December 2021 Polo Players' Edition- Welcome!

Welcome!

Two New Intercollegiate Polo Programs Established

By Emily Dewey

UC Davis

Davis, California

Sutter Buttes Polo Club

Coach: Bonnie Magill

©Larry Johnson

Lili Gonzalez and Marisa Carelli (shown above) competed against each other as interscholastic players, and have now come together, along with Maya Tantuwaya, to resurrect the UC Davis team. Gonzalez explains how they joined forces:

How did you get started? What sparked the interest?

All three of us [Marisa Carelli, Lili Gonzalez, Maya Tantuwaya] come from an interscholastic polo background, so when senior year of high school rolled around, we only had one thing on our mind when picking out colleges—polo! Unfortunately, UC Davis has been without an official polo team for some time. But when Marisa found out that we would be joining Maya, a fourth year, we all knew that this was the year Davis polo was coming back for good. The stars had aligned for us and we knew that we couldn’t miss the opportunity.

What are you most looking forward to in joining the I/I program?

We are looking forward to competing against other intercollegiate teams! Since we all played in I/I throughout high school, the opportunity to play in college will allow us to grow as players and competitors in a familiar environment. Joining the I/I program also means polo players applying to college will have UC Davis on their radar. We hope that more players will consider joining us at UC Davis now that polo is back!

Words of advice to other schools starting programs?

Have perseverance and be resourceful! Starting a club at a university can be a daunting process in terms of navigating school policies and paperwork, but don’t be discouraged. When it comes to gathering the support and resources needed to run a polo club, networking is key. Once we started posting online about our return to I/I polo, we were met with overwhelming support from Davis alumni. Our alumni have been our cheerleaders and have graciously donated their time, expertise, and polo equipment to help us succeed. I would also suggest that any starting club take advantage of the many USPA grants and programs for I/I players.

What do you want future recruits to know about your school and team?

UC Davis is ranked No. 4 out of all public universities in the United States by Forbes Magazine. It is also home to some of the best undergraduate agricultural programs in the country and the best veterinary school in the world. The polo program at UC Davis began in the 1970s and is the alma mater of some big names in polo, such as Cindy Halle, Erik Wright, Jessica Bailey and the Walton brothers. UC Davis used to be a powerhouse in I/I polo, and we intend to carry on that tradition. Applications to UC Davis don’t close until Nov. 30, so there’s still time for graduating seniors to apply!

Trinity University

Austin, Texas

San Antonio Polo Club Coach: Pat MacLeod

How did you get started? What sparked the interest?

Our mission is to keep polo going in San Antonio. We have an interscholastic team and wanted to introduce more young players to the game. Our club has had many alumni from Trinity University through the years. We decided to reach out to Trinity University. Ironically Paul Wright, a staff member at TU and son-in-law of Roy Barry, approached us around the same time to inquire about starting a university team.

What are you most looking forward to in joining the I/I program?

The I/I program provides a great system to get clubs together to work and play. Great organization and staff makes it possible for our team to be part of something much bigger. Our kids get to meet and play with some who have played a long time, as well as beginners like them. They all seem to look for each other. The camaraderie between the teams has been fantastic.

Words of advice to other schools starting programs?

It always helps to have a core group of great kids that are very enthusiastic. As our club provides all horses and tack for the team, it was easy to get a group of about 20 to start. The core group is eight players. It’s also very important to have a university that believes in our mission. They have been very helpful in everything we are doing.

What do you want future recruits to know about your school and team?

We are all one big family and everyone will get to play. Our club members welcome all the I/I players and we have Novice Cup matches and coaching chukkers all the time. We want you to play, not watch other people play.