So if you look at the top of the screen on the right hand side you will see a new menu called Where to Play.  This page has links to all the contact details for every bike polo playing city in Australia and New Zealand.  If you want to know where people are playing near you, this is the place to go.

In last weeks edition of the City Report we talked with Craig Johnston from Christchurch, New Zealand. This week we talk to Brook Tait-Styles about bike polo in Sydney, Australia.

How long has polo been played in Sydney?
6 years.  It was first played in Sydney at the 2006 World Cycle Messenger Championships

How many regular players do you have?
We have around 35 to 40 active players, and usually get between 15 and 25 players at each session.

How often do you play?
Twice a week! Thursday nights and Sunday afternoons.

Tell us about your courts
Our main court is at Alexandria Park, Alexandria.  It is a 35 x 18m basketball court which is enclosed with wire fencing.  The surface is painted concrete and is really smooth.  We have “unofficial” permitted access and use by the council for our main court at Alexandria Park.  We have a great backup court on a smooth asphalt court enclosed by brick wall 3 blocks away if ever needed.  Our courts are now free for us to use including lights at Alexandria until 10pm.

 Have you had any tournaments or demos lately?  Do you have any tournaments or demos coming up?
We have recently held an informal Pick-Up tournament and BBQ on Australia Day. In February we also held the “Cirque du Sydney” tournament with over 60 players from around Australia and NZ. The first day had 20 teams (an equal first for largest in Australasia) with the first time teams from NZ has travelled over for a major tournament. The tournament was also free, supplying food and coffee for all the players and also successfully ran without referees (a first for a tournament of this scale in Australia).

Do you have a league?
We ran our first league around 2 years ago.  Recently, we had a 6 team league running over summer and we may begin planning the next one over winter. The teams were seeded and randomly drawn to spread experience and help raise the skill level for the beginners.

What have you found works the best to get new players?
Being open and friendly to all spectators with a goal to get them on the court the first time they come down. Best method to get new players has been word-of-mouth and an active and helpful Facebook and internet profile. Previous demos have worked but results are much longer in showing.

Tell us something cool about your city
Sydney is home to many deadly creatures including the Funnel Web Spider, the Red Back Spider and the Blue Ring Octopus.  Of the roughly 140 species of snake known to occur in Australia about one seventh are found in the Sydney region

Don’t forget to look for next weeks City Report featuring Timaru,  New Zealand.

Questions by Virginia Castellan

Answers by Brook Tait-Styles

Photographs by Mace Robertson and Brook Tait-Styles

We had 3 members of the GOALHOLE team on location in Perth to bring you the very best coverage possible.  When we get over our tiredness, we will get back to you with more..

If you are just after the results, take a look at this post

When he’s not playing polo or receiving massages from other Brisbane males, Jordan likes heckling the crap out of anyone playing.  Here’s a few more things about Jordan.

City:  Brisbane, Australia

Team:  Majestic Pink Shafts

Years played:  2.5

Super power:  I don’t have one at the moment

Favourite heckle: “Do you go down on your mum like that”, “Nice legs, what happened to your face”, “Hey cutie, where’s your sister?”

Bike:  Traitor frame, freewheel with dual brake and 35:21 ratio

Mallet:  MKE shaft with cut out sides on the head

Protection:  Force field

What do you love most about bike polo?
That it constantly gets me into fights with my girlfriend.  It’s the only time we talk.