Polo is the biggest thing happening in the NYC bike scene after Bike Shorts. I, as polo king, declare this. However, this presents a problem, in a way. We all are loving, welcoming people. We encourage anyone and everyone to play on Sundays and form teams to play on Thursdays. Some of us are excellent, some of us are really good, and some of us are still learning how to be good. We all play together. Some of the excellent players would like to play only with excellent or really good players. A lot of the not-”A”-game players might like to actually get some stick time in when they play. How do we manage an ever-increasing amount of players so that everyone gets to play good games?

On Sunday, the pack split. Half of us went to the hockey court on Cherry street to play, and the other half stayed at the pit. For the most part, the A-gamers went to Cherry street to try and dismantle eachother. I stayed at the pit…mostly because I’m lazy and complacent and couldn’t stay long anyway. It’s rad if we’ve got two courts to split ourselves up on, but we know that the foot-hockey kids are gonna claim their space on Cherry Street any day now. We might not always have that space to split ourselves up to. So how are we going to manage our sport so that our games remain exciting for the experienced players and helpful for the learning players?

I’m not offering any solutions, I’m just putting that question out there. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks for everyone who came out to Bike Shorts last night. Here’s my paean to our favorite Prodigy inspired prodigy, Adam Staudt:

Cross-posted from hardcourtbikepolo.com:

Sketchy goals, yes or no?

All polo players are encouraged to read and discuss in the comments section (on hardcourtbikepolo, not here).

BIKE SHORTS 5
Short Films About the Bike
March 30th - 8PM
at Galapagos
70 N. 6th
Williamsburg

Too late to submit for this one but there will be more I’m sure
Don’t miss it, sure to be a good time.

For more info bikeshortfilms.com

ps. this ones for you Ken <3

Risk Jockeys, by Jodi Lee Reifer

Within the group of 50, who play pick-up games Sunday and with pre-fab teams Thursday night are an architect, a luthier (maker of stringed instruments), graphic artists and food delivery cyclists. Many adopt anti-establishment aesthetics.

“We all definitely have a different attitude about bicycling than most people. Regardless of what we do, it’s how we get around,” says Birdseye, who bikes from his Astoria, Queens, apartment across the 59th Street Bridge to work in Midtown Manhattan.

The group is mostly men, but several women, who take good ribbings and bloody knees in stride, play too. On a recent afternoon one of the ladies was teased because her undies were showing as she peddled.

UPDATE!

There’s a video segment of us ripping it up (or looking foolish… you decide) from this same story here.

Please enjoy a preview of a delightful, whimsical short film that will be premiered at Bike Shorts on March 30th. It’s an homage, nay, a tribute, nay, a retrospective on one of New York’s most revered players. We hope you like it.

Hi, I love bike polo.
I love it so much I needed a place to share it. My photos, my thoughts, my new rules.
There are so many things I need you to know.
It’s called hardcourtbikepolo.com
Thank you,
Doug D