Glossary
- Mallet: The stick like implement held by the player and used to strike the ball. It looks a lot like a industrial strength croquet mallet. They are composed of a shaft most commonly mad e of aluminum ski poles and a head made of plastic plumbing pipe (ABS or HDP pipe) fasted together with a bolt or screw.
- Ball: I think we all know what a ball is. Hardcourt bike polo uses high density street hockey balls that are suited to the temperature in which the game is being played. Ideally the balls have less bounce and stay hard enough for a crisp shot but not so hard that cold temperatures they could kill someone.
- Polo Bike: You don’t need a special bike to start out playing polo but as your skills improve you will want to look into a few improvements. 1. A lower gear ratio. You make compromise top end speed but on relatively small polo court s quick acceleration is much more useful. 2. Wheel covers. In general a study bike that can take some bumps and scrapes is recommended
- Wheel Covers: Wheel covers are normally made of corrugated plastic cut to the size of a wheel and are fastened to the wheels with zip ties. They have a few functions, 1. Protection for spokes, 2. To prevent mallet from entering the wheel, 3. They acting as a surface one can block or intentionally direct balls with like with a wheel shot.
- Wheel Shot: On the polo court you might hear someone shout “Off the wheel!“ They are hoping to use their wheel to deflect a teammates shot into the net, or even maneuver their wheel through the air to strike a ball.
- Wheelie Shot: This is a trick shot when a player lifts the front wheel of the ground while striking the ball at the same time.
- Dab: A “dab” or “dabing” is when a part of a players body, usually a foot touches the ground. Resulting in them briefly taking themselves out of the play normally biking to and touching a “tap out” point.
- Dabber: A player is called a dabber if they have dabber and have yet to exit the play. This is a pejorative often hurled the dabbing player by the bystanders if the player is not immediately exiting the play.
- Tapping out: After dabbing a player must take themselves out of the play and touch a designated tap out point often a cone or post on the side of the playing field. After the touch the tap out point they may return to the play.
- Shuffle: A shuffle is when the ball is pushed along by a player with the broad side of their mallet. A goal does not count if a shuffle is used to push the ball through the net.
- Shot: The striking of the ball is considered a shot when the ball is hit of the small round end of the mallet. A goal only counts if the momentum of the ball originated with a shot. An exception to this is the Own Goal
- Own Goal: An own goal is when a player puts the ball into their own net, the ball can be accidentally struck or deflected in anyway by the defending team, shot or shuffle.
- The Joust: The beginning of each polo game starts with a Joust. The players are lined up on their respective goal lines and after a signal by a bystander, often “3, 2, 1, Polo” the players dash to the centre of the court where the ball has been placed and is up for grabs.
- Ball Joint: When a player cups the ball under the small round end of their mallet dragging it along the ground. There are various local rules around this technique being used in a game. Sometimes it is referred to as “the Angelo” named after the Ottawa player who first attempted the technique.
- Side Joint: Some wacky folks decided to cut huge holes in the broad side of the mallet which enables the ball to be dragged along the ground this part of the mallet as well.
- Scoop Shot: When a player uses the round end of the mallet to scoop the ball into the air to move it around the court. Most clubs have specific rules to when a scoop shot can be used.
- Ice Cream Cone Carry: A trick move when a player scoops the ball onto the end of their mallet so that it rests in a such a way that it can be carried down the court. Most clubs have specific rules regarding the legality of this move during serious game play.
- Rookie Night: A designated night for rookie players to play together without the more experienced players so as to encourage rookie development via more active court time for
- High Octane Polo: A term coined to note a higher skill level of play. Clubs might has a designated High Octane night to allow for more experience players to player together to take their games to the next level.
- Polo 101 Session: An polo session used to encourage community members who have never played before to come out and play.
- NAHBPC: This acronym stands for the North American Hardcourt Bike Polo Championships.
- EHBPC: This acronym stands for the European HardCourt Bike Polo Championships.
- NSPI: The acronym for the North Side Polo Invite Ottawa annual tournament.
- ESPI: The acronym for the East Side Polo Invite annual tournament.
- Ladies Army: The annual all female bike polo tournament.
- League of Bike Polo (LOBP): the online hub for hardcourt bike polo found at www.leagueofbikepolo.com