Hardcourt Bike Polo probably isn’t offered at the local country club, and unlike the horseback jockeys of traditional polo, its players are among a different breed.
These players have ditched the magnificent stallions and opted instead for bicycles. They modify their own steeds, construct their own mallets and turn asphalt lots into playing courts.
The game itself dates back to the 1800s.According to legend, it derived from stable boys with bicycles who were not allowed to play regular polo with the royalty. Modern incarnations of the sport have seen an upsurge in cities all across the globe. Now there is a league in Fort Wayne.
IPFW student Stas Malykhin is responsible for the bike polo revival right here at home. In March 2010, Malykhin recruited players, formed a league and organized the first pickup game.
“When it started we had seven people, then through the summer it went up to 25,” Malykhin said.
Learning the rudiments of the sport from attending tournaments and watching other players, Malykhin teamed up with friend and fellow bike enthusiast Rob Goodin. They began using items such as golf clubs, ski poles and PVC pipes to craft custom mallets.
Malykhin first witnessed Hardcourt Bike Polo in 2009 after spending time in Denver. There he played regular pickup games and fell in love with the sport. He describes bike polo as “addictive,” and hopes to share his adoration and garner new players to increase the league’s size.
The process for getting a bike ready requires stripping an old mountain bike, getting it to one speed and putting the brake on the non-dominant hand. But Malykhin and Goodin are eager to get new players on the court even if they don’t have their own gear.
“Anyone can play. We have everything. You just need a bike and a helmet,” said Malykhin.
Goodin has even transformed his garage into a full-fledged bike/welding shop.
“We have the history of Fort Wayne bike polo in my garage — the evolution of all the different things we’ve used to play,” Goodin said.
Make no mistake; Hardcourt Bike Polo is a sport to be reckoned with. Players often engage in full contact, colliding and hitting the pavement. Malykhin said it is fast paced and dangerous. Game play is intense and requires a significant amount of dexterity.
“People get hit in the head a lot. That’s why we wear helmets.”
Malykhin said the sport is “getting huge.” He described the scene from his most recent tournament in Bloomington where leagues throughout the Midwest could register: “48 spots filled up in 50 seconds.”
Currently, the league is preparing to build a court that will provide them with a permanent home. The space was a donation from the city and will be located on Covington and Brooklyn at the old Study tennis courts. Although the process is slow due to funding, Malykhin hopes to have it finished in the near future.
For now pickup games are played at a place called “The Church” on Barr St. and E. Lewis downtown across from Anthis Career Center whenever team members can coordinate their schedules.
To stay active with the Fort Wayne Bike Polo League’s latest updates Malykhin recommends getting on the blog, fortwaynebikepolo.blogspot.com, or contacting him to keep in touch via text message.
Hardcourt Bike Polo is no band of Ralph Lauren-wearing lightweights. The sport requires toughness and a healthy dose of bad-assery.
Malykhin said: “If you play, you’re there because you want to be there.” No doubt, these players don’t want to be anywhere else than on two wheels, with a homemade mallet in hand.
