September 2021 Polo Players' Edition- Association News

USPA BULLETIN

Are You NOCSAE Compliant?

As of May 1, USPA members must wear NOCSAEcompliant helmets in all actual outdoor and arena polo games at USPA member clubs, not just USPA events.

The USPA Rules Committee has learned some USPA members and some USPA member clubs mistakenly believe that NOCSAE-compliant helmets need only be worn in USPA events. That is a misconception. NOCSAE-compliant helmets must be worn in all actual outdoor and arena polo games (not including practice games) at USPA member clubs, not just USPA events and not just games umpired by USPA professional umpires, but all actual games.

These rules apply to you unless you qualify for one of the existing variances and you have signed the applicable USPA waiver and acknowledgment.

USPA Outdoor Rule 4a and USPA Arena Rule3a(2) each state, “[n]o player may participate in any USPA Event or Club Event in anything other than a proper uniform, including a protective helmet with a chin strap, which must be worn in the appropriate manner specified by the manufacturer of the helmet. ... Effective May 1, 2021, the protective helmet required by this rule for players must be certified to meet the NOCSAE ND050 Standard Performance Specification for Newly Manufactured Polo Helmets.”

The terms “USPA Event” and “Club Event” are each defined in Part I of the USPA Tournament Conditions, and these definitions make clear that every actual polo game is either a club event or a USPA event. The USPA Rules and Tournament Conditions apply to all USPA members and at all USPA member clubs. And both USPA Outdoor Rule 11b and USPA Arena Rule 1d state, “no USPA Member Club or Host Tournament Committee may adopt any variance” from the rules requiring NOCSAE-compliant helmets.

USPA members and USPA member clubs each agree annually to comply with all USPA rules and policies. Thus, if you are a USPA member, you must wear a NOCSAE-compliant helmet in all actual polo games, both outdoor and arena. And if you run a USPA member club, you must require your players to wear NOCSAE-compliant helmets in all actual polo games, both outdoor and arena.

As of Oct. 1, there will be only three USPAapproved variances from the NOCSAE-compliant helmet rules.

Casablanca and Charles Owen have assured the USPA that all existing orders for NOCSAE compliant helmets will be filled by Oct. 1. For that reason, the USPA Executive Committee has decided to terminate all existing variances from USPA Outdoor Rule 4.a and USPA Arena Rule 3.a(2)—the NOCSAE-compliant helmet rules, which took effect on May 1—except for the three variances set out below, which are now in effect and will remain in effect:

First, any new member who joined the USPA for the first time on or after May 1, or who rejoined the USPA on or after that date following an absence of at least two years, and who does not possess a NOCSAE-compliant helmet, may nevertheless participate in a USPA event or club event using a protective helmet that is not a NOCSAE-compliant helmet, if he or she provides definitive proof that on a date within 30 days of joining or re-joining the USPA but no more than six months previously, he or she ordered a NOCSAE-compliant helmet, which has not yet been delivered, provided that each such affected USPA member first executes in writing (a) a waiver of liability in favor of the USPA and its member clubs for any claims that might arise from the use of a helmet that is not a NOCSAE-compliant helmet, and (b) an acknowledgment that this variance will expire as to him or her when the NOCSAE-compliant helmet he or she has ordered is delivered.

Second, any USPA member who can demonstrate that he or she does in fact possess a NOCSAEcompliant helmet that has been damaged, and who provides definitive proof that he or she has ordered another NOCSAE-compliant helmet no more than six months previously, which has not yet been delivered, may nevertheless participate in a USPA event or club event using a protective helmet that is not a NOCSAE-compliant helmet, provided that each such affected USPA member first executes in writing (a) a waiver of liability in favor of the USPA and its member clubs for any claims that might arise from the use of a helmet that is not a NOCSAE-compliant helmet, and (b) an acknowledgment that the variance will expire as to him or her when the NOCSAE-compliant helmet he or she has ordered is delivered.

NOSCAE compliant helmets have a NOCSAE logo indicating it is SEI certified.

(Note: this variance can be applied when a NOCSAE-compliant helmet is damaged during a game to allow the USPA member to finish the game in a non-compliant helmet, provided that each such affected USPA member (1) agrees to promptly provide after the game proof of purchase for a new NOCSAE-compliant helmet, and (2) executes in writing (a) a waiver of liability in favor of the USPA and its member clubs for any claims that might arise from the use of a helmet that is not a NOCSAE-compliant helmet, and (b) an acknowledgment that the variance will expire as to him or her when the NOCSAE-compliant helmet he or she is ordering has been delivered.)

Third, any USPA member who is age 13 years old or younger and whose head is not large enough to use a currently commercially available NOCSAEcompliant helmet may nevertheless participate in a USPA event or club event using a protective helmet that is not a NOCSAE Compliant Helmet, provided that (1) this proposed variance will expire when two NOCSAE-compliant helmets are commercially available in a smaller size that fits the affected USPA member; (2) that each such affected USPA member’s parent or guardian first executes in writing (a) a waiver of liability and (b) an acknowledgment that the variance for their child or ward will expire when two NOCSAE-compliant helmets are commercially available in a size that fits the affected USPA member and the child or

ward is able to take delivery of one such promptlypurchased NOCSAE-compliant helmet; (3) the noncompliant helmet is always worn with a chin strap and in the appropriate manner specified by the helmet manufacturer; and (4) the affected USPA member uses appropriate eye protection (i.e., a face mask or safety goggles).

If you have any questions about how the NOCSAE-compliant helmet rules apply to you or your club, or about how any existing variances may apply to you, please contact USPA Membership and Handicap Director Lindsay Dolan for clarification.

Remember, NOCSAE-compliant helmets must be worn in all actual outdoor and arena polo games (not including practice games) at USPA member clubs, not just USPA events and not just games umpired by USPA professional umpires. All actual games.

Newest Global Ambassador

U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand for the USPA, welcomes American polo player Matt Coppola as the brand’s newest global ambassador. Coppola, now 26, has been playing professionally since he was 14 years old and played in the 2011 U.S. Open Polo Championship semifinals at the age of 16. Today, he is one of the highest-handicapped American players.

The scope of Coppola’s year-long role as global brand ambassador is designed to shine the spotlight on the dynamic crop of young and talented polo players. Coppola will be outfitted in U.S. Polo Assn. apparel and gear both on and off the field.

“U.S. Polo Assn. is proud to welcome professional polo player Matt Coppola to our outstanding roster of global brand ambassadors for 2021,” said J. Michael Prince, president and CEO of USPA Global Licensing. “Coppola is an exceptional polo player who has come up the ranks quickly in the U.S. He is an excellent representation of what our brand is all about—sport-inspired, youthful, vibrant and fun.”

Born and raised in Wellington, Florida, by show jumper Jesse Coppola and professional polo player Tony Coppola, he developed a love for horses at a young age. Coppola travels the United States and Argentina to play professional polo throughout the year and works with his father to help give racehorses a second career in polo. Coppola is also a graduating member of Team USPA, a prominent program developed and managed by the USPA to develop young American polo players for the highest levels of competition.

“I could not be more excited to represent U.S. Polo Assn., with whom I have worked over the years through the brand’s sponsorship of the Gauntlet of Polo,” said Coppola. “As a professional polo player, it’s meaningful for me to represent a brand that’s authentically connected to polo and gives back to the sport and its players.”

Coppola has competed in the 2019, 2020 and 2021 Gauntlet of Polo competitions in Wellington and has triumphed in many of these prestigious tournaments. With a shooting accuracy of more than 70 percent, Coppola, playing for Las Monjitas, ranked second out of all the players in the 2019 Gauntlet of Polo and first for shooting accuracy in the U.S. Open Polo Championship. In 2021, he played in the Gauntlet of Polo with Park Place, alongside Andrey Borodin, Hilario Ulloa and Juan Britos, winning the prestigious C.V. Whitney Cup and making the final of the U.S. Open Polo Championship.

To learn more about Coppola and to see him play in these exciting events, visit globalpolo.com.

High School Sports Polo Awards

The winners in girls and boys polo were named honorees for the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards national show, presented by U.S. Polo Assn. With 103 High School Sports Awards programs in the books, 24 honorees were chosen for the 2021 national USA TODAY High School Sports Awards.

I/I Season Kicks Off Sept. 1

I/I teams are eligible for up to $2,000 reimbursement through the I/I fundraising program.

I/I teams, keep an eye out for start-of-the-season information! You will be receiving emails on requirements and dates in the coming weeks. All information will also be posted on the I/I page at uspolo.org.

Middle School Tournaments

Do you have a group of youth players in 5-8th grade? If so, sign up now to host a middle school tournament at your club any time throughout the year. Contact Emily Dewey at edewey@uspolo.org for more information.

Players interested in participating in a Middle School League tournament, go to uspolo.org to find a tournament near you.

Interscholastic Funding

Intercollegiate teams may apply for up to $2,000 in tack and equipment through the I/I Funding Program.

For funding guidelines and to apply, visit the I/I pages on uspolo.org. Deadline to apply: Oct. 1

All intercollegiate and interscholastic teams may apply for up to $2,000 in fundraising reimbursement. The new updated program offers a two-tier approach as well as staff and committee support. To learn more about the program and to apply, visit the I/I pages on uspolo.org. Deadline: rolling

If you have any questions about the fundraising programs, please contact Ali Davidge at adavidge@uspolo.org.

I/I Clinics

The I/I clinic program is now open for I/I teams to apply for reimbursable funds up to $1,500 to host a clinic this fall. To learn more about the program please contact Amy Fraser at afraser@uspolo.org.

Chris Green Chief Operating Officer/In-house Counsel

Chief Operating Officer/In-house Counsel Chris Green.

©Boies Schiller Flexner LLP

by United States Polo Association

Instrumental in writing and implementing rules, which effect polo at all levels, Chris Green has spent the last six years behind the scenes learning the inner workings of the association before stepping into the role of chief operating officer/in-house counsel on July 1. A member of the USPA for over 40 years, Green was first introduced to the game in his 20s in Kentucky and now plays both outdoor polo at Giant Valley Polo Club (Hamden, Connecticut) and arena at Gardnertown Polo Club (Newburgh, New York). Mentoring, umpiring and helping to mount Gardnertown’s interscholastic and middle school players, the governor-at-large has actively shaped the future of polo, volunteering his time and expertise on several USPA committees over the years.

Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Green grew up in the horse racing industry, briefly attending Princeton University before coming home to breed and train Thoroughbreds for the racetrack. Returning to college after deciding to make a career change, the poetry enthusiast and avid reader studied English at the University of Kentucky and went on to earn a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. Taking a hiatus from polo to focus on law school and starting a new career as a litigator, Green and his family moved to the Hudson Valley in New York where he has been a partner in the international law firm Boies, Schiller Flexner LLP since 2003.

Thoughtful with his responses and possessing a quiet charm, Green’s genuine love for polo is felt from the first conversation with him. Bringing a solid understanding of the rules as chairman of the Rules/Rules Interpretation Committee and a wealth of knowledge in sports law, Green is looking forward to helping the association draw more players to the game by creating the best experience possible for its existing members.

What attracted you to the role of COO/ in-house counsel?

I’ve always loved playing polo and being around the game because I love horses. I grew up around racehorses and I’ve always had a really deep connection with them. I started volunteering for the USPA in 2015 as a member of the Rules Committee and became chairman of that committee in 2018, a role I’ve really enjoyed. Then in 2019, I was asked to run for governor-at-large and over the course of the last few years, I’ve become more involved in the USPA’s governance as a member of the Arena and High Goal Committees and a regular guest at the Executive Committee’s monthly meetings. When the opportunity arose to apply for the COO position, I was excited about it because at this point in my life the idea of getting out of the office into the fresh air and being involved more directly in something that I enjoy so much, with people I enjoy so much, is very appealing to me.

What qualities or experiences from your past make you most suited for this position?

First and foremost, I know horses and understand the game of polo. Through the Rules Committee I’ve had the privilege of working on rules, which impact polo at all levels. Second, I have worked within the USPA long enough to understand how it operates and how it is structured, and to be comfortable dealing with the participants, volunteers and staff, many of whom I’ve worked with very closely.

I think the COO is someone whose job it is to deal with the various constituencies within the polo ecosystem—sponsors, amateur and professional players, as well as the volunteers, various committee chairs, the board, officers and the chairman. Those people and groups all approach problems from different perspectives. I think my training as a lawyer will help me to deal with that effectively and try to build consensus, which is the hallmark of Chairman Armstrong’s leadership approach. When practicing law, you frequently are dealing with someone who’s dissatisfied about something, whether it’s your client or their adversary, and you have to try to understand that dissatisfaction and come up with a method of solving the underlying problem.

Chris Green is proud to call Gardnertown and Giant Valley his home clubs.

©CLD Photography

As in-house counsel, I can keep a finger on the pulse of various legal issues the association encounters and work with outside lawyers to deal with those issues in an efficient and potentially less-costly way. I’ve practiced sports law for clients such as the NFL and NASCAR, and I’ve tried cases about equine issues before federal juries, so I feel pretty well positioned to add value in that role. My 25 years of experience practicing law will not only help me as in-house counsel, but it should also enable me to be a more effective ambassador for the sport.

What is your equestrian background with racehorses and how did you become involved in polo?

I grew up on Greentree Stud, a Thoroughbred breeding farm in Lexington, Kentucky, where my father was the farm manager. I also spent a lot of time at Keeneland Racecourse where my maternal grandfather was one of the principal co-founders and first president. Deciding to withdraw from Princeton University and the more traditional educational path, I became involved in the Thoroughbred industry full time—buying, selling, breeding and ultimately training Thoroughbred horses. After working on several farms in Lexington, I went to the racetrack to learn from Ohio-based trainer James E. Morgan before training on my own for a few years. When I began to appreciate how difficult it was to succeed as a horse trainer without asking too much of the horses in your care, I decided to finish my undergraduate degree and go to law school.

I didn’t start playing polo until my late 20s when my friends Bruce Hundley, Billy Hilliard, and Hilary Boone persuaded me to come out and play with them. I played at the Kentucky Horse Park with the Lexington Polo Club for eight or nine years. I had to give up polo when I went to the racetrack and while I was starting my law career, but I started playing again around 2000 at Mashomack Polo Club [Pine Plains, New York]. I used to see polo trailers drive by my house every Sunday morning on their way to Mashomack and I couldn’t bear not to follow them. After trying a few different clubs in New York, I finally settled at Giant Valley Polo Club in Hamden, Connecticut, where I’ve been playing outdoors for the last eight to 10 years. During that same period of time, I’ve been playing in the arena at Gardnertown Polo Club [Newburgh, New York]. Gardnertown and Giant Valley are my polo homes.

Chris Green with grandson Max; youngest daughter Phoebe; middle daughter Chloë; wife Susan, holding granddaughter River Rose; granddaughter Desi; and oldest daughter Ashby.

©SmilePeaceLove Photography

What are the most important initiatives you want to focus on as incoming COO?

I view the USPA in much the same way as Chairman Stewart Armstrong—it’s a board-driven, staff-executed organization. As such I think the officers, Executive Committee and the board should determine the association’s vision and set its priorities and then it’s the responsibility of the staff to execute that vision. My role is to help the staff execute on the vision of the volunteer leadership. I am very much a process person by virtue of being a lawyer and slightly OCD, so I want to make sure the USPA has the right processes in place to operate the way it should.

I also think the USPA needs to be as nimble and flexible as possible within the constraints of good corporate governance. We as an organization have to try to alter or minimize the historical perception that some polo players have of the USPA being set in its ways and unapproachable. I think it’s important the association establishes really good relationships with its members and the members have confidence that the USPA is looking out for them and being fair to them. Ultimately, the members are the USPA and it’s fundamental that the USPA should serve its membership.

I have a particular focus on the rules because they determine how the game is played and ultimately, that’s what it’s all about. I’ve tried to do a good job as chairman of the Rules Committee and I want to continue to be involved and work with the Rules Committee to make sure we present a level playing field for everyone who plays polo.

Chris Green is focused on enhancing experiences for all USPA members.

©SmilePeaceLovePhotography

What are your broader goals for the association?

From my perspective I think the USPA should concentrate on making the polo experience better for those people who are already engaged in it, as distinguished from trying to spend a ton of resources on getting new people to play. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to recruit new members through outreach, and I have ideas on that front. But if we create an experience people would love if they knew about it when they do learn about polo, they will necessarily want to play.

Having studied English literature, what are some of your favorite authors and books?

I love poetry and my two favorite poets are W.B. Yeats and Robert Frost. “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost is one of my favorite poems of all time because it speaks to me. I don’t think you should ever give up and you should always be willing to make a change or start something new—go down that different road and reinvent yourself, if you will. That’s what a life well-lived should be all about.

In fiction, my favorite writers are James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway, although there are many writers I really like. “Ulysses” by James Joyce is one of my favorite books, as is “A Farewell to Arms” by Hemingway. I also love “The Border Trilogy” by Cormac McCarthy. “All the Pretty Horses” is one of my top-five favorite novels. Nobody captures the essence of horses and cowboys like McCarthy.

What would you like the membership to know as you step into this position?

I am very grateful for the confidence that the board of governors has placed in me by hiring me to be the USPA’s first COO/in-house counsel. We have a talented and hard-working staff that I am honored to join. I will work hard to execute the board’s vision for growing and improving polo in America, and I will do my best to be responsive and fair to every member of the polo community. I want what we all want—for the USPA to be an organization that all of its members and member clubs are happy and proud to be a part of.