Volleyball Champs Come to RIM
The importance of home court advantage is always talked about in sports, but it’s never really fully explained why it makes such a difference.
Intuitively, it’s understood that playing in front of a home crowd with people supporting your push for a championships gives teams a boost. It’s easier to be cheered than jeered.
But Paul Pavan head coach of the K-W Predators, who will be hosting the Ontario Volleyball Associations championships for a third consecutive season at Waterloo’s RIM Park starting this weekend, said it’s simpler than that.
We’re all creatures of habit, and it’s easier to concentrate on what you’re doing on the volleyball court if you’re sleeping in your own bed and not wondering which restaurant you’ll go to for your next meal. It’s all about being comfortable when you’re away from the court.
“I don’t know if it’s much of an advantage,” said Pavan. “It’s an advantage in that we get to sleep in our own beds, we don’t have to travel and we can eat at home.
“We get to carry on life as we normally would, whereas everybody else has to come in and live out of a suitcase.”
Pavan’s 16U team had a couple of long road trips this year, and he said it was a drag on the team. He thinks it’s home cooking instead of home court that makes the difference.
“I know that because we’ve travelled to a lot of tournaments this year in the U. S. and Canada and not having your own place to go to wears on you after a while,” he said.
His club is planning to cook up some good results over the next three weeks with strong contenders in every age group, and the Predators 18U team looking to win another provincial title after winning it as under-17s.
“Our 16U girls are ranked No. 2 in the province,” said Pavan, about the team he personally coaches and is among the club’s favourites at the championships. “We’ve had a very good year — we’ve won five gold medals and two silvers.
Get the full story, Bob Vrbanac, Waterloo Chronicle
For more information about the Ontario Volleyball Association’s provincial championships go to www.iset.net
