West London Polo - Westway Sports Centre

Will do, I am going to have a coffee; maybe one of those king size kit kats, peanut if they have it. then probably a movement.. (you know how it is big fella) then head on to pick up those bolts - I'll drop my mallet off on the run back to repair up my bike.

Running has never seemed so cool.

as me dear old dad would say "It's better to have an empty flat than a bad tenant"

Good games tonight,Hi to James and Tanya who got stuck in to their first game of polo

Wurd!

yeah good games, thanks to those who I borrowed bikes/beer/fags off of :-)

Is James on the forum, I thought he was just a passer by?

Yeah so did I. You better be back next week james.

Right im wankerd im, going to bed and starting up a small cab firm tmro….

Oww.

Sore. Bruised knees and ankle. I hate you Louis. Not really. I got what I deserved. Karma. :)

Safe to every one last night. Good games, genuinely had a really nice time. The ride home was pretty speedy too. Putting the saddle up makes a big difference to how wrecked I feel by the time I have reached mile end.

Untill next week bat men.

Is James on the forum, I thought he was just a passer by?

On the forum might be a bit much (or maybe just a very specific passer by)!

Thanks for lending me stuff/making it easy to get involved. Definitely up for coming back... already idly looking for something I can turn into a polo machine. Good times!

Right im wankerd im, going to bed and starting up a small cab firm tmro….

do it man.. but don't forget your exit plan - (run like fuck!)

pm me your number for thursday

Running has never seemed so cool.

+1, classiest throw in I've ever seen... would have been proper cool if you'd have been shuffled in and made it back in time for the game! :-)

Oww.
Sore. Bruised knees and ankle. I hate you Louis. Not really. I got what I deserved. Karma. :).

:-)

I've got an injury I've never seen before! As well as the loss of all the skin on my right knee... a bit of a lump on my left knee... my elbow has a weird bubbly lump where I've got an open wound from a previous game... both gross and amusing at the same time!

Safe

Interesting choice of words! :-)

On the forum might be a bit much (or maybe just a very specific passer by)!

Thanks for lending me stuff/making it easy to get involved. Definitely up for coming back... already idly looking for something I can turn into a polo machine. Good times!
Just come along, you'll be more or less forced to play! :-)

Somehow I managed to wake up this morning with out feeling completely destroyed. My knee seems to hurt more than anything. The Folded up T-shirts in my trousers idea saved me mightily from serious hip trauma yesterday, and they're not so bad this morning. I like the way Tanya was all timid when she first got there, But was practically knocking me off my bike to get at the ball with in the first hour of playing. She's gonna be a mean player to watch out for, Mark my words!

I like the way Tanya was all timid when she first got there, But was practically knocking me off my bike to get at the ball with in the first hour of playing. She's gonna be a mean player to watch out for, Mark my words!

good stuff!

Cheers guys for a warm and friendly welcome last night!
I had a great time and def will be back next week.
Currently scouring the 'bay for anything polo bike-able.
Hopefully I'll make it along to drinks on Thursday but I've got a big deadline in work on fri so I'm not sure yet.

Nice one T, thanks for the beers! Good to have some more new faces (james).
I think the standard of play is quietly improving all round.
thursday at court 2. 4pm (weather dependant)

I should mention that riding into a player who doesn't have the ball is not very nice.
Also watch the high mallets - nip those bad habits in the bud.
I know I am as guilty as anyone!
now we have enough players / watchers i think some casual refereeing might be in order?
In West we don't really talk about the rules enough.

yup, I noticed that there were quite a few high mallets last night,

I think it's fair enough that if you're not playing in a particular throw-in then you can shout out high mallets and off the ball stuff.

To be fair most of it is unintentional but as Prav says it would be better to get into good habits early on

• It's great that we're getting enough players and good games to have this discussion -
  

I should mention that riding into a player who doesn't have the ball is not very nice.
Also watch the high mallets - nip those bad habits in the bud.
I know I am as guilty as anyone!
now we have enough players / watchers i think some casual refereeing might be in order?
In West we don't really talk about the rules enough.

Indeed, I think its been quite interesting to hear what good sir Dancing James has had to say, we definately need to try a bit harder on the self policing front :)

Defo agree on the high mallets.
Guilty as charged. I'm going to be making an extra special effort on that one.

On the issue of close and physical contact: I seriously don't think there was very much stuff last night that was even remotely against the rules. There was no T-boning. No grappling, punching, mallet throwing or anything. You have to get close to each other, and be able to deal with people leaning on you, touching wheels, and mallet clashes when you play.

I defo got the impression that alot of you thought I was at best over-zelous yesterday, but apart from the odd good humored moment of gentle bar touching or the like (not just by me) the night passed without infractions of the rules or unsportsmanlike behavior. My experience of playing east is that people do get really fucking close, reaching over each other and clashing bikes. Its not a case of saying its not on, but learning to deal with other people as well as the ball. The stuff the happened off the ball was blocking and marking. I confess to maybe straying a little past the line on one or two occasions, and I apologise if that annoyed anyone, but on the whole, getting close and trying to keep some one out of the game is just what happens in any sport.

I also think its good to have these discussions, and that there are enough people playing wests to have them.

I don't think you're being 'marked' for your exuberant style of play HM

I think it's more an opportunity to articulate what the boundaries are at an early stage - It's easier to get an idea of playing style and the rules when you watch an easties game as they have become established thro time and practice

As westies is fairly new it's harder to distinguish between things that are happening due to inexperience and the accepted way of playing. I'd rather articulate that now than see certain manouveures escalate in a game scenario. I am not that clear about whether an 'off the ball' nudge with the shoulder is allowed and it's something that I'll ask Mike about

The important thing is that we're having some really good games with players of different levels of experience and that it's still competitive and fun

and yes, I do plan to fall on you at least five times next Monday :^]

The important thing is that we're having some really good games with players of different levels of experience and that it's still competitive and fun

Totaly agree.

Thats why I felt it worth saying what I think, because I think you are right, in its formative stages west polo should discuss what is proper. And I know I got a bit of flack yesterday (not being marked as you said), and I wanted to state that I feel that sort of contact is how the game should be, not something to avoid.

Without the contact we may as well play a normal sport, like netball. :P

and yes, I do plan to fall on you at least five times next Monday :^]

I'm looking forward to it :)

Somehow I managed to wake up this morning with out feeling completely destroyed. My knee seems to hurt more than anything. The Folded up T-shirts in my trousers idea saved me mightily from serious hip trauma yesterday, and they're not so bad this morning. I like the way Tanya was all timid when she first got there, But was practically knocking me off my bike to get at the ball with in the first hour of playing. She's gonna be a mean player to watch out for, Mark my words!

fully. Tanya took me out twice and we were on the same team..... get in!

fully. Tanya took me out twice and we were on the same team..... get in!

I wish some one would take me out, I'm in dire need of a date :)

I told you, Monday…

:)

I like this sort of talk!
Harry.M is right about the getting up close and personal, marking, blocking etc. It has to be done.
And his experience playing East is pretty tame and controlled compared to how we used to roll pre-League...

I should mention that riding into a player who doesn't have the ball is not very nice.
Also watch the high mallets - nip those bad habits in the bud.
I know I am as guilty as anyone!
now we have enough players / watchers i think some casual refereeing might be in order?
In West we don't really talk about the rules enough.

The on/off the ball arguement is difficult... to me it's still a fairly grey area... which is why (with the exception of Harry!) I now err on the side of caution and try not to crash into anyone ever! It's only throw-ins and although I don't mind people being physical with me (oo-er) I am trying to not take out people unless i think they don't mind. Tell me if I do and you do mind.

I agree the high mallet thing is very dangerous... My first tourney was the valentine day one and I turned up a little after an ambulance came to sew together a players face after a high mallet.

I don't mind a bit of phisical play, polo's supposed to be a contact sport, but mallet to face is not something I want to see...

Maybe we should have the occational hardcore game where crashing is acceptable... or even expected (obviously I'm not suggesting that the other games are softcore :-)

I don't mind the physical aspect of the game [tho my jaw still hurts from that ball in the face last night] as long everyone knows what is and isn't allowed, people can then make their own judgement on how much they want to get stuck in

The main point was the high mallets tho, definite nono

Is there nothing like the high-sticking rule in hockey? Like handlebar height or something? I just assumed there was.

all this talk of polo makes me want to play again.
Can you make it down on Thursday Harry?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAoDJcFU6iY&feature=related