Bike polo and Melbourne's alternative sporting scene

When you’re talking edgy Sunday arvo hangouts, a barren netball court isn’t high up the hip list. But the Flagstaff Gardens destination does offer two things – a flat expanse of concrete, and a set of BBQs. And for Melbourne’s determined and slightly deranged bike polo devotees, there’s little more you need.

The bike poloists – brandishing ski-poles with homemade poly-piping “heads” as mallets – meet twice a week to balance gingerly on two wheels while whacking at a hockey ball. And they’re not alone in their unconventional pursuits. Melbourne’s alternative sporting scene is dominated by roller derby girls, dodge-ballers, and daredevils on every type of wheel-bearing contraption around. Footy, cricket and tennis take a dull backseat to the high-powered new breed of athletic endeavours storming our sport-obsessed city.

Damon Rao has been playing bike polo for about six years. He took it up in Canada – and decided the sport was a perfect fit for bike-loving Melbourne. In fact, it beat him back home, and he joined the fledging local group upon arrival.

Since then, Melbourne teams (three-member teams play 15 minute matches) have taken to dominance. Damon’s eyeing his fourth Australasian Championship in Perth at the end of March, and the chance to go international. Barring unforeseen disaster, that is.

“About 10 per cent of players get hit in the face (with a mallet or the ball) so I wear a helmet guard,” Damon explains. “But overall, there’s less injuries than you’d think.”

On the sidelines, the sport looks frenetic. But a day’s play also involves a BBQ, post-match beers.. and pre-match beers. “Where we used to play, it was a school so we couldn’t drink – numbers really dwindled!” explains organiser Andy.

Among the beer-drinkers, prettily-frocked ladies sit on the sidelines, pretty bikes beside them. They’re from the Frocks on Bikes collective, a group aimed at promoting female cycling. Girls do play bike polo, Damon tells us – but sweaty blokes dominate today.

It was a similar scenario that Sasha Strickland, owner of Pony Bike in West Melbourne, found at the city’s “alleycat” events. The hectic fixie cycle races regularly get 50 participants, but Sasha says only three or four girls were lining up to compete.

“A lot of girls felt intimidated by the boys (but) we could tell that they did want to be involved,” she explained.

Now, Sasha’s all-girl alleycat is one of the dozen or so that speed through the city’s back streets every year.

And on Melbourne Cup Day, it’s a back street event that takes on the nation-stopping race. The Easement Street Derby billy kart event attracts a crowd of hundreds, to gaze in awe as home-grown Kneivels line up for the heart-stopping downhill race. Again, the beer flows freely.

In fact, beer is a common-ground attraction for many of Melbourne’s alternative sports – but it’s the feats of unconventional agility and daring that make the city’s sporting hearts beat faster.

Sun, from Jan
Melbourne Bike Polo, afternoon competitions and scratch matches.

COMING UP:

Sat 3 Mar
South Sea Roller Derby presents BRAWLESQUE, Springers Leisure Centre, 400 Cheltenham Rd, Keysborough. $10.

Sun 4 Mar
Annual Naked Bike Ride, from Edinburgh Gardens, Fitzroy. FREE.

Fri 9 Mar
Uninats 2012 – unicycle competitions including hockey and basketball at various Melbourne locations.

Wed, from Feb
Melbourne Dodgeball 2012 season in Bulleen.

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