Does playing at home influence an athlete’s performance as opposed to playing as a guest? The famous question regarding “home-field advantage” has had its fair share of popularity in the sports industry. With differing viewpoints specific to each individual athlete, I interviewed Krop’s own finest. Picking their brains regarding crowd support, the impact of traveling, and playing in unfamiliar territory, I gained insight on the distinct opinions and perspectives each athlete has to offer. 

Baseball

Eiri Ortiz, 12

“You can use your home field to your advantage. For example, here, the wind usually goes in. So you can’t really hit a home run or anything because it’s not going to happen. Playing at home really helps because you can’t let an opponent beat you in your own field, in your own house. And if we win away, we beat you at your crib you know? We beat you at your house.”

“Traveling to other games really hypes us up. When we’re on the bus, we’re singing, we’re rapping, we’re really getting pumped to go beat the other teams.”

Boy’s Soccer

Nicolas DellaTorre, 12

“If people come to cheer for the team, it obviously affects you a little, but more than anything, it’s the field, you know? If it’s a bad field, you need to work your way around it. You have to really calculate everything a little bit more, so it’s more comfortable playing at home.You also just have that extra push to show up for the people that come to watch you and your team. You’re playing for something more, not just for yourself.”

“It’s good to beat anyone, anywhere, whether it’s at home or away. Obviously it’s nice to win away, but it’s better to win however you win, it doesn’t matter.”

Aaron Guzman, 12

“Playing away, the field could be bouncy and rough with rocks in it’s grass. Or the artificial grass could be uneven, changing the ball’s movement and pace of the game.”

“Crowd support helps a lot because it brings most of our teammates’ heads up and it encourages them to do better in the field.”

Water Polo

Eitan Benzaquen, 12

“For us in the pool, there’s no standard regulation on the temperature, the amount of flooring, and the salinity. So those little things affect your ability. Also we don’t use goggles so when you’re in a really chlorinated pool, your eyes are going to hurt more in one game than they will in the next.”

Eric Guenoun, 12

“I think home-field advantage is mainly a mental thing because knowing that you have people watching you that are specifically there for you and your team just makes you play better.”

“I’m sure it’s definitely a biased thing, that you feel the crowd a lot stronger when you’re home, but I’m also sure it’s the same case with every other team.”

“Traveling for a game is also fun in a different way because these are your friends, this is your second family, so when you’re on your way there, listening to music and enjoying getting ready to play, it’s really fun.”

Basketball

Nicolas Ludwig, 12

“Home-field advantage is a good thing because having the crowd on your side can definitely help influence the game greatly and bring a lot of emotion to the players. When the crowd brings a lot of energy, it makes me more focused and makes me want to play better.”

“Playing on an unfamiliar court is definitely different because sometimes there are different rims or different backboards and I’m just used to playing at Krop so I know the feel of the court.”

“I’d say I’m more stressed at home because I know all the people in the crowd, so I have to play well in front of them.”

Mai-Lisa Atis, 12

“It’s more comfortable playing at home. The support is a lot different because a lot more people can come and watch and you’re used to the court and the area. ”

“Travel time impacts me positively because I’m a big music person. So, being able to drive to a game and listen to music on my way there, keeps me up before the game.”

Jada Pitts, 10

“Sometimes when we play away, their courts are wet and slippery and the rims are higher or lower, so I don’t really like playing away.”