Practicing with Ellerstina: High-Def Helmet Camera

This is really cool. The Ellerstina polo team (winners of the 2008 Argentine Open) mounted a high-definition camera on one of their player’s helmets. I’ve heard the player with the camera is supposed to be Facundo Pieres but I don’t know.

Regardless of who the camera is mounted on though, I think it’s interesting because we can watch the the player do many of the things our own pros and coaches have been trying to drill into us since we first started playing.

Some things to note while watching:

• Notice that throughout the practice, our player glances at the ball frequently but briefly. He doesn’t stare at the ball. He looks back, finds the ball, and then continues looking all around, not focusing on the ball.
• Our player is constantly swiveling his head, keeping a constantly updated vision of the layout of the field as the line of the ball changes and player formations change in response.
• Our player doesn’t chase the ball. He watches as the play unfolds and rides to meet the play, not the ball. The ball eventually finds its way to him, he doesn’t go hunting for it.
• He turns as soon as the opposing team takes possession of the ball. He doesn’t wait until the opposing team actually hits the ball, but rather he begins to turn as soon as it’s obvious that the opposing team will take possession. He turns in anticipation of the opposing team hitting the ball, not in reaction to them hitting the ball.
• He prepares the ball prior to big hits. Notice that he doesn’t ride up to the ball and take a monster swing. Instead he places the ball with a couple of taps and then hits big.