|
It's summer time! When I close my eyes and think of
summer I see kids playing sport outside (and battling the mosquitoes
in North Dakota!), parents coaching their kids, and kids attending
summer sport camps. This month's section will focus on some of the
relevant issues regarding these summer activities and will point
you in the right direction for information on these important topics.
Martin Short and Sandra
Short
Coaching Section Editors
|
| Home Advantage: Myth or Reality |
|
Home Advantage is the term used to describe the consistent finding
that home teams in sport competitions win over 50% of the games
played under a balanced home and away schedule. Some of the factors
that contribute to this advantage include learning factors (i.e.,
familiarity with the surroundings, the playing surface, and its
component parts), travel factors (i.e., physical and mental fatigue
and disruption of routine), and crowd factors (i.e., social support).
Collegiate basketball teams in one conference won 66% of their
home games according to this
research. These athletes and coaches reported that familiarity
with the home court, the home crowd, and travel demands were important
game location factors. Athletes said they were more confident
when playing at home which has been shown to improve performance.
The Home Advantage has even been shown to exist in a team that
plays its home games in several different
locations.
In the NHL
between 1974 and 1993, the home team won 52% of its games overall
and won 17% more games at home than away.
Other research on Alpine
Skiing showed a distinct home course advantage in World Cup
events with racers from the home course placing significantly
better than their seedings would predict. From 1908 to 1998 the
host nation of the Winter
Olympics has enjoyed their most successful performance with
respect to medals won. This is a reflection of better home performances,
not having to travel, and familiarity with the local conditions.
A similar advantage is seen in the Summer Olympics. Based on home
advantage and previous performance, it was predicted that host
nation Australia
would win 60 medals in the 2000 Olympics (almost 20 more than
in Atlanta in 1996). They were almost dead on winning a total
of 58.
Such things as crowd, practice schedule, travel, and rule enforcement
can all influence a game. The size, density, and proximity of
a crowd as well as the surface, size, texture, and weather in
the playing environment all are incorporated into what makes a
home game more beneficial.
|
|
 |
| Is the Home Advantage Overrated? |
|
Every team loses at home eventually. Although the majority of teams
are better at home than on the road because of such factors as familiarities,
defending their turf, and crowds. For example, Notre Dame's football
team went unbeaten at home for 21 years. Does this show that home
field plays a crucial role in determining the outcome of the game?
Kentucky's basketball team also went undefeated at home for twelve
years. These impressive streaks represent that the home court is
definitely an advantage in some ways. The bottom line is that most
frequently, the better team wins most of the time, no matter where
the game is played.
|
|
Home advantage is viewed by many as a definite advantage, but there
are studies that show otherwise.
There is great deal of evidence for home advantages for the regular
season, but recent findings say that is not the case for the playoffs.
In the World Series from 1924 to 1982, 60% of the home teams won
the first two games in a series that went more than five games.
However, in the first two games the home team won 70% of the time,
but as the series went on the percent went down. In games five and
six it was 46%, and 38% for game seven.
Home field advantage can turn into a disadvantage, as the games
became more critical. In baseball and basketball, the home teams
were producing more errors and had lower free throw percentages.
Researchers say that fans can create a high expectations, which
cause an increase in self-consciousness.
In NHL hockey, teams once enjoyed a distinct advantage on home
ice. Familiarity with the ice and boards in a specific building,
boisterous fans making it difficult for opposing players, and referees
being influenced by the fans often gave the home team the edge it
needed to pull out victories. Things
have changed as newer rinks for most teams have made rinks similar
and the higher expectations from fans puts more pressure on the
players. Wayne Gretzky once lamented difficulties on home ice saying
"Nobody has anticipated our home record to be as poor as it is and
that's been more frustrating to not only the players, but for the
fans who come out to watch and expect us to win. …It shows
how badly the players are pressing and how uptight they are at this
point."
|
| Testosterone and the Home Advantage |
|
Animals have always been known to defend their own territory against
enemy invaders. That perceived territoriality may also relate to
aggression levels in sporting events. Now studies show that men
have increased testosterone levels just before they are to play
at home. In fact, in one study of soccer players, there was a 50%
rise in testosterone levels before a home game versus nearly no
change when playing somewhere else. This difference was even more
pronounced in goaltenders.
Check out these links for more info on testosterone and the home
advantage:
Testosterone
scores with footballers
Standing
their ground
Fighting
the Home Advantage
|
| If you have ideas, comments, letters
to share, or questions about particular topics, please email
one of the following Coaching Section Editors: |
|
|
|
| More Stories of Home Advantage |
|
Last baseball season the big news at the All-star game was that
the winner decided who would get home field advantage in the World
Series. Hank Blalock (a member of the last place Texas Rangers in
the American League) hit a homer to clinch home field advantage
for the eventual AL champion New York Yankees. An important fact
since the home team has won the last eight series that have gone
to seven games. Unfortunately for the Yankees, the series ended
in a game 6 loss to the Marlins for the pennant.
The Nexturf on the Philadelphia Phillies Veterans Stadium has
provided a home
field advantage for the team. Phillies Manager, Bowa said "The
Veterans Stadium is a home field advantage right now because we
play good on that turf, we have good speed and we play good defense.
It's quicker than grass and it benefits us." The phillies had a
record of 40-25 which was the third best home winning percentage.
Michigan State's home court winning streak started when the student
section was expanded from 150 to 943 students. This driving force
began their 53 game streak and it was attributed to moving the bleacher
seats in the lower level to practically on the court, trying to
create an unbelievable environment that was friendly to the home
team. The students all wore the same colored shirts and stood the
entire game. Michigan State's head coach, Coach Izzo, believes that
his crowd has been worth as much as 8-10 points a game for their
team in recent years. Check out the story on the
streak.
Major Reasons for the Home Advantage by Sport:
Baseball: surface, size of park, last at bat for home team
Basketball: fan noise
Football: fan noise, surface, weather
Golf: knowledge of course layout, greens, grass, weather
Hockey: ice speed, bounce from boards and glass, get to make last
line change (for line matchups)
Soccer: crowd, surface, weather
|
| Getting the Most out of Game Location |
|
So how do we limit any disadvantages of game location? Here are
some helpful
suggestions for coaches of home or away teams.
- Try to arrive the day before the competition to avoid fatigue.
- Try to get back to the routine before the competition.
- Prepare the athlete to play in front of a loud and active crowd.
- Prepare your athletes mentally for greater pressure to win when
playing at home.
|
|
