The 3-2-1: How GVL Defends
A goalie, a second defender, and one player on the ball. Here's how GVL Bike Polo's 3-2-1 defense works, and how the 1 and 2 switch when the defender gets beat.
Bike Polo Rules: Body Contact Penalties
Bike polo allows some contact, but not all of it. This post covers where the ruleset draws the line on charging, holding, extension, head contact, trapping, and flagrant fouls, plus how the Ref judges each one.
Bike Polo Rules: Mallet Penalties
Your mallet is for the ball, not for other players. This post covers slashing, high sticking, jamming, hooking, throwing, and dropping your mallet, and what each one looks like on the court.
City Squad Recap: Swamp Rabbits Take Birmingham
Five Swamp Rabbits headed to Birmingham for City Squad, played on a brand-new court in the heat, and came home champs after a three-way tie. Here’s how the weekend went.
When and How to Shoot Under Pressure
Sometimes the best shot is the one you don’t take. Here’s why GVL is selective about shooting, what “sending it home” means, and how to get a shot off with a defender on you.
Bike Polo Rules: Bike Handling Penalties
Put a foot down and you're out of the play until you tap in at half court. This post covers dabbing, toppling, and bike-on-bike contact: what's allowed, what isn't, and how the Ref calls it.
Shooting 101: Making Goals That Count
Scoring takes a while to click in bike polo. Here’s what counts as a goal under the NAH rules, the shots worth learning first and where to aim. Come practice at Tuesday skills night!
Bike Polo Rules: Technical Penalties
Some penalties have nothing to do with contact. They're about timing, attitude, and positioning. This post covers delay of game, unsportsmanlike conduct, interference, illegal substitutions, and crease violations.
Carolina Winter League, Finals: The Golden Ghouls Win the First Season
The Golden Ghouls came in as the 3 seed and won three straight to take the first Carolina Winter League title. Finals results, final standings, awards, and a thank-you to the volunteers who made all four days possible.
Carolina Winter League, Day 3: Seeding Settled at Gateway Park
Round-robin play wrapped up at Gateway Park in Travelers Rest. Southeast of Heaven took the top seed, and a three-way tie at 6 points came down to head-to-head records.
Carolina Winter League, Day 2: Four-Way Tie in Charlotte
The league moved to Sugar Creek Park in Charlotte for a warm, cloudy second day. The Golden Ghouls and Good Luck With That! both went 2–0, and four teams left tied at the top of the standings.
Carolina Winter League, Day 1: A Wet Start in Asheville
The first Carolina Winter League opened in the rain at Malvern Hills Park in Asheville. Volunteers kept the court clear, three of five games ended tied or within a goal, and Purple Reign finished the day on top.
Bike Polo Rules: Penalty Format
How a Ref decides how serious a foul is, and what happens next. This post covers ball turnovers, minors, majors, player advantage, penalty shots, and how repeat fouls escalate. Start here before the posts on specific penalties.
Playing at Lakeside Park
After weeks of repair and a full month of play, GVL Bike Polo’s time at Lakeside Park came to a pause. This post reflects on what July showed us about shared space, community care, and the limits of temporary solutions.
Ref, Goal Judge, Timekeeper: The Invisible MVPs of Tournament Day
Every game needs someone with a whistle, someone watching the goal, and someone running the clock. Here’s what refs, goal judges, and timekeepers do, and why newer players can step in too.
Bike Polo Rules: Ball Handling
Who has possession, what counts as a shot, and how long you can hold the ball in your mallet. A guide to shuffles, scoops, ball-jointing, and the 2-second rule, so you know why a goal did or didn't count.
The Start and End of Every Tournament: Court Setup and Breakdown
A tournament starts with tools and a crew and ends with trash bags and thank-yous. Here’s what goes into building and taking down a bike polo court, and how to help even if it’s your first time.
How to Be a Good Guest at a Tournament You’re Not Organizing
You didn’t organize the tournament, and you still have a role. Here’s how visiting players can support the host club, respect the space, stay on schedule, and be a house guest people want back.
Bike Polo Rules: Game Mechanics
From the opening joust to the final whistle: how games start, when the clock stops, how play restarts, and what counts as a goal. Section 4 of the NAH Ruleset, with diagrams.
Bike Polo Rules: Tournament Formats
How teams get ranked, how brackets work, how long games are, and why tournaments ask players to ref. A guide to Section 3 of the NAH Ruleset for first-time tournament players and anyone thinking about organizing one.