Birmingham Bike Polo (Wednesday nights / Sundays - info in the thread)

okay: winter is fast approaching and i forsee a gradual drop-off in polo turnouts. so i'm going to put together a functional (ugly) flyer for handing out in oyb/sprockets/universities etc.

the last two sundays have had pretty reasonable turnouts and with better promotion could easily outstrip our wednesday turnouts, so i'm going to write something like

**every wednesday 7.30-10ish, every sunday 5-8ish calthorpe park (weather dependent
**
i think this is going to be much better than focussing on a once-weekly turnout when and using the nia, at least in the short term. we can use email/this forum to inform newbies if we do start using the NIA.

any vehement objections? voice your concerns soon...

i have no clips and straps so should should i be clipless or just use flats?

...the last two sundays have had pretty reasonable turnouts and with better promotion could easily outstrip our wednesday turnouts...

how about we make sunday the main day and change wednesday to a more hardcore affair.
I get the internet at home on wed (after 6 weeks without) so 'ill make flyers too.

MALLETS £5
There's winter tournaments coming up in manchester and possibly cambridge. So get your fully customizable mallets fast.

send me a pic of the mallets fin and i'll advertise them on the blog

also, we need to do this interview, somewhere non-ghetto. maybe in town after work one evening. you up for it?

i'm down with sunday being the main day, but still think we should advertise twice-weekly games so more people can try it out.

n3lson - flats are popular if you're freewheeling. clipless is popular with fixed.

im gonna try and make it on wednesday hopefully, not sure if ill be able to stick around til 10 though so i might try sunday instead.. which is the most beginner friendly session would you say?
i think my bike control might be slightly lacking, which could be either annoying or funny for you more experienced guys...

also, im a graphic design student, so if you want some prettier (and still functional) flyers knocking up, give me a shout!

i'd say sunday is a little slower/safer probably due to a higher newbie-ratio. but either session is suitable for beginners.

those times are just theoretical. people arrive and leave on a whim.

how about we make sunday the main day and change wednesday to a more hardcore affair.

Hells yeah.

a lot of the time I'm torn between playing an all welcoming slower vibe game and really wanting to play hard to progress my (lack of) skillz so different sessions that fill my polo needs would be sexy.

BOAT ROCK WARNING: can we extend the hardcore session to saying no to local kids that wanna play? and kindly ask if they want to play, they're welcome on sunday?? i reckon its only days til someone gets hurt big time...and im getting tired of hurting myself to stop me ploughing into them.

It seems like im turning into the new pastry messenjah with my repeated no-shows, but I have a folding bike that I was planning to bring to polo so some of the smaller kids could have a go. It comfortably fits nearly everyone.

Bring it to the next calthorpe sesh.

It seems like im turning into the new pastry messenjah with my repeated no-shows

Me too mate. I'm fricking dying to get involved in local polo, i'm just so unstructured at work at the moment, i never know if i can commit... so instead - i'll just drop by, and if the numbers are made, i'll be happy to to just beat off any local chavs....

i agree with mastershredder's idea of having graded games, but i think we should probably stop short of actually stopping people from playing if they show up - just make clear that wed tends to be faster/harder, sunday tends to be gentler/slower.

pistaboy - feel free to come any time. i can only think of a few occasions where we've had more than 6 people and have had to rotate players, so it's almost certain you'd be able to play. the problem is actually the opposite - on sunday we played for about 2.5 hours non-stop. get's a little tiring and difficult to focus!

i'll be happy to to just beat off any local chavs....

OMG you sick pervert

I'd still be keener on an earlier Wednesday, 6pm? even if only a couple show to start and others arrive when they can. 7.30 makes it too easy for people to go home, have a nice tea and settle down for the night rather than drag their sorry arses out again. Shit though when did Wednesday become hardcore?

i agree with mastershredder's idea of having graded games, but i think we should probably stop short of actually stopping people from playing if they show up - just make clear that wed tends to be faster/harder, sunday tends to be gentler/slower.

i was referring to the young local kids that wanna play but we can try that, see how things go.

would be good to get some teams together (for playing other cities, etc) so i think the wednesday session would be perfect for that. PUTTING BHAM POLO ON THE MAP.

pastrylover-you got in there before I could, haha

Shit though when did Wednesday become hardcore?

I hear what you're saying but i think in bham polo right now, theres a varying degree of interest and skill level in the people that play.

i understand people have commitments or just arent that into polo or just discovered this board, etc and thats fine but for those that have been playing for a while and want to progress, why is making that opportunity for them so 'shit'?

there is still the sunday session and at an earlier time too. I'm no polo spokesperson, just my 2cents.

OMG you sick pervert

Ha ha ha ha!!!!!

BALLS

man, that was an excellent few hours of polo tonight! i'm really positive about the future of bike polo in brum - fairplay to the *new *new dan for being pretty good straight from the get-go.

it's encouraging to hear murmurs of people making polo-bikes,-wheels, -mallets. also looking forward to the manchester tournament and think we could field at least two birmingham teams. it would also be nice to organise a few trips just to go and play in other cities and learn all their moves... i have a car for the less train-friendly places.

i really think the next step is for the familiar faces to get their own mallets so we're not all relying on 'allah. i've just bought 3 balls off ebay myself, (1 or 2 reserved for ben).

if anyone's looking at building some wheels, i'll see what cheap rims i can dig out from the stores at work tomorrow - give me a bell if you're intrested: 666 6933.

Polo was great tonight, I'm gonna try to engineer my hours so that I can play twice a week.

...if anyone's looking at building some wheels, i'll see what cheap rims i can dig out from the stores at work tomorrow - give me a bell if you're intrested: 666 6933.

get em while they're hot
just found a lovely rim which I exchanged for cash moneys.

polo tomorrow? weather is apparently going to be okay, and i know pistaboy is dying to play. (no pressure)

!!! Sunday 18th polo session !!!
5pm calthorpe park court

oooh yeah.
Does anyone have a set of grips that i can put on my risers? If only for polo tomorrow i'd be greatful.
No worries if not - i'll play in the raw.... oo-er

i'm there.