HEAD IN THE GAME
Head cam gives polo fans new way to experience the sport
GREENFIELD, N.Y. » Michael Jones wants to put people in the saddle while watching one of the most extreme, high-energy games on the planet.
His firm, POV ProEyes, has a small lightweight helmet-mounted camera that Saratoga Polo Association players have been using this summer on a trial basis.
By the season’s last meet, on Labor Day Weekend, the technology might be available on people’s smart phones, giving them a perspective, understanding and appreciation of the fast-paced action they never had before.
“I’m the happy papa right now,” said Jones, of his invention. “Pros are coming off the field, saying how much they like it. Imagine using this as a coaching and teaching tool, and for scouting. More than 150 colleges in the U.S. have polo teams and many give scholarships.
If you want to see what a player can do, put one of these on their helmet.”
The technology is similar to that of another company’s -- GoPro Camera Mounts.
Jones said his head cam’s design is safer because it’s only an inch or so high and attaches with Velcro, so it detaches on impact, preventing head and neck injuries.
Olivia “Boo” Reynolds, 14, of Virginia, is a rising star in the polo world. Her high school team won the national indoor championships this spring.
“It feels like it’s barely there,” she said about the camera. “It’s so light. It’s not in my field of vision. It’s really nice.”
Jones expects this summer’s trial to go viral around the world.
“There are more than 250 polo clubs in the U.S. alone,” he said. “I’m already talking to people in Chile, Argentina and Dubai.”
A Hudson Falls native, Jones grew up around horses and is also a former ski racer and professional coach.
“At Whiteface Mountain, I remember holding a camcorder on my shoulder, watching racers go by,” he said. “We’ve taken a camera from 11 pounds down to 4.5 five ounces, and it’s full HD (high definition).”
Videos taken during this summer’s matches can be viewed at the Polo Association’s website and on YouTube.
The next big step, in addition to putting the action in people’s hands, with cell phones, would be livestreaming games on Facebook or the ChukkerTV network, said Alan Edstrom, Polo Association director of events.
“To people who come for fashion, champagne and camaraderie, all of a sudden it’s an extreme sport,” he said. “It engages fans in ways they’ve never seen the game before.”
From the sidelines, plays are sometimes hard to follow as eight mounted riders swing mallets at a small white ball, while charging down a 300-yard-long field at speeds up to 35 mph. Action near the goal line can be particularly difficult to see.
With a head cam, fans get an up-close view of everything taking place, complete with the sound of players’ shouts and horses’ hooves as cameras have audio capability, too. One recent video showed a ball being stopped and driven away just six inches from the goal line.
“The word is out there, this is an exciting sport,” Edstrom said.
Plans also call for using the technology as an officiating tool, similar to the instant replays adopted by the NHL, NFL, NBA and MLB.
At present, some polo clubs use drones to give fans a bird’s-eye view of the game. Head cams can provide a more complete picture of all the action, said Cuko Escapite, the Saratoga association’s polo director.
“That’s the whole goal,” he said. “This can be a big part of the game.”