National Series 2011

We've been talking about putting summat on in Sheffield, it'd be good if we could be included.

One concern about having a ''standard format'', would this include numbers of teams? What one scene can cope with (e.g. Newington - two courts, Cambridge - all-night polo), other venues might not.

There would have to be some kind of minimum standard.

in response to gormley, im sure westlondon could try to put something on

brilliant idea james

Essentially isn't this the same as a governing body allocating points for any number of tourneys that have happened in the past (and ongoing into the future) and then creating a national series table from that data?

You could kind of do that already (London Open, Cambridge tourney, Bristol, etc)... normal problems apply: teams changing/using subs (maybe do points for players not the entire team?), weighting of points allocation (do you include foreign teams, etc), independent (and transparent) organising body, etc.

I'd like to see a UK player ranking and then the subsequent ranking for each (new) team... possibly that's the only way the data would get good enough to make it useful for allocating tourney spots, etc?

More tournaments? Yes. More organisation? Not sure.

As this is basically what I said:

+1

This is what I would have said, if I had anything to say that was worth saying.

Jono, I reckon ignore tournament spot allocation for now and focus on coming up with a national series of events that helps raise the profile of polo in the places that put the events on. There's tons of scope with this but the first step is get it up and working. Hopefully keep it nice and simple.

If the idea is to encourage more tournaments in different parts of the UK, you could always resurrect the "polo on tour" idea?

What exactly do people need to aid them in hosting a tournament? Potentially we could put together a starter/info pack, etc?

Or you could resurrect the UK association idea with the aim of hosting 5 tournaments each year and management of the UK Champs process maybe? (A UK association would be easy to setup...)

One concern about having a ''standard format'', would this include numbers of teams? What one scene can cope with (e.g. Newington - two courts, Cambridge - all-night polo), other venues might not.

I think the standard format would have to meet certain criteria. Regards to numbers turning people away for a national series tourney would be lame/alephabetical seeding. Making sure tourneys are open to people and fair to people that come.

Birmingham would be up for doing an event - it's something we always talk about, but we need to find a venue we can hire, rather than just taking over one of the public courts for a day or two by force, because we occasionally get shit from the Council etc and don't want to get banned.

I like Jono's idea or personal rankings collected into team line-ups. Makes sense when you consider how many teams shuffle members or dissolve, but could be a bit laborious, dunno.

If it's going to be a UK series, then points from 2/3rd 'foreign' teams (I know, hard to define, but we'd probably know it if we saw it) should just be ignored.

Still don't get why it's being suggested as an autumn/winter thing though. Who's going to want to commit to organising or even attending an outdoor tournament in November, December, January...They could be truly grim. That's why I like Jono's individual/year-round approach.

Arbitrary timeframe, it even says maybe in front of it! Details, details, details... get on board!

I'm on board! And everyone in Birmingham does what I say, so count us in.

Edinburgh would be interested. Talk of a wee tournament up here at some point in the summer.

Scottish Hardcourt-polo Intercity Tournament
The S.H.I.T 2

After seeing there was a decent amount of interest in this, Mark, Josh, Lebowski and I had a meeting and we started to try and put it together.

The first ever National Series tournament will kick-off in Brighton on 7th May. The National Series for 2011 will take place over 6 months with a tournament in a different UK city each month. Every team will score points for their placings in each tournament and after the final event, the team with the most points wins. The 2011 UK National Series will be open to any team but teams must play at least 3 events to qualify for National Series points. The combined total of their 4 top scores will be used to calculate final standings. If a team places below a team that did not play at least 3 events, points will be reallocated. Teams can use a sub at any tournament but 2 players must remain constant to collect points.

The schedule looks like this right now:

May: Brighton
June: Manchester (UK Champs)
July: Edinburgh
August: London (London Open)
September: TBC
October: TBC (Cambridge approached)

All National Series tournaments will:

1.Be able to handle a minimum of 32 teams
2.Take place on minimum of 1 court over 2 days or 2 courts over 1 day
3.Use a format that involves seeded Swiss Rounds and an elimination phase
4.Allow each team to play a minimum of 4 games
5.Use a pre-approved ruleset
6.Use refs that have read the rulebook, reffing guidelines and been briefed by the head ref

We're hoping to use standardised software at all the tournaments. We will be able to setup and run the logistics of the format ourselves, or (preferably) teach tournament organisers how to use it.

The idea is not to create 6 generic tournaments that have the same atmosphere or feel but to build up the polo community around the UK via a competition that uses the same basic framework. These will be six individual tournaments in their own right with their own winners and results. The goal is to bring the UK scene closer together through a developed UK tournament season.

It's a work in progress at the moment and if you have any feedback, want to be involved, want to host a tournament or whatever – we'd like to hear from you!

Woot!

like

This is polo.

Sweet.

One thing:

2.Take place on 1 court over 2 days or 2 courts over 1 day

Currently excludes the London Open. Maybe:

2.Take place on a minimum of 1 court over 2 days or 2 courts over 1 day

That is indeed the case.

(also excluded Champs)

Bam.

This illustrates the situation ;)

1 Attachment

Surely that's a waste of police funds. I'm glad you lot are getting a pay cut.

Surely that's a waste of police funds. I'm glad you lot are getting a pay cut.

You lot? No wonder they said you were in too deep...

Good work fellas, this sounds awesome.

The combined total of their 4 top scores will be used to calculate final standings.

The Euros and the Worlds, plus plenty of other tournies in Europe will take place during this 6 month time frame. Can you make it that the top 3 scores from these 6 UK tournaments are used to calculate final standings, so that more teams are included in the final standings?