A man named John Watson is credited with establishing the first official rules in the 1870s in India.
Teams
Each outdoor polo team has four players: an offensive player, an offensive middle fielder, the pivot and the defensive back. Indoor polo teams have only three players. All players are expected to cover their counterpart on the opposing team during play. Players are numbered in accordance with their position, with the offensive player no. 1, the middle fielder no. 2 and so forth. The most experienced player is typically the no. 3 player, the pivot, serving as the team captain.
Game Play
A polo game begins with each team facing each other from opposite ends of the "T" marking at midfield. The umpire stands at least 5 yards away from the “T“ position, according to Hickok Sports, and rolls the ball between the teams for players to compete for possession. A polo game consists of six periods, or chukkers, according to Sport All Sport. Each chukker is seven minutes long. There is a three-minute intermission between chukkers and a five-minute intermission at halftime. Teams switch position on the playing field after half time.
Chukkers
When 30 seconds remain in the chukker, a bell is rung to give waring. A horn is blown to end the chukker and resume play. The breaks are necessary so that polo players can change ponies. Polo is a fast-paced game and ponies spend most of the match galloping from one end of the field to the other. Outdoor polo grounds are 300 yards in length and 160 yards wide, making them the largest playing fields used in organized sports. Players in professional polo leagues use a different pony during each chukker. Each pony may play a maximum of two chukkers in a match.
Chukkas
The U.S. Polo Association refers to polo match periods as "chukkers," while the Ascot Park Polo Club in the United Kingdom refers to them as "chukkas." The Federation of International Polo is the official governing body for the Olympic Games. FIPPOLO uses the term "chukker" in the glossary on its website. Some polo websites use the two terms interchangeably.
Player Roles
Polo players line up at the start of the game based upon their numbered positions. Each player has specific duties associated with his position. The number one player acts as an offensive player and covers the opposing team's number four player. The number two player backs up the number one player and opposes the other team's number three player. The number three player ensures a clear path for the number one and two players and acts as a defensive player. Number four players typically mount strong defensive tactics.
Playing Field
The playing field is 300 yards long by 160 yards wide, according to Hickok Sports. There is a goal at the farthest end of each side of the length of the playing field. The goal consists of two posts that are 8 yards apart and at least 10 feet high. Each polo team consists of four players, according to Sport All Sport. Players each have a number to indicate their specialty. Player No. 1 is the chief attacker and player No. 4 guards the goal posts. The player at No. 2 begins the offensive of each play by taking the ball or receiving a pass from the goalie. No. 3 plays offense and defense by participating in offensive passing combinations and by intercepting the opponents’ attempts at scoring a goal.
Right of Way
Right of way rules help protect the players and their ponies from accidents, according to Hickok Sports. The player who last hit the ball has the right of way over any member of the opposing team. A player must follow the trajectory of the ball with the ball to his right side in order to maintain the right of way. A foul occurs if a player crosses another player's right of way. Players must swing the mallet with their right hand, but may not reach under or in front of a pony to hit the ball. Hitting the ball toward the legs of an opponent's pony is also a foul. A pony can only play for two chukkas during a game and must rest for at least one chukka between its two allotted chukkas.
Time
Equestrian polo is divided into periods called chukkas. Each chukka is seven minutes long; full games have eight chukkas, but some games are played with four or six. According to the United States Polo Association, four minutes separate the chukkas to allow players the time to change horses if needed. Chukkas are short because the horses get tired quickly and need to rest often. Half-time lasts for five minutes. The umpire's whistle stops and starts play on the field.
Scoring
To score goals, the players hit the ball with a mallet. A goal is made when the ball goes between the goal posts set 24 feet apart. A horse can also knock the ball in for a goal. Horse Riding Lesson says that referees determine if a goal is in fact a goal. Certain plays can result in fouls for players and teams. This can make a goal invalid and won't result in a point. The team with the most points at the end of the last chukka is declared the winner.
Fouls and Penalties
To maintain a safe playing environment, fouls and penalties are called to keep everything under control. The main foul called by umpires is when a player crosses the path of another too closely. The player following the direct line of the ball is said to have the right of way; if another player impedes his progress, the offending player can be penalized. The severity of the penalty is under the umpire's discretion, and may consist of a free goal for the opposition or a free hit from 40 or 60 yards out.
No comments:
Post a Comment