NEWS

The Team USPA Executive Training program, launched this year, was created in an effort to remedy a major issue that the sport of polo faces- a lack of sponsor development. Many young players are forced to take a “hiatus” in their polo playing to develop careers outside of polo and generate a stable income. They then return to the sport much later in life. The mission of the Team USPA Executive Training program is to aid players who are pursuing a career outside of polo through job opportunities, mentorships and club access that also allows them to stay involved with the sport.

This past summer, Jonny Lavine interned with Sam Ramirez at the NYC Polo Club. In previous years Ramirez and his club provided similar opportunities for Team USPA members CB Scherer and Zac Grob. Ramirez hosted Lavine at his law office where Lavine was given the opportunity to work with his asset management team.

Lavine enjoyed his summer and felt that the Team USPA Executive Training program added to his polo and future career. "My internship and summer program at the NYC Polo Club was very beneficial to me in and outside the realm of polo. I was able to achieve an excellent understanding of how a polo club is managed as well as all the work that goes into keeping a club running. The experience helped my polo by giving me the opportunity to play and practice a lot. I was able to meet a sponsor who I may play with this upcoming winter season in Wellington, Florida. I was introduced to a variety of great contacts who I am sure will serve as valuable connections in the future. Outside of the polo club, I was able to go into the city to work inside Sam’s firm with him. This was an eye opener for me because I was able to see what it is like to work at a major firm. A lot of what I was doing served as a preview of what my finance and real estate major at UMiami holds for me in the future. This summer really helped me think about the different career paths that I may be interested in pursuing. I have always been in the car business with my father, as well as manufacturing. However, I have not been inside a formal working atmosphere such as Ramirez’s firm. Overall, the experience was a beneficial one and I would like to thank Sam Ramirez, the NYC Polo Club and Team USPA for letting me participate in their Team USPA Executive Training Program," said Lavine.

Ramirez also had positive feedback for Lavine and the program. "I thought the program worked well and Jonny did a great job. All tasks were completed well by Jonny. In addition, he singled some of the horses during the week. He communicated well and was helpful to new members and players.”

The program benefits Member Clubs by providing access to quality players, while also developing talented players who may return as sponsors in the future. Team USPA aims to further expand the program to enable Team USPA players placement in an executive training environment that is relevant to their desired career focus. Team USPA will be looking for more mentors who are interested in having a Team USPA player help them at their club in return for an internship position.

Team USPA would like to thank Jesse Weaver, the creator of the Team USPA Executive Training Program. Weaver came up with the idea for this program last year after going through the experience of playing polo professionally for several years post grad before making the decision to transition to a career outside of polo. He was able to stay involved in the sport while working a 9-5 job. He wanted to make a similar experience for Team USPA players who are going down this similar path. He recognized a major challenge that the USPA is facing right now in keeping young players involved in the sport who are pursuing traditional careers and has facilitated the creation of a great program to combat some of those challenges.