U S PA B U L L E T I N
Managing a polo club Tools and tips of the trade
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS
by United States Polo Association
Melanja Jones has been polo manager at Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club since 2015.
Involved in anything and everything from organizing draws and schedules to collecting tournament results and supervising facility improvements, each day in the role of a club manager presents its own rewards and challenges. Tasked with an endless array of responsibilities, a club manager’s levelheadedness and keen attention to detail is the secret to keeping a club running efficiently, drawing both new and returning players and spectators season after season. Working tirelessly behind the scenes year round to ensure each season runs smoothly, Haley Bryan (International Polo Club Palm Beach polo coordinator and club manager of New Bridge Polo & Country Club) and Melanja Jones (polo manager at Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club) manage the host sites of some of the USPA’s most publicized tournaments, including the Gauntlet of Polo in Florida and the Pacific Coast Open in California. 10 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Sharing a common thread as Intercollegiate/ Interscholastic alumni from Colorado State University, their similarities extend to the same mentor, drawing upon the experience of working alongside legend Jimmy Newman to run other successful USPA member clubs across the country. Taking a summer opportunity to groom for Newman in college, Jones was eager to pursue polo after graduation, working for the famed women’s player Sunny Hale. Following a similar path, Bryan worked for the Upchurch family at Brushy Creek Polo Ranch in Texas for three years before diving into her first Florida high-goal season with former 10-goaler Adam Snow. Following a passion for the sport ignited in college, Jones’ and Bryan’s willingness to help wherever needed opened the door for their natural progression to club leadership. Dedicated to creating a seamless onsite experience, Jones and Bryan have fine-tuned the routines, which allow their clubs to thrive. Working at IPC (Wellington, Florida) for over 10 years, Jones left Florida for a full-time position at Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club (Carpinteria, California) in 2015, where she now manages both outdoor and arena polo of varying levels. Dividing her time between Florida, South Carolina and Wyoming, Bryan’s years of experience range from high-goal all the way to youth polo. Delegating when necessary and leading with humility, both Jones and Bryan have taken the lessons learned in the early years of their career and adapted them into effective strategies, which have allowed their clubs to flourish. How did you come to work for International Polo Club Palm Beach? Melanja: Jimmy Newman got a new job at IPC when it was first started in 2002 and he called to ask if I could come help. Our office was a converted stall at Isla Carroll that first year. Flying H Polo Club had a lot of horses the next year, so I went back to Wyoming for a couple of years. Then one year Flying H didn’t have as many young
