As the regional games come together at big tournaments this summer, some of the subtle and gross differences in styles of play will cause some friction. Lets hear from those who've played away from their own courts and have examples, questions, and solutions to offer up for discussion.

Hey y'all,

This is a recent myspace bulletin from Jared at Seattle Bike Polo. Here in Chicago, the planning for the NACCC National Polo Tourney has taught us that big, sanctioned events are easier to organize (cheaper, more easily insured) if the organizers are well... organized. Getting 501c3 (Non-Profit) status halves the park district fees associated with the two-day NACCC.

However, getting 501c3 status is a long and complicated process. Only worthwhile for the biggest of events. If there were a national, or several regional, organizations that held status, we could turn to them for support with big events and sanctioned tourneys when we wanted to throw them.

I'll say this just once more: call those central Wisconsin ski resorts and ask about going through their old rental equipment. Ben and I went out to a trash mountain place last night and picked these 120 decent to great poles out of a few hundred that had been laying around for a few years. The rental shop guy charged us 20 dollars.

It is the voted-on opinion of CBP that sponsorships are of limited use to bike polo as we play it now. The tournaments we plan are celebrations of community, and that community supports itself at those tournaments. Food, drink, places to overnight, respecting a ho-made trophy as a prize, etc.

That said, we aren't against, and are actually looking at a handful of very polo specific manufactured items for prizes or give aways. Headbadges, printed wheel guards, sets of mallets/balls, etc. T-shirts are out. I've got a drawer full of bike event t-shirts

Two things in response to the 3rd's hosted by Milwaukee, who pursued many sponsors, both local and national.

Would this bike mod be allowed in a tournament? I figure soccer goalies can use their hands, hockey goalies get a bigger stick, etc. Aside from the Von Munz clause, we don't have any rules about bikes.

Introducing the X3. A prototype for the 3rd generation of Chicago Bike Polo mallet. With not-even-thinking-about-patenting-it "Lift and Roll" technology.

Send input, orders, and venture capital to: Lucky c/o this site.

http://www.vimeo.com/236144
http://www.vimeo.com/233404
http://www.vimeo.com/236163

Three little vids about what our KY brethern are up to this summer.

click to zoom in:

Attention! We've moved the champeenships! All your flyers will now show the new venue: Addams Park at 1301 W 14th St. Best highway exit is Roosevelt from 90/94. Ashland from 290.

We are planning on all grass play. It will be a lot easier and I swear that your track bikes with skinny tires will work fine cos we've been playing on them in grass for 5 years now. If people throw fits, threaten not to come, or try grass and hate it, there is a place a few blocks away where we can play on asphalt.

Please RSVP with how many teams you're bringing and how many nights you're staying so we can hook

OK. Last year, we took a minute before the tournament to make sure we were all playing by the same rules. There were only a few differences between the local games, but some casued trouble enough to need debating, and here's what we came up with by consensus:

The Foot Down Rule (If you foot down, you may not be the next player to touch the ball, and you have to cirlce out of the area of play.) prevents running starts. All games start with both teams on their goals lines, with both feet on the pedals (balance on your mallet). "3-2-1-go" and the joust, game is on.

The Mallet Rule (The mallet may only touch the ball and other mallets, not bikes or players) prevents people form playing the ball with your foot. No standing on the ball, no kicking the ball. If you do, your foot becomes a mallet, and we can all whack at it with ours.