Photo: Grace Mwasalla stands ready to take on the action by the Cougars. Alexia Pang/The Griff.

The mental toll that stems from a lack of crowd support.

Home advantage is supposed to mean something. The familiar space, the comfort of your locker room, and the roar of the crowd surrounding you. But what happens when those bleachers are bare?

For athletes, the absence of fans isn’t just noticeable; it’s psychological.

“It sucks because lots of schools thrive upon their fans,” says Spencer Loucks, a fourth-year middle blocker with the MacEwan University men’s volleyball team. “Part of me wanting to play is seeing the fans in the stands; it’s just that atmosphere. It’s fun, it’s crazy, it’s something you want to do on a Friday or Saturday night.”

Loucks isn’t alone in that sentiment. Research shows that home advantage is partially tied to the psychological boost from a supportive, wild crowd. Fans don’t just cheer on the team; they validate the relentless hours of training players endure to perform for them. 

But when the stands are hushed, athletes have to find that extra motivation somewhere else. 

“Usually, it’s from us,” Loucks says. “Most of our fans in the stands are parents or kids from other schools that have to come,” Loucks went on. “It would just be more fun. Having those people in that gym cheering us on, getting rowdy against the other team. It’s just such a different atmosphere completely.”

Loucks has seen both sides. His student section was loud, proud, and painted in high school. “They would come cheer us on, when they start chants or do little dances and stuff, and it would be nice to see that again,” he says. “It just made me relax. I wasn’t overthinking as much going into games, knowing these students are here to support us. We’ve got to make sure they have a good reason to support us.”

Walking onto enemy courts, Loucks sees the effects of a lively student atmosphere firsthand. “You realize the school spirit that they have.”

Past the scoreboard, crowd presence also moulds how a team is perceived. A full gym is proof of school pride. Empty seats suggest the opposite. Loucks admits that men’s volleyball has struggled to maintain its fanbase, but he and his teammates are working to rebuild it. “We’ve been trying to be more engaged with the students this year,” he says. “With our new logo, it says ‘a new era begins.’ We’re trying to have a new way of engagement at our games.”

At the end of the day, fans matter. They give a game its atmosphere. Without them, the crucial home advantage starts to lose its power.