Arena League Flourishes in Its First Year Back in Action
By Abby Weingarten
L
ast year, after much dormancy, the Arena League at the Sarasota Polo Club was enthusiastically reanimated. This winter, the players and coaches are more primed than ever to kick off a stellar Sarasota Polo Club arena season. “For those who might not know, the Arena League is really the beginning of polo playing for folks at the [Sarasota Polo] Club, especially those who don’t have a lot of experience in the saddle,” says Scott Lancaster, the coach of the Sarasota Polo Club Arena League. “It’s a controlled environment, and playing in the arena is a lot less intimidating than playing on a 10-acre polo field.” Being coached the entire way by professional, experienced sar asota polo
and certified instructors in a safe and encouraging environment is key to the eventual success of any polo player. Lancaster has been teaching polo for more than 30 years and loves the coaching aspect of the Sarasota Polo Club Arena League concept. He is a United States Polo Association (USPA) Honorary Certified Polo Instructor, and has worked with players ages eight to 75—from intercollegiate champions to U.S. Open Polo Championship patrons. “I love that the players really gain confidence and expand their comfort zone in the Arena League,” Lancaster says. The main goal for Lancaster is to be as interactive with his students as he can. “I’m usually on the ground but, occasionally, I’m a participant. I’m like the coach and the umpire,” Lancaster says. “The Arena Leagues allows us to provide real game 202 2
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