Black sports history was made in Virginia March 13 when four African-American boys became the first all-Black polo team to capture the U.S. Polo Association Interscholastic Championship at the Virginia Polo Center.
According to reports, Cowtown-Work to Ride (Cowtown-WTR), based in Fairmount Park Philadelphia, Pa. knocked off a Baltimore, Md.-based polo team, 24-17, in the 42nd annual national title game.
Winning polo championships maybe news to most Blacks, but its nothing unfamiliar to this group of African-American teens from West Philly. Cowtown-Work-WTR became the first all-Black group to win the regional championship last month. According to the Philly.com, Cowtown-WTR won the Northeast regional title in 2005 with Black riders, but also had one White rider on the team at the time.
Philly.com reports that Cowtown-WTR is a non-profit program founded in 1994 that offers urban youths riding lessons in exchange for labor.
Brandon Rease, one of the top players on the team, said polo is a sport you can easily get hooked on. “If you get involved with it and want to do really good in it, you just practice every day,” Rease told NBC29.com. “…. A sport is a sport, no matter if it’s for Black, White, anything.”
Team captain Kareem Rosser told reporters that winning the title was not only a major win for his teammates, but for everyone around them. “You know, not only did we do it for each other, but we did it for the polo community, and we did it for every other African-American young boy who comes from where we come from,” said Rosser.
“You know, we wanted to let everyone know that it was possible, and that whatever you put your mind to, you can actually do.”
