Arena Polo Insights: The Best Way to Stick and Ball

Hey Wells Polo Team,

Welcome back to another entry to our monthly newsletter, Arena Polo Insights, where we share 1 arena polo tip every month.

Today, we'll be discussing the best way to stick and ball.

For those that don't know, stick and balling is a common term in polo used to describe anytime one practices polo by hitting the ball around on a horse outside of traditional play.

Stick and balling is meant to sharpen your skills and improve your polo.

The best players love to stick and ball.

They outperform their opponents because they ride more, they hit the ball more, and they put in the effort.

What's the best way to stick and ball?

First, I'll speak to the mistakes I see others make when stick and balling.

1. They go too slow.

It's important to go slow when you warm-up a horse. That's a given. You shouldn't go mach 10 without properly warming up your horse.

However, if you don't push yourself to go faster and hit the ball at an uncomfortable speed, you won't advance in the sport as fast as you'd like.

Remember, the best players are fast.

2. They stick to what's easy.

Don't just hit offsides on your right lead. Don't stick to the easy shots.

Practice the hard shots. Practice your nearside swing. Practice the back shots.

If you want to get better, you need to be comfortable with all the swings of polo. If a swing feels weak, practice it. Keep adjusting your stroke until it feels right.

3. They don't take it seriously.

Stick and balling can be a great time with friends.

However, if you spend most of your time on the horse socializing, you won't improve your polo.

Make sure to take stick and balling seriously and hit as many balls as you can.

Now, here are three tips that will make your stick and balling sessions better and improve your polo faster:

1. Practice as if someone's defending you.

If you practice as if someone is marking you, you won't go for the easy shots.

You will likely start making plays that will be harder to defend because you'll be thinking where your opponent would be, hypothetically.

A few examples of how I do this when I stick and ball:

1. I practice looking behind me to scan the field and see where my opponents are before I hit a back shot even though I may be the only person in the arena (how embarrassing!).  
   

2. I may lean far forward to finish a flip shot or tap shot in goal while stick and balling (anticipating that someone will likely be trying to hook me in a real game).  
   

3. I may switch sides and hit a nearside in the goal if I think staying on the offside means I would get hooked.

2. Flow like water.

Stick and balling isn't just about you. It's about your horse too.

A great stick and baller will flow around the arena like water.

If they miss the ball, they'll move onto another ball and their horse will just keep flowing.

Unless you are practicing a specific play that requires you to check up or ride your horse tight, try to keep your horse cantering or trotting through your swings.

Move onto the next play and be light with your horse.

Once you can hit the ball around the arena and flow like water with your horse, you will be approaching master-level stick and balling.

3. Practice penalty shots. 

If possible, set up multiple balls and practice penalty shots.

This is the best time to become a deadeye penalty shooter.

Penalty shots are incredibly important.

Always try to practice penalty 2's, 3's, and 4's (no need for another person) at the end of your stick and ball session.

This is a great way to improve your penalty-taking skills and cool off your horse. Win, win.

That's all folks!

Stay awesome!

Best,

Brennan