South London Bike Polo (Tues/Thurs/Sun) - Newington gardens SE1 / Agnes Riley gardens SW12

maybe you should have mixed up the team a bit? Although i can see that when emmet and PF move into a smaller pond they can't help but get pumped with vinegar and lord it about in their new found status of 'big fish'. Just be more vocal joanie, you ever heard me not say to someone who spanks a goal in while their team park the bus.."gee that was worth it, well done, this is a throw in you know" etc. Thats what throw in are for, be vocal, practise, discuss, tell people that these guys have never played and to be more gentle, but most of all be realistic, its everyones wednesday night and they might want to play faster polo, if your friends are put off by 1 game, i don't hold much hope of their commitment to a whole league. It's frustrating to have the rings run round you, but its also frustrating to slide the ball 9 times to pigfarmer in front of goal and have him miss it 9 times. It dosn't put me off though. #sorryjohnbutyouwereshitattimes

its also frustrating to slide the ball 9 times to pigfarmer in front of goal and have him miss it 9 times. It dosn't put me off though. #sorryjohnbutyouwereshitattimes

I can hit those babies first time, B*...

• OK, I did it once last week... 100% success rate atm... ;]
  

Joe, come play with us sometime. Be good to see you.

my 2p, if after the first day they want to quick.... they need to try harder, as John said, my first day was shit too, playing with Mike, Dave, Julien, Yorgo and Seb. I didn't see the ball, I didn't got pass once.
second, they idea to have a secret polo thingy aka newie night is not bad, starting straight away with the big boys can be hard. Adan did a couple of months in Peckham, and by the time he fully join south polo he knew where to be and what to do.

I think we did the right thing in splitting the courts, because for many south players Wednesday is the only day of the week they get to play. We can't expect them to take it easy in every game in case they intimidate a new player.

But if you don't want to play on a Wednesday with us, separate sessions are a great idea. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think even the Gabes/Horatio/Tomasito etc wave of players had separate polo sessions before they got stuck in at Brick Lane! & Dave took me to some tennis courts to practice hitting and dribbling the ball before I would play a proper game :)

Please don't be put off joining the league. We played in the first league and didn't win a single game...

Joe, come play with us sometime. Be good to see you.

Will do, need to sort out this back problem but I'm deffo in for some Downham action over the summer... :]

Will do, need to sort out this back problem but I'm deffo in for some Downham action over the summer... :]

tactical quote

Pigfarmer when riding back last night "I really enjoyed tonight, I felt like a God amongst mortals - a soul crusher."

Brendan, when playing for imaginary trophies I would like more of a chance please. And more skids from Dave.

I'm going to take my mother to a quilt exhibition now and by the time I get back Emmet still won't have passed.

It's all polo and we aren't entitled to anything but the chance to throw our mallets in.

I've got the bug now, rik... Was so fucked off I couldn't play last night... :[

@Wiskie - Sorry for my part in the first game yesterday. I didn't mean to leave anyone dissheartened, that would never be my intention but I can compleetly see where you're coming from. Please don't feel that I was trying to take the piss out of you guys in any way.

I think breaking into skill levels is a good idea to an extent I think differentiating between support and progress is going to be the main worry for me. I think It is productive for any skill level to improve in a supported enviroment. I know personally the only way I improve is by playing people of a higher skill level and asking them for advice on my weak points. I personally would be happy to play with people of any skill level, and I usually try to be as inclusive as possible (i view last night as a hick-up on my part).

maybe you should have mixed up the team a bit? Although i can see that when emmet and PF move into a smaller pond they can't help but get pumped with vinegar and lord it about in their new found status of 'big fish'. Just be more vocal joanie, you ever heard me not say to someone who spanks a goal in while their team park the bus.."gee that was worth it, well done, this is a throw in you know" etc. Thats what throw in are for, be vocal, practise, discuss, tell people that these guys have never played and to be more gentle, but most of all be realistic, its everyones wednesday night and they might want to play faster polo, if your friends are put off by 1 game, i don't hold much hope of their commitment to a whole league. It's frustrating to have the rings run round you, but its also frustrating to slide the ball 9 times to pigfarmer in front of goal and have him miss it 9 times. It dosn't put me off though. #sorryjohnbutyouwereshitattimes

Yeah I know it's everyone's Weds, that's what I think more underground polo first, as it's frustrating to everyone, big fish included (PF wasn't one of the big fish btw).
There weren't put off of polo, just realised that it would be pointless in joining the league, which I think is a shame but may be a fair point (if there's one league).
I should have said something but just got carried away in the game. It wasn't until the discussions after that added to my frustration.

my 2p, if after the first day they wnat to quick.... they need to try harder, as John said, my first day was shit two, playing with Mike, Dave, Julien, Yorgo and Seb. I didn't see the ball, I got pass once.
second, they idea to have a secret polo thingy aka newie night is not bad, starting straight away with the big boys can be hard. Adan did a couple of months in Peckham, and by the time he fully join south polo he knew where to be and what to do.

I agree. The don't want to quit, they want to practice more then do throw ins, so better for everyone if a basic level is achieved first.

I think we did the right thing in splitting the courts, because for many south players Wednesday is the only day of the week they get to play. We can't expect them to take it easy in every game in case they intimidate a new player.

But if you don't want to play on a Wednesday with us, separate sessions are a great idea. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think even the Gabes/Horatio/Tomasito etc wave of players had separate polo sessions before they got stuck in at Brick Lane! & Dave took me to some tennis courts to practice hitting and dribbling the ball before I would play a proper game :)

Please don't be put off joining the league. We played in the first league and didn't win a single game...

Again, splitting the noobs is a good idea, but not if big fish come in a run rings around them.
People shouldn't have to play slow games if there's a noob on the team,of course, but if it's a court for noob games, then that's a different matter, surely?
Like I said, perhaps it was a one off.

Like I said, perhaps it was a one off.

Hopefully it will be.

@Wiskie - Sorry for my part in the first game yesterday. I didn't mean to leave anyone dissheartened, that would never be my intention but I can compleetly see where you're coming from. Please don't feel that I was trying to take the piss out of you guys in any way.

Wiskie? Ha, cool!

I'm not portioning blame, and in fact I can see that it would be frustrating and boring for you guys, hence the run around.
I'm not hear to bitch about you, and I know that you're both really nice and considerate people. I just wanted to say that if we split noobs on a second court, then a bit of consideration that it's a slower paced environment, might be more productive.
BUT, I think that priority is for regulars, and as such there will be practice sessions around the south on as many opportunities as possible so it's fun for all involved.

#determination.

Thanks for the support everyone (notsarcastic)

I think it's way better when you're on a team with good players, sure you feel like a complete tool (my natural reaction is to stay in goal and stay out of the way) but after a bit you get the confidence to get stuck in and you pick things up really quickly... :]
#limitedexperience #feelfreetotellmetofuckoff #stillshit

Wiskie? Ha, cool!

I very easily miss things...I aways thought this was your name.

I'm not portioning blame, and in fact I can see that it would be frustrating and boring for you guys, hence the run around.

I didn't feel that you were trying to blame anyone and I think it was the right thing to bring it up but i felt I had to appologise as I know I have been dissheartend at polo, not just as a beginner but even in recent months, and I wouldn't want to be the cause of this to anyone, so please do pass on my appologies. I can only put it down to excitability last night but I do hope that I am normally inclusive.

Polo love. xxx

I came into the first game a little frustrtated and after about five minutes started indeed to take the piss. None of this was within reason and was altogether dickish.

The idea of the two courts was good as Jon said:

I think that the court split worked better than it did as a noob coming straight into Souths. The experienced player let new people see how to play, and lots of new people vs a few experienced people means there is more chance of ball time.

However in the first game this did not happen, as the teams were changed so that me and another experienced player were set up against the new team so that they could practice (as was wrongly suggested by me on the forum earlier). The problem with this is that the noobs did not benefit from experienced players passing and supporting, rather me and turd sitting doing nopthing for a while before getting bored and starting to take the piss.
As said this was wrong and I tried to amend that in later games.

I think a problem with the game (apart from me being and turd taking the piss and not show much experience) was that you were trying to play as a team before Dean and Marg had even played a throwin. One step at a time.

All said, both Dean and Marge played very well, showing lots of potential and I honestly hope that the first game has not put them off coming again.

Thanks Emmet.
Like I said, I can see why you two would be bored and why it happened.
A few people, myself included thought it would be the best idea if we played together as a new potential team. Clearly that's a bad idea and we all need to benefit from playing with experienced players.
Dean and Margs are still keen and have said that they need to practice more, which means more polo therefore some good has come of this.

In summary, lots of noobs, separate court, mix it up with big fish, be considerate, everyone's a winner.

Polo love.

There weren't put off of polo, just realised that it would be pointless in joining the league, which I think is a shame but may be a fair point (if there's one league).

Depends what you(pl) want out of the league. To be overall winners, yeah, that might be pointless, but to play polo, to improve, to have fun? Still all completely achievable.
Even in the limited time I got to spend with you lot in That London, I saw people constantly improving. Look through the league write-ups and see how teams start the season getting whitewashed, progress through making things difficult for the big guns, to winning games against anyone (except mebbe BAD!).
We (Sheffield) went to the UK champs for fun and experience as much as anything, and had an amazing time! For Hannah, it was the first time she'd played in a proper game of 3 vs 3. If only our match against Los Conos had only lasted 60 seconds!

i had a really nice time last night so thank you newington players - it was my first time at newington after secretly practising in Brisbane/Sydney over winter.
thanks for the last few games to pigfarmer, really appreciated the pointers and the game chat.
i really enjoyed playing on the other court, and it was a good mix with a few established polo-ers defecting across the wall when their mallets weren't in for the other games - always good practise to play against people who play a lot.
joni - Margz was awesome! tell her to keep playing. for her first throw in thingy she scored like 5 goals. i think that's really good, she obvs has natural sporting ability. she's my new hero.
anyway, thought i best say thank you :)
erin

In my second ever 3 vs 3, we took a goal off Malice (even if our massive celebrations went on so long that they stuck one in at the other end...) Just shows there's hope in any game!

As a total beginner, I'd find it patronising if the good teams altered their style to accommodate me being rubbish. They'd also find it dull.

I reckon covert training between games is the way forward, although Gabe's special move's defeating me...

I don't think seperating the noobs is a good idea. You learn a lot faster when you play with the big boys as joe said.

It feels a lot more comfortable to play with people at the same or lower level, but you will learn a lot more slowly.

Don't think it's worth pitting a team that have hardly played against better players either,

as both emmet and Adam have shown though, it's not about when you start, but how many polo hours you can fit in.

That's it... Polo hours... I need to work on that... :/
#needmorehoursintheday

#needlessworkgettingintheway

Emmet team work.. wtf.. you feeling alright?

i love the fact you get to play against some of the best players in this country, europe has to offer. You can't expect throw-ins to be to be easy! Practice more then thorw-ins get easier. But some of these guys are really good but you can learn from them. Some games just don't work out i'm afraid the ball is round and things don't always go your way. Just gotta stick at it and practice as much you can. Join the league & play more polo. Happy times.