South Florida USPA Interscholastic Season-Opener Saturday At Polo West Arena |
Arianna Delin, Sharon Robb for Grand Champions Polo ClubSome of the finest young up-and-coming polo players will compete Saturday in the South Florida USPA Interscholastic season-opener at Polo West Arena. The first regular season games for the Florida Interscholastic teams are Saturday morning at 10:30 and 11:30 with the draw at 10 a.m. Each game is four chukkers. The player rosters are: Grand Champions Polo Club: (Girls Team), Mia Novillo Astrada, Maria Celis, Riley Ganzi, Rachel Kelly, Alyssa Tranchilla Grand Champions Polo Club: (Open Team) Santos Bollini, Anthony Devrient, Grant Ganzi, Matias Gonzalez Palm Beach Polo Club: Benjamin Daniels, Landen Daniels, Justin Daniels The Polo School: Lucas Escobar, Nicolas Escobar, Juanse Olivera, Christian Weisz, Mackenzie Weisz
The coaches for the four teams are Guille Aguero, Juan Bollini, Jesse Bray and Juan Olivera, all active players currently competing in the fall season at Grand Champions. Grant Ganzi, Nico Escobar and brothers Justin and Benji Daniels are coming off their USPA National Youth Tournament Series Championship appearance in September. The Florida Zone 3 team finished third in the tournament. Mackie Weisz and Mia Novillo Astrada will not be available for the regular season games but are expected to join their teams in January for the preliminary regional competition. The horses are being provided by Grand Champions Polo Club and The Polo School.
Grand Champions Polo Club President and USPA Florida Circuit Governor Melissa Ganzi, an avid advocate of grass roots polo, Interscholastic teams and developing future players, is hosting the event. Polo Gear co-founder Gary Fellers, who played polo for nearly 40 years from zero to 26-goal, is providing a food truck for the players, coaches, family and friends. The regular season continues on Saturday, Nov. 14 with Game 3 at 10:30 a.m. and Game 4 at 11:30 a.m. Polo West Arena is located off South Shore Blvd. directly across Palm Beach Polo Golf and Country Club. The public is welcome to watch the sport’s future adult pro and amateur players.
The USPA’s Intercollegiate/Interscholastic program helps to promote and grow the sport by providing exposure to the sport; organized competition at regional and national levels with an emphasis on sportsmanship, fairness and safety. It also helps with recruiting at college and scholastic institutions and coordinating activities of member schools and players. The Intercollegiate/Interscholastic polo competition is played under USPA arena rules. Each team features three players and alternates. Grand Champions, with five well-manicured fields and turnkey facility, is enjoying its finest fall season in the nine-year history of the club. The Polo School, a 501c3 organization, is dedicated to teaching polo to all ages, particularly grass roots youth. Its mission is to provide individuals opportunities in polo. The Polo School operates in Wellington January through June and September through November.
2015 FALL SCHEDULE Friday: Pedro Morrison Memorial, games 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.; Saturday, South Florida USPA Interscholastic Season-Opener, Polo West Arena, games at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m.; Sunday: Pedro Morrison Memorial, consolation, 10 a.m. and final, 1 p.m.; Nov. 1-15: USPA North American 20-Goal Cup; Nov. 3-8, USPA Fall Plates; Nov. 11-22: USPA National 20-Goal Tournament; Nov. 28: Carlos Gracida Legends of Polo Memorial and International Cup, Team USA vs. South Africa. |
