Bike Polo Pittsburgh Tournament Rules....
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I'd like to think of them more as guidelines. Please comment on this posting if you have input.....
While basic rules apply across the board, there are differences in etiquette and play city to city. The following list attempts to represent clear and concise guidelines that Bike Polo Pittsburgh has handpicked from the polo playing pool of rules around the world.....
To better understand the guidelines, lets go over vocab first:....
*Vocabulary*....
- Strike: A strike occurs when a player hits the ball with the circular end of the mallet head.....
- Shuffle: A shuffle occurs when a player uses the curved side of the mallet head to manipulate the ball.....
- Touch (dab): A touch occurs when a player contacts the playing surface with one or both feet. ....
- Tap-Out: a tap-out is the act of touching one of two designated tap-out areas with one's mallet.....
- Goal line: The goal line is an imaginary line parallel to the half line and even with the goal.....
GUIDELINES....
- Games occur between two teams of three players each....
- A game begins with each of the players positioned behind the goal line of the goal they are defending. The ball is positioned in the center of the court. A moderator calls the start from outside of the court using the following format: "One, two, three. Go!!!!" (can be substituted with "Three, two, one, go" or "One, two, three. Gorilla" or any thing like that. mainly the cadence is important.) On go, the game begins.....
- A point is scored when a strike causes the ball to cross the plane of the goal. To elaborate, in order for the event to be considered a point, the ball's momentum must have been initiated by a strike.....
- When a player touches, that player must quickly, with as little disruption to the game as possible, exit play and tap-out before reentering play.....
- When the goal is dislodged from its place (see Etiquette) it continues to be the target for point scoring. But the defending team can honorably call a point good, if they feel that the sudden dislodging of the goal caused a missed point.....
- The game ends when one team scores five points.....
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ETIQUITE....
- Respect is first and foremost. Respect your teammates and opponents, especially in their willingness to make contact and their regard for personal safety.....
- that said, Like contact is allowed. Body to body, stick to stick, bike to bike.....
- That said, violent play is not cool. Don't try to hurt any player or damage their property. Don't T-bone. There are no formal penalties, but if you engage in this sort of play, prepare for the repercussions on the court, jerk.....
- Don't throw yer damn stick. If you throw it, we'll kick it every time you try to pick it up and we'll say "woops, missed it again!"....
- If you drop your stick, you can continue to play, but don't use your free hands, keep them on the bars.....
- If you dislodge the goal, put it back right away. If you have to touch to reset the goal, it still counts as a touch and you have to tap-out.....
- Trash talking is ok, as long as you're mostly kidding around.....
- We're all winners 'cause we all had fun. (The real winners score five points first though.)....
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If you play here, this is how it is. If you have a problem with it, let's have a discussion and come to a conclusion.....