How to Use and Paddle Polo Games & Training
You don't need to be a lacrosse player to have fun with Paddle Polo! There are dozens of easy and fun ways for you to use Paddle Polo for fun and fitness! Please contact us at steve@paddlepolo.com to share your photos and ideas!
Attaching Your Paddle Polo Stick
- Position your paddle on the ground , for a SUP your blade will be angled up allowing the shaft to be flush to the ground.
- Position the Paddle Polo Stick so that the straps wrap around the shaft and the head is not blocked by the handle of your paddle.
- Hold the stick firmly with one hand and pull the straps to the cleats. Check to make sure the stick is secure on your paddle. If needed, you can attach the rubber tape to your paddle shaft for extra support
Using Your Paddle Polo Stick
- Utilize your convenient elastic ball holder when not paddling
- In a safe area, toss your Paddle Polo ball in the water.
- Retrieving – Paddle to the ball and use a shoulder width grip to scoop it up using the Paddle Polo head. You should have a slight bend in your knees and a wide balanced stance.
- Throwing – With a balanced stance, hold your paddle shaft at a shoulder width grip, bring the Paddle Polo head slightly behind your shoulder. Extend your top hand (closest to the Paddle Polo stick) forward in the direction you are throwing while pulling your lower hand back towards your body.
- We recommend having fun practicing retrieving and throwing before progressing to catching, see some games below. Invent your own games and share them with us!
- Catching – Catching requires more skill and practice. We recommend practicing catching and throwing on land to get comfortable with the technique - video coming soon! The optimal way to catch the ball to hold hold the paddle parallel to your body, with the head of the stick positioned above your shoulder. Give your partner a nice target – as the ball enters the head bring the stick back to absorb the catch. It is possible to catch the ball with the head in front of you, however its not optimal.
Here are a few games that you can play right when you strap on your stick because there is no catching involved.
Paddle Polo Racing - This is the easiest way to quickly enjoy your Paddle Polo by yourself or with a group. Throw the ball as far as you can and then paddle to retrieve it. Set an arbitrary finish line or course and practice by yourself or race with your friends. Paddle Polo Racing will improve your paddling speed, maneuvering, and your balance and comfort on the board.
Paddle Board Golf - Turn any body of water into a golf course! Use a Frisbee or Flying Disc (thrown upside down) or a Flying Ring (Paddle Polo Golf Discs Coming Soon!). Toss your ring (which is your "hole") as far as you can. Then "tee off" by throwing your Paddle Polo ball in the direction of the "hole". Another game that can be enjoyed by yourself or with a group. Play for number of strokes, throws, or race to the "hole" to improve your paddling speed!
Paddle Board Baseball - Ideal for larger groups. Create "bases" using land marks. The "pitcher" passes the ball to the "batter" who then "bats" by throwing the ball into the playing area. The batter then "runs the bases" by paddling to the bases. Batters are out by either an opposing team member catching their "hit" or being thrown out by tagging the "base" they are advancing to. We recommend not throwing the ball at the batter - although the Paddle Polo ball is soft!
A Great Game for You and your Dog! If your PUP likes to SUP you will love Paddle Polo to easily play catch with your K9! The elastic ball holder makes it easy to stow your ball when your pooch is tired!
As you become more comfortable with Paddle Polo, you may want to progress to catching and throwing.
Paddle Polo - A combination of lacrosse, water polo, football, ultimate frisbee and soccer. There are multiple variations of the game which are limited only by your creativity. However, here is a one approach to Paddle Polo that requires minimal extra equipment and can provide you and your friends with hours of fun.
Paddle Polo Racing - This is the easiest way to quickly enjoy your Paddle Polo by yourself or with a group. Throw the ball as far as you can and then paddle to retrieve it. Set an arbitrary finish line or course and practice by yourself or race with your friends. Paddle Polo Racing will improve your paddling speed, maneuvering, and your balance and comfort on the board.
Paddle Board Golf - Turn any body of water into a golf course! Use a Frisbee or Flying Disc (thrown upside down) or a Flying Ring (Paddle Polo Golf Discs Coming Soon!). Toss your ring (which is your "hole") as far as you can. Then "tee off" by throwing your Paddle Polo ball in the direction of the "hole". Another game that can be enjoyed by yourself or with a group. Play for number of strokes, throws, or race to the "hole" to improve your paddling speed!
Paddle Board Baseball - Ideal for larger groups. Create "bases" using land marks. The "pitcher" passes the ball to the "batter" who then "bats" by throwing the ball into the playing area. The batter then "runs the bases" by paddling to the bases. Batters are out by either an opposing team member catching their "hit" or being thrown out by tagging the "base" they are advancing to. We recommend not throwing the ball at the batter - although the Paddle Polo ball is soft!
A Great Game for You and your Dog! If your PUP likes to SUP you will love Paddle Polo to easily play catch with your K9! The elastic ball holder makes it easy to stow your ball when your pooch is tired!
As you become more comfortable with Paddle Polo, you may want to progress to catching and throwing.
Paddle Polo - A combination of lacrosse, water polo, football, ultimate frisbee and soccer. There are multiple variations of the game which are limited only by your creativity. However, here is a one approach to Paddle Polo that requires minimal extra equipment and can provide you and your friends with hours of fun.
- Team Size - Paddle Polo can be played 2 on 2 or with larger teams of 10 or more. Optimal team size is 3-6 players per side. A key consideration is going to be your playing area size which may present an option for larger groups to utilize a smaller playing area and either substitute players or play tournament style with smaller teams.
- Playing Area - Think backyard football or baseball! Pick landmarks to use as your boundaries and end zones. Obviously if you have access to buoys, markers or even floating goals they could be used, however you will find you can have a blast with an informal playing area. Your playing area should be long enough that your strongest player can't throw the ball the length of the playing area, however he/she might be able to throw it across the width of the playing area.
- Starting Play - There are two fun ways to get your Paddle Polo game started.
- Center Sprint - Place the ball in the center of the playing area. Players from each team line up on the goal line and sprint to the ball to gain possession and begin play.
- Kick Off - Similar to "American Football", teams line up at their goal lines and one team "kicks off" by passing the ball down the playing area to their opposing team.
- Scoring - Scoring is achieved when a player catches the ball behind the end zone line. If a pass is incomplete, the opposing team gets to throw the ball in at the location where the ball went out of bounds on the playing area. If a goal is scored then the ball returns to the "Starting Play" position.
- Game Play - It is not a requirement to catch the ball in the playing area. Once the ball is scooped in the Paddle Polo stick the player cannot paddle (however they can glide based on their forward momentum prior to scooping the ball).
- Players should make every effort not to make contact with other players, boards or canoes. Contact can only be made with the paddle polo sticks when they are in the water (example is two players going after a ball in the playing area). Once the ball has been retrieved by a player the other player must yield and not smack it out of the others stick above the water line.
- Variations - The above "rules" are really just guidelines. Modify and create your own games that are customized to your paddlers skill levels, equipment and your playing area. Make sure to share your creative ideas with us so we can share with the Paddle Polo community!
Check out the following videos to see how its played! Don't worry more are coming soon!
Play Lacrosse (and other games) on water with Paddle PoloPlay lacrosse (and other games) on water with Paddle Polo! www.PaddlePolo.com Get your own pair of Paddle Polo sticks or a set for your team.
Posted by Paddle Polo on Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Our boys from Coastal Paddle Boarding were back at it today playing Paddle Polo in the demo pool
Posted by Paddle Polo on Thursday, September 10, 2015
