great way to keep the throat warm.
• Get enough rest and sleep to keep the body's immune system functioning.
• Chew gum, a piece of hard candy, or throat lozenge to keep the juices flowing.
• Gargling with warm salt water can reduce painful swelling in the throat.

"If you're sick, stay home in bed until you feel better," says Grant-Williams.  "You and the rest of your cheering squad will be better off in the long run because you will have dodged a bullet, preserved your voice, and not put others at risk."

Voice coach Renee Grant-Williams presents communication skills programs and coaches business executives, sales professionals and celebrity singers including Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana), Keith Urban, Christina Aguilera, Randy Travis, Faith Hill, the Dixie Chicks, Tim McGraw, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Weir (Grateful Dead), Martina McBride, and Huey Lewis.  A professional speaker and NSA member, she is the author of "Voice Power:  Using Your Voice to Captivate, Persuade, and Command Attention" (AMACOM, NY), which has been endorsed by Paul Harvey, was selected for the "Soundview Executive Book Summaries" program, and has been translated into Italian, Japanese, and Arabic.  She created and taught a course in public speaking for the Barnes & Noble Online University

Grant-Williams has written for or been quoted by: United Press Int'l, Associated Press, Business Week, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Esquire, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, N-wwex?6Q QKI
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