Starting an Interscholastic Polo Team
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INTERCOLLEGIATE POLO PROGRAMS
Alfred State College
Brown University
Cal Poly
Colorado State University
Cornell University
Emory University
George Washington University
Harvard University
Michigan State University
Montana State University
Oklahoma State University
Oregon State University
Point Loma Nazarene
Princeton University
Roger Williams University
Skidmore College
Southern Methodist University
Stanford University
Texas A&M University
Texas Christian University
Texas State University
Texas Tech University
University of California - SB
University of Connecticut
University of Idaho
University of Kentucky
University of Louisville
University of Massachusetts
University of Miami (FL)
University of Michigan
University of Pennsylvania
University of South Carolina - Aiken
University of Southern California
University of North Texas
University of Texas
University of Virginia
University of Western Ontario University of Wisconsin-Madison
Virginia Tech
Washington & Lee University
Washington State University
Yale University
GETTING STARTED
All USPA registered member and school clubs are eligible to field an interscholastic team. All teams must be affiliated with a USPA registered club, consist of eligible players, and complete all necessary eligibility requirements to compete.
All teams who register and complete the necessary paperwork, as well as adhere to deadlines and fees, are guaranteed a spot in tournament play.
Teams can consist of all boys or a combination of boys and girls (Open Division), or all girls (Girls’ Division). Players may not play for more than one team. Clubs may field as many teams as they can accommodate.
In addition to I/I tournaments, there is a strong emphasis on the regular season play where teams are required to play at least two qualified in region/division games. These scores are posted online and used for tournament assignments and seeding purposes. In addition, at the end of the season, regular season champions are awarded to those teams with the best record who compete in four regular season games, vs three different opponents.
WHO’S ELIGIBLE
Players must be:
1. A registered player or student member of the USPA for the current year.
2. In grades 7 - 12.
3. Under the age of 19 as of Sept 1 of the current I/I Season.
4. Be in good academic standing with their school and academically eligible to compete in sports for their school.
5. Live within 100 mile radius of the host club. Waivers are available for students who live outside the 100 miles and do not have another I/I club closer to them.
BASIC RULES & TOURNAMENT CONDITIONS
• All I/I polo is played in the arena, following USPA Arena Rules
• I/I is played using the split string format, in which horses are divided into two strings, each horse playing twice- once for each team. Players should be able and comfortable riding unfamiliar mounts during regular season and tournament games.
• In addition, all I/I players are required to wear eye protection and if they choose to use spurs, they must have a smooth rolling rowel or be a small Prince of Wales type with a rounded end.
• Teams who wish to compete in the I/I tournament season must complete an “Intent to Compete” form and pay their entry fee by December 1st..
• Teams are required to play two official, regular season games following all I/I tournament conditions.
• Official games are considered such, when both coaches sign the score sheet and submit it to the USPA. These games are required for regional seeding and tournament assignments. Most teams play more than the required two games.
• At tournaments, teams are required to tack up their own horses, the umpire horses, and spares in addition to having work duties when they are not playing.
• Teams not playing in the current game are required to hot walk, assist with tack times, untack the horses when they have completed playing, and wash, cool out, and care for the horses.
• Teams playing are required to clean the tack of the string they played and assist with other horse care chores such as feeding and mucking stalls.
TOURNAMENT FORMAT
• All scores received are published on the USPA website under the I/I Scoreboard.
• Teams in each region and division are then seeded; the lower seeded teams play through preliminary tournaments, while higher seeded teams may receive a bye to their regional tournament.
• Winners of the preliminary tournaments advance to the regional tournament. The winner of each regional tournament advances to the national tournament.
• If a game should end in a tie at the end of regulation, a shootout format is necessary to determine a winner.
• Tournament locations are selected based on availability of host site, the proximity of teams and available horses.
• Teams entered into a tournament are required to provide a string (6-9) of horses.
• All horses must meet the published USPA I/I Equine Welfare requirements, including a negative coggins & current health papers. All horses are subject to a pre-tournament horse inspection by the onsite veterinarian, testing for soundness and Body Condition Score.
• Tournaments are kept to a maximum of six teams so students are out of school for the least amount of days as possible, keeping in mind necessary rest in-between games for the horses.
• Tournaments are played either as a round robin or single elimination format, with consolation games as horses are available.
• Awards are presented to the winners of the tournament, and teams vote on 4 All-Stars and 1 Sportsmanship award to be given to their peers.
• In addition, all players score their horses on a scale of 1-10 after playing, and at the end of the tournament, scores are tallied and a Best Playing Pony is awarded, as well as a Best Playing String.
FEES & DEADLINES*
USPA Club Dues (Per Club) $100.
Due January 1 of each year
USPA Membership Dues (Per Player)
Due January 1 of each year**
Player Member: $150.
Student member: $50.
**New members must join prior to any regular season games in the fall and renew January 1 to complete the season.
I/I Tournament Entry Fee (Per Team) $800.
Due December 1st
I/I Magazine Fee (Per Team) $100. or an ad in the I/I Magazine
Due December 1st
I/I Official Score Sheets are due within 7 days of being played.
Interscholastic Eligibility Paperwork is due December 15th*
*Dues, Fees and Dates are subject to change.
INTERSCHOLASTIC VARSITY LETTER
Individually, players are able to work towards earning their Interscholastic Varsity Letter in Polo. Students are required to put in at least 100 hours of riding, stick and balling, practice and game time; as well as compete in at least one regular season game and post-season tournament play. Varsity letter recipients receive a certificate of achievement, a varsity letter patch, a pin for their first year, and each additional year.
REGULAR SEASON CHAMPS
Regular Season Champions are awarded each year for each region and division. Teams must compete in at least four regular season qualifed games against at least three different teams in their region to qualify. Teams with the best seasonal record are awarded Regular Season Champion.
INTERCOLLEGIATE SCHOLARSHIPS
The USPA recognizes 40 universities/colleges that have active collegiate polo programs. Intercollegiate polo scholarships are available through the USPA for students who have competed in the Interscholastic Division and continue on to play polo in college.
Six, $4,000. Scholarships are available annually to both graduating high school students and current intercollegiate students. Applicants must be a registered USPA player in good standing, compete on an interscholastic team for at least two years, have a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, provide two letters of recommendation and complete a short essay on a polo experience of their choice. Scholarships are renewable for up to four years.
COACHING REQUIREMENTS
All I/I teams participating in the program must have a designated coach. All Coaches must comply with the following requirements for their team to be eligible to compete:
- USPA Member in good standing
- USPA Coach’s Code of Conduct
- Complete a yearly criminal background check
- Complete the Center for Disease Control online concussion training
- Complete the US Olympic Committee online
Safe Sport training
-Complete the USPA Certified Polo Instructor
Safety online training
*It is recommended that all coaches are CPI Certified.
MIDDLE SCHOOL LEAGUE
The Middle School League is open to all players from 5th - 8th grade. Players enter as an individual and the host tournament committee will mix players together to form evenly matched teams. Middle School players are responsible for providing or sourcing their own horse(s) for the event. In addition, there will be an available clinic or practice session available for students participating. Players who meet interscholastic qualifications, may play in both Middle School and Interscholastic tournaments.
AVAILABLE USPA ASSISTANCE
USPA assistance is available in the terms of mentoring, assisting with organizing a team, funding and umpire support for regular season qualified games.
WHY I/I?
• Club growth and sustainability.
• IS polo introduces polo to the next generation of our sport in a safe and affordable environment.
• It gives players the opportunity to play with their peers, travel and be exposed to college coaches.
• Clubs are promoted regionally and nationally through their youth ambassadors.
• Players who are first generation polo players often have parents who get involved as well.
• Interscholastic Varsity Letter Program.
• Intercollegiate Polo Scholarships.
WHAT REGION AM I?
NORTHEASTERN
MA, RI, CT, NY, Ontario
Buffalo Polo Club
Simsbury/CT Polo Club
Cornell Polo Club
Country Farms Polo Club
Bloomfield Epic Polo Club
Gardnertown Polo Club
Glen Farms Polo Club
Haviland Hollow Polo Club
Eq & Polo Center of Boston
Newport Polo Club
Myopia Polo Club
Toronto Polo Club
Yale Polo Club
Western NY Polo Club
CENTRAL
TX, WI, KY, IN, IL, AZ, NM, Guatemala
ATX Polo Club
Being the Change Polo Club
Blackberry Polo Club
Commonwealth Polo Club
Culver Academies
Heart of Texas Polo Club
Hillside Polo Club
Houston Polo Club
La Loma Polo Club
Lexington Polo Club
Louisville Polo Club
Midland Polo Club
Prestonwood Polo Club
Rancho Naranjo Polo Club
San Antonio Polo Club
Willow Bend Polo Club
SOUTHEASTERN
AL, PA, MD, VA, NC, FL, GA, SC, TN
Aiken Polo Club
Atlanta Regional Polo Center
Battlefield Park Polo Club
Blue Water Creek Polo Club
Franklin Polo Club
Garrison Forest School
Grand Champions Polo Club
Maryland Polo Club
Mountain View Polo Club
Palm Beach Polo Club
The Polo School
Triangle Polo Club
Virginia JRs
West Shore Polo Club
Work to Ride
WESTERN
CA, HI, OR
Central Coast Polo Club
Eldorado Polo Club
Empire Polo Club
Horse Park Polo Club
Lakeside Polo Club
Maui Polo Club
Oakdale Polo Club
OC Polo Club
Poway Polo Club
Rose City Polo Club
San Diego Surf Polo
Santa Barbara Polo Club
South Bay Polo Club
CONTACTS
• For all up-to-date information including tournament schedules, please visit the I/I Pages on the USPA website www.uspolo.org.
• For current news on the program and teams, follow us on facebook.com/iipolo.
• If you have any questions about how to get started or the program in general, please contact I/I Program Director Amy Fraser, afraser@uspolo.org.
