Welcome to the Tennessee Valley Polocrosse Club website. We are a member of the American Polocrosse Association.
WHAT IS POLOCROSSE?
Polocrosse is a fast paced game played on Horseback. The players carry racquets that have a long handle like a polo mallet with a net similar to a lacrosse racquet.
Polocrosse is played around the world. It is popular in Australia, Africa, England, Ireland and New Zealand. In England, Polocrosse was used as an indoor exercise to train people on how to ride a horse. The game you see played today, took shape in Australia in the 1930’s. Today there are over 6,000 players in the world
THE FIELD
A Polocrosse field is preferably grass, but can be dirt. It is 160 yards long and 60 yards wide. Goal posts, which are set 8 feet apart, are located at each end of the field. There is an infield line that extends the width of the field, 30 yards from each goal. This line encloses the Goal Scoring Area. Directly in front of the goal posts is an 11-yard arc. The ball must be thrown through the goal posts from outside this arc (but within the goal scoring area). The ball may not be carried across the penalty line when entering or exiting the goal scoring area. It must be either thrown to a teammate or bounced across by the possessing player.
The Game
Polocrosse is a team sport. The team consists of 6 players divided into two sections. One section plays for an 8 minute period, called a chukka, while the second section sits out. At the end of the first section’s chukka the second section will take the field while the first section sits out. In a typical game each section will play 4 chukkas, for a total of 8 chukkas.
Two sections line up at Mid Field with each team’s corresponding Numbers lined up together. The Number 1's line up side by side in front. The Number 2's side by side behind the Number 1's. The Number 3's side by side behind the Number 2's.
The game begins in the middle of the field when the umpire throws the ball into the line up. The players can pick up the ball from the ground or catch it in the air. Once a player gets the ball they gallop, keeping possession of the ball or passing to a teammate, until the Number 1 has possession of the ball in the Goal Scoring Area. A goal can be scored in the Area by the Number 1 or taken back out of the Goal Scoring Area by the Defender - Number 3.
Hitting an Opponent’s racquet in an upward motion is allowed. A defender would do this to dislodge the ball from the racquet or to prevent the player from taking possession of the ball.
Bumping, or riding off an opposing player from the line of play is permitted. However, crossing the line of play and/or stopping over the ball is not permitted. A foul would be called. The penalty would be a free throw to the offending side.
When a goal is scored, the ball returns to the umpire, the teams line up at the midfield line and another throw-in occurs. Play continues until the eight minute chukka is up. The players dismount and cool off their horses while the second sections play.
|
