New York Bike polo

Text: Silje Strømmen
Photos: Mari Oshaug

If you come down to “The Pit” in Sara D. Roosevelt Park on a Thursday or a Sunday you’ll find yourself in the middle of a intense round of bike polo. From noon till sundown you’ll catch 15-20 players riding their heart out, trying to get the ball into the opposite team’s net. With six riders in every game, the rest of the gang is cheering from the sideline, and when it is time for a new game the teams are decided by picking six random mallets that represents six players. At first the game seems intense, and the group is like a bunch of hard-core players that have stuck together forever. But not to worry, newbies are very much welcomed and taken good care of. The same goes for players from other cities that want to get a game in, during their NYC stay.

And if you do come out to try, be aware that you will most likely become hooked. Because according to the players, bike polo is a highly addictive sport. We had a chat with some of the players about how they got into bike polo and what it is about this sport that makes you go all in.

Shelley Smith
How long have you been playing?
Eight years. How did you get into it? I used to live down in South Carolina and did Alleycats. I used to travel a lot in the southeast doing that. Once I went down to a race in Florida, and they had a bike polo tournament as well – and that is how I discovered it! As soon as I gave it a try I knew it was right up my alley, because I grew up playing sports so I was like “oh my gosh this is the perfect merge between team playing and loving to ride my bike”. I quit racing and started playing polo after that.

Chombo
How long have you been playing?
Nine years. How did you get into it? It was something messengers would do after work, and somewhere along the way we became athletes. What is the best thing about playing? That it is a challenge.

Kristin Barr (aka Kbarr Superstar)
How long have you been playing?
Three years. How did you get into it? I commute to work by bike and I have a lot of friends who ride. I just came out to watch one day, was convinced to try and it was all downhill from there, he he. What is the best thing about playing? It is fun, you get into it and it is a team sport. It also gives you a reason to travel and you get to see so much more when you do. I would consider some of the bike polo-gang some of my best friends.

Jahfari Johnson
How long have you been playing?
Almost two years. Why do you play? I feel like there is no good answer to that, because there are no good reasons to why anyone would play bike polo. You just do it because it is a fun sport. What is the best thing about playing? The best part about playing bike polo is seeing your friends. It is also a sport where you are using something that you would use anyway. It is fun just seeing all the different aspects of being on a bike.

Dylan Hiester
How long have you been playing?
Three years. How did you get into it? One of my friends said “you have to come try out bike polo” and I was immediately addicted to it. What do you like about it? I love everything about it. I can’t get enough. What is the best thing about playing? It is really good to be on a team. You are really working together and there is nothing like it. Just cruising on your bike as fast as you can feels like flying.

Kayleigh Jankowski
How long have you been playing?
Almost six years. How did you get into it? Honestly… I broke up with a boyfriend and I wanted to meet boys who rode bikes. Then I discovered that I really liked this sport, and that I didn’t want to date any of these people… he he. So it was a win-win situation and I just stuck with it. What is the best thing about playing? Cheering for the friends that I have made through bike polo. The travelling has just been so great. I can never have a serious job now, because I have a bike polo addiction. I’m horrible at it, but I love it.