Jan 30, 2018 2:19 PM
USPA Polo Development, LLC hosted a preview clinic of the newly launched Player Performance Analysis program in Indio, California, this past weekend. With strong amateur participation and a competitive tournament season, Kris Bowman, Executive Director of the USPA Polo Development, LLC was eager to share the program with players on the West Coast. Amateurs and professionals alike benefit from the pre-game warm-up, riding pattern analysis and swing analysis.
Participants began with the pregame warm-up program developed by Dr. Gretchen Oliver, director of the Sports Medicine and Movement Laboratory at Auburn University. USPA Polo Development, LLC has worked closely with the Department of Kinesiology at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama, and over 25 professional players to identify the muscles used during a polo swing. The warm up program is designed to activate those specific muscles, priming them for maximum efficacy during a match. It includes a variety of exercises ranging from planks on the ground, leg extensions with resistance bands and Indo Board balancing. An explanation and demonstration of each exercise is available on PoloSkilz.com.
Following the warmup, clinic participants progressed into the riding pattern analysis and swing analysis. Charles Smith, Chair of USPA Polo Development, LLC Board and Hall of Fame inductee, instructed each player to complete the riding pattern once before offering a critique and filming the pattern for a second time. Similarly, participants completed several off-side forehand swings to be analyzed. Following the clinic, Tiger Kneece, former 7-goal player, Mason Wroe and Charles Smith recorded their analysis of each swing and riding pattern for players to access in their online PoloSkilz.com profile.
In addition to the clinic preview, the USPA Polo Development, LLC staff led a demonstration of the technology and Coaches’ Eye program for instructors and coaches in California. The cutting-edge technology brings polo in line with other mainstream sports who rely on video analysis to teach the foundations of a swing and offer comparisons as the player progresses.
In a great showing of support by the USPA Board of Governors, Pacific Coast Circuit Governor Danny Walker, Pacific Northwest Circuit Governor, Sheryl Sick, Great Plains Circuit Governor, David Ragland, Governor at Large, Denny Geiler, Governor at Large, Scott Walker, USPA Polo Development LLC. board member, David Wenning, and Arena Chairman, Dan Coleman were on hand to launch the program.
All photos ©Kaylee Wroe
Effective Date: Saturday, May 16, 2020
The suspension of USPA Tournaments and Events will be lifted for USPA Member Clubs in locales where hosting polo matches and tournaments is permitted under applicable state and local laws, executive orders and similar decrees. The USPA Member Clubs in these locales are encouraged to follow all such requirements of their state and local authorities with respect to polo operations. In addition, we also encourage all USPA Member Clubs to take the precautions recommended by the CDC. We are preparing a detailed list of best practices for USPA Member Clubs as they return to hosting USPA Tournaments and Events and plan to circulate these guidelines within the next week. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and will notify you if we determine a different course of action is necessary.
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