2022- 2023 NAH Qualifier Series

(Desplácese hacia abajo para la versión en español)

As regions announce their Qualifiers, info will be posted on the Qualifying Series page.

Reminder that for all Qualifying Tournaments you must adhere to the following regulations unless your region gets approval for an alternative variation from the NAH Tournament Director (mark@nahardcourt.com):

  1. Follow the current NAH ruleset.
  2. Host using the Squad Format.
  3. Qualified teams shall take greater than 50% (3/5, 4/6) of that team to NAHBPC or else their spot shall be forfeited to the following team from their regional qualifier.
  4. Regional Reps are responsible for delivering names of successful teams to the NAH Tournament Director (date TBD pending NAHBPC).
  5. Regional Reps are required to make very clear to their region how teams will qualify for the NAHBPC.
  6. Qualifiers must be open to players outside of the region, but regions will have restrictions during the first week for “in-region-only registration” followed by open registration. See policy definition of “In-Region” below.
  7. Regions are responsible for collecting their own registration fees. More information about collecting fees with legal and financial protections from NAHBPA.

In-Region Status

A team can have up to 6 players, but can only dress 5 of those players in the squad for any given match. Any given team may declare “In-Region” Once across all 10 Regional Qualifiers(RQ). You are only allowed to register during the “in-region” registration period for the region in which you belong or the majority of your team belongs to! If you want to register in additional qualifiers, you have to do so after the “in-region” window has closed.

So, for example, if you have 3 members from “Region A” and 2 members from “Region B”, you are considered “in-region” in A. If you have 2 from A, 2 from B and 1 from C, you get to declare A or B. Here is a chart to help clarify(if you are unsure please contact the Tournament Director:

**Due to such a high demand for tournament play in 2022 no player will be eligible to play in more than Two(2) Regional Qualifiers across the 2022 RQ series.

Multiple Qualifiers
If you or your team decides to travel to multiple qualifiers you will not be able to register “in-region” twice. You will have to wait for “in-region” registration to pass before attempting to gain a spot in the event. If your team successfully qualifies in both, you must represent the region for which you had “in-region” status. If you only qualify out-of-region, you will represent that region and the points system will allocate points to that region.

Allocation spots to NAHBPC 2023

Regional allocations for the 2022/23 season are official. Below you will find your regions allocations based on a two-court NAHBPC. If the number of courts changes(from 2 to 3), the number of spots awarded will be adjusted accordingly.

NAHBPC 2022/23 Regional allocations:

  • Cascadia (CS): 3
  • South West (SW): 3
  • Eastside (ES): 2
  • Great Plains (GP): 2
  • Mexico (MX): 2
  • Great Lakes (GL): 1 2
  • Heartland (HL): 2 1
  • Northside (NS): 1
  • South East (SE): 1
  • South Central (SC): 1

For questions regarding the schedule, format or allocation, please contact Mark Aseltine directly at mark@nahardcourt.com.


Series Clasificatorias NAH 

En cuanto cada región anuncie sus torneos clasificatorios, la información detallada será publicada en la página de las Series Clasificatorias

Este es un recordatorio de que todos los torneos clasificatorios deberán adherirse a las siguientes reglas, con excepción de que tu región reciba la aprobación para modificar algo del Director de Torneos NAH (mark@nahardcourt.com):

  1. Seguir las reglas del Reglamento NAH
  2. El torneo debe ser en formato Squad.
  3. Los equipos que clasifiquen deberán mantener más del 50% (3/5, 4/6) del equipo original al Torneo Norteamericano (NAHBPC), de caso contrario perderán su lugar y será otorgado al siguiente equipo clasificado.
  4. Los representantes de cada región son responsables de comunicar al Director de Torneos NAH, los nombres de los equipos que han clasificado al Torneo Norteamericano.
  5. Los representantes de cada región deberán comunicar claramente a su región la forma en que los equipos clasifican al Torneo Norteamericano (NAHBPC).
  6. Los torneos Clasificatorios deberán estar abiertos a jugadores que no pertenecen a la región, pero cada región tendrá restricciones. Durante la primera semana de inscripción, solo equipos que pertenecen a la región podrán inscribirse, al finalizar esta semana, la inscripción será abierta a cualquier equipo. 
  7. Cada región es responsable por recolectar cuotas de inscripción. Más información acerca de la recolección de cuotas de inscripción con protección legal y financiera de la NAH aquí. 

Pertenecer a una región

Cada equipo puede tener hasta 6 jugadores, pero sólo 5 pueden jugar cada partido. Cualquier equipo puede declarar que pertenece a una región una vez solamente, y en caso de jugar más de un torneo clasificatorio, los demás deberán hacerlo como equipo fuera de la región. Un equipo pertenece a la región a la cuál la mayoría de sus jugadores pertenecen.

Por ejemplo, si tienes 3 miembros de la “Región A” y 2 miembros de la “Región B”, tu equipo pertenece a la “Región A”.
Si tu equipo tiene 2 miembros de la región A, 2 de la región B y uno de la región C, puedes decidir pertenecer a la región A o B, pero no a ambas. Abajo una tabla para clarificar (si aún tienes dudas, por favor contacta al Director de Torneos NAH):

**Debido a la alta demanda de jugar en torneos durante 2022, ningún jugador podrá jugar más de Dos (2) Torneos Regionales Clasificatorios de las Series Clasificatorias NAH.


Múltiples Torneos Clasificatorios

Si tu o tu equipo deciden viajar y participar en múltiples torneos clasificatorios, podrán inscribir su equipo como perteneciente a una región dos veces. Deberán esperar a que la inscripción para equipos pertenecientes a cada región termine, antes de poder intentar obtener un espacio para jugar en dicho torneo clasificatorio.
Si tu equipo logró clasificar mediante ambos torneos clasificatorios, tu equipo deberá representar la región en la que clasificaron registrados como equipo perteneciente a esa región. Si tu equipo únicamente clasifica como equipo fuera de región, tu equipo representará esa región y el sistema de puntos dará puntos a esa región. 

Distribución de lugares para el Torneo Norteamericano (NAHBPC) 2023

La distribución regional de la temporada 2022/2023 es oficial. Abajo encontrarás los lugares que cada región tendrá, basado en un Torneo Norteamericano con dos canchas. Si el número de canchas cambia (de 2 a 3), el número de lugares que cada región tiene será ajustado (incrementará).

Distribución de Lugares para el Torneo Norteamericano (NAHBPC) 2022/2023:

  • Cascadia (CS): 3
  • Sureste (SW): 3
  • Este (ES): 2
  • Grandes Planos (GP): 2
  • México (MX): 2
  • Grandes Lagos (GL): 1 2
  • Heartland (HL): 2 1
  • Norte (NS): 1
  • Sur Este (SE): 1
  • Sur Centro (SC): 1

Si tienes preguntas relacionadas con el programa, formato o distribución de lugares, por favor contacta a Mark Aseltine directamente vía correo electrónico mark@nahardcourt.com.

Posted in NAH

2022-23 NAH Tournament Season Timeline

Dear NAH community, 

In a recent survey, we collected your feedback  for the 2022 – 2023 NAH competitive season  schedule leading up to the 2023 WHBPC in France. We also met with and gathered input from the Regional Representatives. With your and the Regional Reps feedback, we’ve selected Option A, which includes the following schedule:

  • NAH Regional Qualifiers will be held between Sept. 1 – Oct. 31, 2022.
  • The NAHBPC will take place between April 15 – June 15, 2023. 

Overall survey and Regional Rep feedback 

  • Most players preferred Option A (Qualifiers in the fall of 2022 and NAHBPC in the spring of 2023) because it gives players and clubs time to get back in shape, to practice, to get organized after more than a year away from competitive polo due to Covid, and to help grow new players’ skills and get them excited about playing in their Region’s qualifier in the fall. 
  • However, some players from Regions with snow were concerned that Option A — which would host the NAHBPC in spring— won’t give them enough time to practice or compete before they attempt to qualify for the Championship. Because of these concerns, we have extended the window for hosting the NAHBPC into mid-June, pending a search for a venue.

Next Steps

We will work with the Regional Reps to schedule Qualifier dates and locations for 2022 and to find a host city for the 2023 NAHBPC.

If your club is interested in hosting the NAHBPC in late Spring of 2023, please reach out to Mark (mark@nahardcourt.com) to discuss the possibility and to have any of your questions answered.

Coming up in the next month(s), we will send information regarding the following items:

  • Regional allocation for the qualifiers to gain entry to the NAHBPC. 
  • More detail on how NAH plans to prioritize in-region teams and players for their local qualifier. 
  • We will make an official call for bids to host the NAHBPC in spring 2023. 
  • We will announce dates and locations for regional qualifiers as they become available. 

It’s a very exciting time for bike polo in North America and we hope to be able to host many successful and exciting events this year and beyond. Most importantly,we can’t wait to see you all on the court!

For any questions regarding the NAH competitive series including the NAHBPC, please contact Mark Aseltine directly at mark@nahardcourt.com.

For questions regarding your Regional Qualifier please reach out to your rep directly here: https://www.nahardcourt.com/clubs/

Update on the 10th World Hardcourt Bike Polo Championship

The World Bike Polo Organising Committee recently discussed hosting the 10th World Hardcourt Bike Polo Championship in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic that has disrupted the world for the past two years.

The results of the discussions are as follows:

  • The host city will remain Perpignan in France. They have told us that they are ready and willing to host when the Covid-19 situation allows
  • The 10th WHBPC will be held in 2023 at the earliest. This is because of the continuing uncertainty surrounding international travel, and the desire of regions to have time to re-establish their normal seasons and qualifiers.

If you have questions get in touch with the World Bike Polo Organising Committee, contact info below:

Últimas Noticias sobre el Décimo Mundial de Bicipolo

El Comité Mundial Organizador de Bicipolo se reunió para discutir acerca del Décimo Mundial de Bicipolo ya que la pandemia Covid-19 ha afectado a todo el mundo durante los últimos dos años.

Los resultados de dicha discusión son los siguientes:

  • La ciudad anfitriona seguirá siendo Perpiñán, Francia. El club ha comunicado estar preparadxs y dispuestxs tan pronto la situación relativa a la pandemia de covid-19 lo permita
  • El Décimo Mundial de Bicipolo tomará lugar en el año de 2023. Está decisión está basada en la continua incertidumbre relacionada a los viajes internacionales y en que las regiones han expresado necesitar tiempo para organizar y re establecer la temporada de clasificatorios.

Si tienen dudas o preguntas, les invitamos a contactar el Comité Mundial Organizador de Bicipolo:

Asia
Ai Tanaka
xxxaiaiaixxx@gmail.com
Member of the Japanese Bike Polo Association

Australia/New Zealand
Nick Dixon-Wilmshurst
xoqz01@gmail.com
Canberra representative on the Australasian Hardcourt Bike Polo Association

Europe
Gernot Gruber aka. Django
info@eurobikepolo.com
Member of the European Hardcourt Bikepolo Association

Latin America
Vero Enríquez Ruiz
vero.enriquez.ruiz@gmail.com
Member of the Latin American Bike Polo Association

North America
Mark Aseltine
mark@nahardcourt.com
NAH Tournament Director

2020-2021 NAH Competitive Series

🚨Please see our updated post about the upcoming season and COVID-19


This year we find ourselves in a unique position. For the first time ever we have significant advanced notice of the next World Hardcourt Bike Polo Championship (WHBPC): it will be held in July 2021. With that knowledge, we are able to preplan two full seasons of NAH tournaments.

2020 Regional Qualifiers will be the qualification grounds for the 2020 North American Bike Polo Championship (NAHBPC) which in turn will be the qualification grounds for the 2021 WHBPC. This will ensure that all qualified teams have adequate time to raise funds, plan their trip, and collect any travel documents required for travel to Europe.

In spring 2021 we will, as usual, host our Regional Qualifiers. The 2021 Qualifiers will be the qualification grounds for the 2021 NAHBPC. The 2021 NAHBPC will take place after the 2021 WHBPC and will not be a qualification grounds for the 2021 WHBPC*. As in other years where we have not had a WHBPC to qualify for, the NAHBPC will be the climax of the 2021 season in North America.

Timeline

Tournament Dates Year
Regional Qualifier ‘20 April-July 2020
NAHBPC ‘20 Sep-Nov 2020
Regional Qualifier ‘21 April-June 2021
WHBPC ‘21 July 2021
NAHBPC ‘21 Aug-Oct 2021

*These decisions were made with Regional Rep support and after consideration of the scheduling logistics for this year and 2021 season. Logistically, we cannot use the 2021 Regional Qualifiers and 2021 NAHBPC to qualify teams for the WHBPC because there will not be enough time to host all required tournaments. In addition, this schedule provides qualified teams a greater chance of attending the 2021 WHBPC in Europe by providing them with enough time to get needed travel visas, arrange travel, request time off work, raise funds, etc.

For any questions regarding the NAH competitive series, please contact Mark Aseltine directly at mark@nahardcourt.com.

Call for 2020 NAHBPC Bids

Welcome to the official call for host bids for the 2020 NAHBP!

This year we are hoping to host the NAHBPC in the fall. Ideally, the event should occur in October or November. If you would like to host outside of this time window, please contact Mark, the NAH Tournament Director, to discuss the feasibility.

Call for bids is open effective immediately and will close on Monday, March 23rd. The announcement of the successful host club will follow thereafter.

Amenities Needed

For a full list of the amenity requirements, please see the brand new NAHBPC Host Handbook. A minimum of two courts is required but ideally, three courts are made available. The facility should also have basic player amenities such as shade, water, toilets, and access to food for purchase. Organizer amenities, such as power and reffing stands and tables, should be provided. The NAH Events Team will work closely with the host club to outline responsibilities and requirements and help supervise and assist in organizing the tournament.

How to Apply

We feel that with a year under their belts the NAH Events Team has the ability to support any club in North America to take on hosting the 2020 NAHBPC and we encourage you to submit a bid. Interested hosts should consider how else they would fundraise for the NAHBPC in conjunction with NAH funds. Bids and questions should be submitted via email to (events@nahardcourt.com) with the documents provided here.

For any questions regarding the competitive portion of the event, please contact Mark Aseltine directly at mark@nahardcourt.com.

For any questions about the general running of the event, please contact Shannon Frey directly at events@nahardcourt.com.