Polo—that horseback sport popular in India—has a young, grungy cousin emerging from the northwest: hardcourt bike polo.
For those unfamiliar with hardcourt, as its called, it’s similar to horseback polo except two teams of three players are on bikes, striking a street hockey ball across a court one-fourth the size of a football field, with nets near each end.
Even though it’s technically polo, the flow of the game more resembles hockey, according to Alias Tagami, with North American Hardcourt.
Hardcourt started in Seattle with couriers (think grown-up paperboys) who are masters on two wheels. These couriers spread the game to cities across the US, and now there are some 300 hardcourt clubs in more than 30 countries.
“As much as I think of bike polo as becoming this growing global sport, the majority of it takes place at the club level,” Alias says. “That club culture is huge, and every club has it's own style, personality, history and values.”
As a sport still in its infancy, the rules and equipment of bike polo are evolving. For instance, mallets are progressing from homemade creations to manufactured pieces of aluminum and plastic.
“There are fashion and style trends associated with hardcourt,” Alias said. “The culture has a distinct aesthetic and character.”
But the faces in hardcourt are also changing, for the good, according to Alias.
“Bike polo is culturally for total integration,” he said. “[Regardless of] age, race, gender or sexuality, bike polo is an institution that wants you.”
And with this culture of tolerance and enthusiasm, the sport has attracted a whole new pool of talented athletes.
“The general skill level has exploded,” says Alias. “Bike skills and mallet skills are way more advanced than when I started.”
The Beavers, from San Francisco, have won the NAHBPC tournament three years in a row. The Beavers also finished second in the world championships this year, after defending a 2013 world title.
Americans will have to reclaim the championship in 2015, as French team Call Me Daddy currently holds the title.
“Hardcourt bike polo is still young. The next generation of players will take the sport higher,” says Alias.
For more information about hardcourt in your area, visit the North American Hardcourt website. Learn more about the game’s history on League of Bike Polo.
Also, check out this sweet video about hardcourt in New York City.