The 2006 USPA Arena Committee has been expanded to 18 members; we would like to welcome the following 6 new members: Keith Alexander, Border Circuit Governor, Stormie Hale, SW, Duncan Huyler, NE, Megan Judge, PC, David Offen, Florida/Caribbean Circuit Governor, Billy Sheldon, PC.
The committee members (and polo barn message board readers) were asked to list 5 items that needed to be addressed for Arena Polo. The results are:
#1 Image of Arena Polo
#2 Promote Growth of Arena Polo
#3 Arena Tournaments
#4 Arena Handicaps
#5 I-I Program
#6 Arena Umpiring
Arena Rules was actually second but since there is an Arena Rules Committee working on making the Arena and Outdoor more consistent and addressing issues as they arise, the Arena Committee will monitor the progress and make recommendations to the Arena Rules Committee. We are fortunate to have 4 Arena Rules Committee members also serving on the Arena Committee, so hopefully there will not be communication issues and we will all strive to meet the same goals. No one is satisfied with the slow process that the rule modifications go thru, since it normally takes over a year to go thru the various committee processes and be presented to the USPA Board of Governors for final approval and get published.
Items #1 & #2 go hand in hand, without a good image there will be no or limited growth for Arena Polo. As shown by the comments on The Polo Zone Message Board, Arena Polo is one of the whipping subjects of some Outdoor Polo people. It is important for the Arena Committee to review all the comments, from the Polo Zone Message Board and other sources, evaluate them for merit and see what can be done to address the issues. Interesting that no one from The Polo Zone message board readers either posted a list or sent me an email when I invited viewers on the message board to do so.
The new & existing Arena Committee members would welcome your comments either here on this message board or directly to Arena Committee members. All suggestions and comments will be considered and hopefully progress will be made. The committee is in the process of organizing sub committees to work on each of the issued listed above. Sub Committee chairs will be posted and will be glad to accept assistance in helping to address the issues. Once the issues have been more thoroughly defined, a plan of action will be proposed and acted on. A very important part of this process is coming up with a method to measure progress in addressing these issues. It is great to come up with lists but unless the problems are addressed and eliminated nothing has been accomplished.
None of the items listed have an easy or quick fix, some will take years of effort to make progress in overturning perceptions from the past & present. Improving Arena Polo Image and promoting Arena Polo Growth will be a challenge, will meet with negative comments both here on this message board and elsewhere. So be it. For some we feel that Arena Polo has a viable position in the sport of polo and have every intention to promote Arena Polo for the betterment of Polo. No way will Arena Polo be promoted to replace or demise Outdoor Polo, rather to support and enhance Outdoor Polo. It is a fact Arena Polo is a great venue to teach new players, an alternate in heavily developed and expensive land value locations. Arena Polo is better than no polo in an area, in my view.
We welcome your comments and support. More as developments occur, I will attempt to post messages that concern Arena Polo and advise of some of the things various Arena Clubs are doing that are successful.
The Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Regional Tournaments will be taking place the end of February and March. There will be a total of 11 regional I-I Tournaments.
The winners of the various regions will meet for the Intercollegiate Men and Women Championship Tournaments at Cornell University April 3-8 and the Interscholastic Women Championship Tournament will be February 24-26 at the Univ. of Connecticut. The Interscholastic Championship Tournament will be April 12-15 at Brushy Creek.
I want to wish all the I-I players success and fun polo in the next couple of months. They have all worked hard and travel many miles to get their teams ready to play. Thanks also to the I-I Committee, USPA Staff and the volunteers who make this happen. There are some great coaches keeping this program going.
