Tower Hamlets Canoe Club

Hello all 

Due to the enthusiasm of a couple of our newer paddlers to get cracking on the polo front, I thought we'd have a quick game next week May 6; just a short pitch game so we don't need loads of players, but everyone is welcome.

I'll have to shoot off early to the coaching meeting, but there's no reason the game can't continue.

We won't take all the rules too seriously, just one or two key, safety related ones.

See you on the water.

David

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Polo Rep

Hi David,

I thought I might take a closer look at Canoe polo at THCC tonight. We did a BIG river trip yesterday, and I did a hard Canoe Polo training on Sunday, so I could cope with a less full on session. Plus then I could gauge the level of interest etc. With luck Marco 9new member from Italy who has played a lot) will be there so we might be abel to offer a core of experience on which to build if the interest is there.

 As far a as the rules go, i am a bit out of practice and learnt on Sunday that they are to be changed soon, so no stress EXCEPT those rules relating to safety and maybe the basic fair-play rules. Do we have a referee's whistle??

See you tonight.

Tordi!

Thank you very much to Torsten for last night.

We had an excellent session, with Torsten taking us through a few drills and explaining some of the rules.

We hope to continue in a similar vein.

In future it would be good if people could use polo boats where possible... I am typing one handed today because of a bow in the hand incident (cheers Yates/Signal/Lofty) which would probably have hurt a lot less if we had done as Torsten asked. The polo boats have no footrests but apparently shoving a BA in there will help with that.

Cheers again to Torsten.

See you on the water.

David

 

 

 

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Polo Rep

Hullo. I'm going to be an *** now.

<ENGAGING ARSEHOLE MODE> 

<ENGAGED>

Compression - such as kneeling on them - can damage boyancy aids - e.g. they don't float so well any more, so unless its your own, it's probably not the best idea to use them for stuff other than their designed purpose - helping people float.  

<ENGAGING LESS OF AN ARSEHOLE MODE> 

Perhaps we could buy some foam or cheep rollmats that could do the same job - I think the canoe paddlers wouldn't mind some also to save their knees a little also.

any thoughts? Anyone know any cheap camping suppliers?

My foam sleeping mat cost me 5 pounds from Millets. Half of it is rolled up to form a back rest in the Wippet. The other half is now somewhere in the club cupboard as 2 kneeling mats for the open boats.

Hey Dan

 
<ENGAGING CONCEDING DAVID MODE>

Yes, you are correct. I do not want to be responsible for our BAs becoming even less good than they already are.

<ENGAGING POLO REP MODE>

I will take responsibility for sorting out these boats. I will ask the appropriate person how much gold there is in the kitty and buy foam, decent balls and a pump and adaptor, unless anyone thinks that is silly (caveat: <sub mode - if you think that is silly, then you are silly, and I will engage dictatorship mode and do it anyway>)

 
Cheers

David

 

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Polo Rep

Hi david,

Enjoyed last tuesday very much, especially due to Thorsten's patient (not hospital ones) coaching.  Any chance of any more polo sessions (formal or informal)?

 Cheers, Joel.

Obviously I meant Torsten. Sorry Torsten!

Jeol.
 

Hi Guys (the female personinvolved being included in this familiar address),

 I am glade that so many of you enjoyed the session last Tuesday. I was pleasantly surprised by the standard and in fact a good nuymber showed some real potential as polo players. No-one was useless or out of place, which was great and also unusual in such a group.

I am happy to make myself available to do more of such coaching, the extent being commensurate with the enthusiasm and (to come later) committmeht of the group. I am NOT in a position to make a serious committment at this stage, but possibly once a month??? Maybe - I am away a certain amount in the next few months.

We MUST address the equipment if the sessions are to be regular and/or semi-serious - which does not mean "committed competitors", just doing it properly while there. Stuffing a BV in the bow is certainly not desirable. I actually used one of the Mae Wests as they are more durable, but still not good. Foam would work well. It is worth checking the cost of the adjustable footrests - for club boats they make sense and can satisfy everybody. A pump with pin shouldn't cost much at all. The helmats are fine and there are enough of the right BVs (with side padding) and paddles. I'm not keen to continue with people not having the right gear for safety. The Basin would surely agree, I suspect? The right goals etc can wait: if the interest is maintained, we must have a carpenter or plumber/ gas-fitter amongst us who can assenlbe a 1 x 1.5 rectangle, attach some netting and knock up two stands. Would the Basin assist with this?

Next time I'd do it with all the people in polo kayaks, helmats etc doing contact stuff and the others only passing, dribbleing and paddleing drills, then swap. Games would be something like 4 teams of 3 (we have 6 boats or 8?), so people get a rest and everyone playing is wearing the safety equipment.

I can't make it tonight, just too much to do at work when I am away next week coaching wildwater racing in Ticcino, Switzerland. Pity, I was looking forward to the Barby, especially with this weather.

Cheers

Tordi!

Hello fellow polophiles 

I think everyone that took part in the last session will welcome Torsten's offer to help out and run sessions again in the future.

I will be sorting out the pitch for a larger game on JUNE 3.

If you will be playing, please sign up here.

NEW PEOPLE - the night will revolve around both drills and games. The games are NON-CONTACT, with NO pushing in. The drills are excellent for improving your kayaking. Last time Torsten ran various excercises, getting us paddling in circles in groups, passing the ball forward and backward as well as doing simpler drills such as passing on the spot/while paddling around each other. It was an excellent session.

I'll propably have a quick knock-around with anyone that fancies it this coming Tues (27th) too. It beats just paddling around/cutting shapes/seal watching for 2 hours!

ALL WELCOME ALWAYS

Cheers

David 

 

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Polo Rep