Better way to select team to represent USA?

[3mb]

Instead of selection by committee, how about winning your way into representing USA?
Do you think the USPA should have a 14 goal tournament and send the winner to represent USA in the FIP tournament?
Have it played along FIP rules and winner represents USA?
Anyone can enter tournament as long as they meet FIP qualifications?
Isn't that the American way?
What do you think?

[poloace]

It is not realistic in my opinion. While I agree competition brings out the best (and worst) in players, but gathering them up all at once and placed on fixed teams is unrealistic and could be expensive. Best players I am sure would not all be on one team anyways, so you may end up with best team based upon that weekend of games, but not best collective team based upon everyone that competed that weekend.

Mandate must be figured out-what is our objective? To field the best team possible? Or field the best team out of available players based upon limited budget? Since best players are already playing and making money, it is hard to compete for their services just based upon the loyalty factor or desire to play for Team USPA.

I am in no way suggesting USPA just goes out and hires a bunch of expensive players just because. I am saying you should not fault the young players who have chosen the professional path and have already committed expenses at home and don’t want to play for less money.

[3mb]

Hi PoloAce. Thanks for your comment.

I wasn't referring to Team USPA. I was suggesting that a 14 goal tournament be held and the winner represent the USA in FIP tournaments.

For example there are any number of 14 goal tournaments held around US. These teams are not subsidized by anyone other than the playing Patron/Sponsor of the team. Have one specifically under FIP rules (i.e. no one more than 5 goal rating) to send a USA team to compete in FIP competition.

I think there would be several teams that would like to represent the USA. I was suggesting that a tournament be held to determine who should.

[poloace]

Team USPA is the name that has been used for our team in the FIP. I understand the process (in fact I played years back), but I still do not think that your concept is valid. In your most recent response, are you suggesting a Patron driven tournament with the winner advancing? No disrespect to the Patrons out there but in most cases they would not represent the best choices to be on the team.

Under FIP rules, do you think you are going to get teams to participate and loan out horses? Who provides and funds for these horses? Another challenge to over come and due to logistics and the size of our country, a challenge at best.

I like out side of the box thinking, but I believe there is a better way to select the team, once it is figured out what we want and what level of funding is being provided. If you can only afford a Volkswagen, great! Corvette? Even better. But don't complain when it looses in the race to a Ferrari.

[CAM]

Gentlemen,

The selection process was not the reason USA came home with a 0-4 record it was the lack of preparation leading up to the tournament. The team performed great at the qualifiers do to the fact they practiced many time prior to making the trip to the DR. It became a budgetary issue when we wanted to send the team early to Argentina or Aiken to practice prior to heading to San Louis. Each of the other teams were either in Argentina practicing or competing together the weeks leading up to the tournament. Even with the lack of practice the boys played well but lacked that sharp team work that they had earlier. The truth is we gave 3 of the games away and truly lost the 1 game to Brazil as it was our first real game since the DR. As individuals each played above their handicap but it was the teamwork that got us in the end. I know polo and have put many winning teams together over the years.....this team could have not only won more games but been on the podium if given the right preparation.

[DAS]

If CAM says the reason they lost is lack of preparation I believe we can all take that to the bank.
He is and has been aware of what it takes to field a winning team, and I respect his views on the success and/or lack of as it relates to the team.
I do have one question that I would like to have addressed as it relates to the selection process, and that is should we narrow the criteria age wise?
Here in America our pros(that make it to high goal) have an older average age than do our Argentine friends and I completely understand that.
My question is this, based on the fact that we now have 30+ members of Team USPA, is it possible that we could lower the age group that can qualify for the team, therefore potentially cutting it's numbers by 1/3 to 1/2 and ultimately having extra funds with which we might use to help our team be better prepared for what ever is next on the agenda?
Can we or should we be looking at people say from 18 to 21 as opposed to older than that?
It's just a thought but to me it has some merit. I would love to hear from others as to whether I am off base here or not.
And CAM, I congratulate you for giving your time and effort to the Team USPA program, they could not be in better hands.

[poloace]

Charlie, I was not responding to how the team was selected this year at all. I was trying to simple list why I disagreed with the original post. (For the record-great original post, we need people think outside of the box and being creative in helping find solutions!). Honestly I think due to cultures and the market differences in polo in the top countries, our young or middle to lower rated players have different opportunities and goals than our competitors from other areas. So taking those dynamics into account is crucial. And if we want to field a winning team, it boils down to one thing in my mind-money.

I am not saying an open checkbook is the answer or is needed. But when you don’t have time to play together prior, how do you expect to win? Remember our trip to England? We had three great players, but zero prep time to work together in advance and grow as a team, which is crucial. Why does almost every major tournament in the world have two preliminary tournaments in advance of it? Top give the collection of professional player’s time to gel as a team and work out their kinks.

Funding is a must from some source IF we truly want to compete. And if not, that is ok to send the best available with the best intentions and hope for the best. We just shouldn’t be surprised at the outcome.

[3mb]

Dave:
Thanks for your thoughts on lowering the age level. Lowering the age level to 21 and under is certainly successful in other sports. Soccer and Rugby have the highly popular U20 (Under 20) competitions.

Charlie:
Thanks for your thoughts and insight about more funding being helpful for better preparation.

PoloAce, Charlie and Dave:
Let's work on removing the issue of sufficient funding. All funding could come from donations to a separate fund specifically established for young (21 and under) Americans in international competition? The younger age level would probably raise more support.

Note: It was fun to see a young American team competing and winning in China.

[Polodude]

I think there has been much improvement in the program in the last few years. I played on the 92 team that went to Chile. quite frankly we were very un-prepared and there was the feeling that some on the team treated it just as a free trip from the USPA to play polo in Chile.
I do see now that the Team USA is evolving into a professional system. I am very glad to see the level of coaching of mentoring that is being given to the selected players.

[mike]

If future FIP American teams are going to be selected from the pool of Team USPA players it would be better to divide the exisitng 30 players into two divisions: the A team should consist of the 6 best players and the rest are in group B. If you are zero, don't have 6 or 8 horses and a way to transport them then you don't even qualify to try out of the A group. Then the A squad needs to play together all winter in Florida and around the country during the summer. The team will make great strides toward becoming much more competative in the future.