LAKE WORTH, FL (February 12, 2013) – Polo Hall of Famers Owen Rinehart and Charles Smith along with well-known coach Charlie Muldoon helped teach and train Team USPA 2013 in a wide-ranging weekend clinic that included on- and off-the-field lessons in Wellington.
The Team USPA 2013 players who participated Feb. 8-11 were Daniel Galindo, 19, of Thermal, CA; Jeff Shuler, 18, of Aiken, SC; Kylie Sheehan, 21, of Owings Mills, MD; Harrison Samaniego, 19, of Rancho Santa Fe, CA; Miguel Questel, 18, of Campo, CA; Devin Vass, 20, of Powell, OH; Patrick Uretz, 20, of Malibu, CA; and Matthew Collins, 19, of Reisterstown, MD.
Other current and former pros who volunteered as various times throughout the weekend were Hall of Famer Red Armour, former 10-goaler Adam Snow, 7-goalers Jeff Hall and Sugar Erskine, 6-goaler Hector Galindo, 5-goaler Brandon Phillips as well as senior Team USPA members Mason Wroe, Nick Snow, Nick Morrison, Belinda Brody and Felipe Viana.
There was also a media training session and umpiring sessions but perhaps highlighting the weekend’s activities was a practice game on Sunday morning with five coaches – former 10-goaler Rinehart, Smith, Erskine, Muldoon and Nick Snow — on the field for immediate feedback and critiques.
This is the fourth year of the introductory clinic, according to Smith, the Team USPA Chairman and a former 7-goaler who was selected to the Hall of Fame in 2004.
“They get a benefit from both, but there’s no substitute for on-the-field coaching,” said Smith. “That’s why we set this up where any one of us could stop it and reinforce it right there. That’s way better than at the end of the game, saying, “hey remember when you did this back in the middle of the second period and you get this blank look.’ “
Matthew Collins, who attends Bowdoin College in Maine, appreciated having the coaches nearby during the game.
“Having Owen out here teaching and coaching, that was great,” said Collins. “He taught me to take the man and really look to the next play. It was amazing having him; it was like a good conscience in the back of my mind, as I’m riding around. I couldn’t be more thankful for Owen (Sunday). He really got me to take the man in the lineups and play my position a lot better.”
Kylie Sheehan is captain of the University of Virginia polo team and had to get used to having coaches on the field.
“At first it was a little nerve-wracking, but I reminded myself that they were here to help me,” said Sheehan. “They want to see us improve with their words of encouragement. I tried to take everything they said and work on it over the weekend.
“This is definitely the best opportunity I’ve gotten with polo so far,” added Sheehan. “I played interscholastic and intercollegiate but I’ve never gotten coaching before on the grass, much less from some of the best players. Even in these three days of playing, I feel like I’ve learned so much.”
Although this is the first time Team USPA has been together, this is where they begin to mesh as teammates, according to Smith.
“Overall, it’s immensely helpful,” added Smith. “We take the new kids and we see more difference in these two days than other two days we spend with them the whole year. They go from watching the other guy hit the ball and waiting to actually turning for plays and passing and hitting the ball. That’s always our focus. A lot of them predominantly played indoor and this (outdoor) is an entirely different game.”
The USPA established the team program in 2010 to grow and sustain the sport of polo by identifying young, talented American players and providing mentored training and playing opportunities to enhance their abilities which will lead to a pool of higher-rated amateur and pro players.
“Beyond developing handicaps, the Team USPA program cultivates young American players who will sustain the sport of polo for generations to come,” said Kris Bowman, Director of the Team USPA program. “The Team USPA players are taught the value of mentor “give-back” and their culture is one of providing instruction, coaching and umpiring at the club level all over the United States.”
Since its inception, 52 players have been accepted into the program. Several, including Jared Sheldon, Nick Snow, Jake Stimmel, Felipe Viana and Mason Wroe, have played in various high-goal tournaments in either Greenwich, Bridgehampton, Santa Barbara or South Florida.
“This weekend having all this amazing instruction really put everything in perspective,” said Collins. “Having their instruction on the field was just unbelievable. They taught me to anticipate, taught me to take the man a lot sooner. I feel I’m twice as good of a player at the end of this as the beginning.”
With the help of legends such as former 10-goalers Rinehart and Snow as well as many others giving back to the sport, which is part of the program’s mission, there is hope for the future of U.S. polo.