| Various studies have accumulated over the years in regards to home advantage in sports. Rarely have the studies focused on the perceptions of college coaches. This study examined survey results from basketball coaches at the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) level of competition. The survey consisted of questions regarding various factors that have been commonly researched. These factors are the effects of the home crowd, the familiarity of the facility, the lack of travel, referee bias, a normal daily routine, and protecting one's home court using self-confidence. Each factor was distinguished based on the significance determined by the coaches, and conclusions were drawn to identify the perceived importance of these factors for this level of men's basketball. Of the seven factors studied, five of them were perceived by the coaches as having a significant impact on their team's performance in home games. These included the home crowd, familiarity of the facility, lack of travel, a normal daily routine, and self-confidence. Two of the seven factors were perceived by the coaches as not having a significant impact on their team's performance in home games. These included referee bias and protecting home court. Recommendations for future study include an in depth study for each perceived factor using different groups of people, such as coaches from other sports, athletes, and spectators. |
