The Next Generation

National Youth Tournament Series returns to Myopia.

MYOPIA THIS SEASON will host the National Youth Tournament Series (NYTS) regional qualifying matches for the eighth time—this year Aug. 1-2. The continued involvement is a sign that Myopia is playing a key role in the growth of the sport.

“It really is a community effort,” says Amanda Snow, director of player development for the United States Polo Association (USPA). “There are a lot of players and host families involved. Without Harvard, which helps mount players, it wouldn’t be possible, and of course, (Myopia Polo Manager) Kim Maguire makes it happen no matter what, year after year.”

A season-long series, NYTS cultivates and promotes junior polo throughout the United States by providing the organizational structure to support junior tournaments. At Myopia, local professionals like Federico Wulff, along with Team USPA members C.B. Scherer, Nick Snow and Felipe Viana volunteer their time to coach teams at the qualifier.

“The primary goal is to create more opportunities for youth players to play with their peers,” Snow says. “Polo is a unique sport in that people of all ages and abilities are on the field at the same time. Giving kids the opportunity to play with kids their own age is instrumental to their development and more fun, we feel.”

The second key component of NYTS is to get youth players seen as competitive players at their home clubs and give them goals to strive for. Engaging players at this level provides them with collegiate opportunities and opens doors for international travel, as well as fortifying clubs at the local level.

Players—boys and girls—attend the local qualifiers as individuals, and are placed on teams by the host club. The NYTS program is built around targeting and identifying outstanding young players at each qualifier through the use of an All-Star Selection Committee. At the end of the weekend, All-Stars are chosen based on horsemanship, sportsmanship, playing ability at their current handicap and how they play on a team. From there, those All-Stars become eligible to be selected to advance to the National Championship.

“You can’t just score a bunch of goals and expect to be an All-Star,” Snow says. “This system allows the top players to be recognized as well-rounded players while encouraging them to lead their teammates at the qualifiers.”

It’s an effort the entire club rallies around.

“Club players take a sideline for that event,” Snow says. “It only works if everyone supports it.” The National Youth Tournament Series qualifiers will be held at Myopia on Aug. 1-2. The finals will be played in Chicago and named the Most Improved Club Player at Myopia in 2016; was awarded the Sportsmanship Award in 2017 and was named an All-Star in 2018 at the USPA Preliminary Regionals and at the BTC NYTS in Arizona. She has won several medium-goal women’s tournaments including the 14-Goal Women’s NE Arena Challenge, the 10-Goal Meadowbrook Women’s Cup and the 2017 Polish Women’s Open.

“I’ve known Grace her whole life and I’ve watched her improve year after year,” Amanda Snow says. “I’ve always been a huge fan of hers and it’s been fun to watch her develop in the sport. She’s certainly one of the strongest female players that we have coming up.”

Goodspeed gives high marks for Grotnik’s play, citing her poloplaying lineage—her father, Yaz Grotnik, is an accomplished player and coach—and what she brings to the team on and off the field.

“Grace is an unbelievable hitter,” Goodspeed says. “She has a relatively small frame, but she can hit a big ball. She’s a wonderful personality and young, but she’s very talented. As she grows, she’s going to be a real factor in college polo.”

It may be something runs in the family’s DNA. Grace’s accomplishments are many, her father, Jacek “Yaz” Grotnik, has a long and wellknown polo history and her brother, Augustus “Augie” Grotnik has made his mark on Myopia Polo.

“When Augie started about two years ago, he was a little nervous—he didn’t leave any room for himself to make mistakes,” Maguire says. “He’s very athletic, though, and he kept riding. His coordination is awesome and he’s really good at getting people on his team motivated.”

Augie played well in the NYTS for two consecutive seasons, developing “unique” relationships with the horses, Maguire says.

“He played last year in the fourgoal tournament with his dad and sister and Bryan Parrott, and he did really well,” she says. “He played the forward position and understands how to take the man. And when he gets the ball he runs with it and he will score the goal.”

That family connection at Myopia goes back generations, and it’s continuing through James, 17, and William Grayken, 13, who came to Myopia after the 2016 NYTS championships, which were held in South Hamilton. The brothers, who had played previously, started at Myopia initially in the youth program and the Coaching League. Lessons with Federico Wulff and new horses allowed their skills to grow even more. William grew up competing in several disciplines, and James—who started his polo career at a club just outside London—began to “love polo in a different way,” Myopia Polo Manager Kim Maguire says.

“Last year was a turning point for the Graykens,” Maguire says. “When kids learn the sport, they’ll improve and then plateau, and then improve again. Their turning point was the opportunity to play on a team with (former 10-goal player) Adam Snow. Adam is an amazing teacher.”

James and William, the youngest player on the Stage Hill/Myopia Interscholastic Polo Team, rode “amazing” Harvard ponies, which also made a difference in their game.

“They’re really up-and-coming,” Maguire says. “They’ll be playing this year and likely on a team with Adam for a couple of tournaments.”

Snow also played alongside Myopia rising star Stephen Burr, who saw his profile rise after winning the 2018 Chairman’s Cup and winning and being named MVP of the 2019 Forbes Cup.

“Stephen worked with Adam in Aiken and then came up here ready to play,” Maguire says. “He played on an awesome team—Adam, Stephen, Nick Snow and Amanda Poor. It’s unusual to give the MVP to a zero-goal player, but he made a big difference and we had to raise him a goal. He’s very disciplined about what he does.”

One of the top soccer players in the Northeast, Burr has a natural nose for offense.

“He’s used to going to the ball,” Maguire says. “And those tournament wins were huge accomplishments.”