University of Virginia Library

Dede D'Orsi

Polo Falls As Bastion Of Masculinity

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By HOLLY SMITH

Polo is one of the rougher team
sports, requiring considerable riding
ability and a generous dose of raw nerve.
But for University coed Dede D'Orsi
there was an added hurdle to overcome in
mastering polo-the preconception that it
is a "males only" sport.

The second year graduate education
student joined the polo club at the
beginning of October and started helping
to exercise the club's ponies at
Farmington Hunt Club. (There are several
girls in the organization who help keep
the horses in shape and clean the tack.)

She quickly gained a fair amount of
proficiency at "stick and ball," not a
surprising development, since Miss
D'Orsi's athletic abilities have won her
championships in surfing, skiing and
horseback riding.

"They helped me and really didn't
expect me to get good," she explained,
referring to the male members of the club
who play at the junior varsity and varsity
levels.

Although Miss D'Orsi's potential was
apparent she had to "really push" to be
included in the mid-week scrimmages
which go on in preparation for the
weekend games. "They were afraid I
might get hurt. They kept asking me
'Why do you want to scrimmage? I told
them that it was like playing tennis; you
want to play a set, not just always hit the
ball against the backboard."

This coed is not the type of person to
do anything half way. She races for the
University ski team and has won the
Virginia Intercollegiate giant slalom race
for two years in a row now.

This fall she was chosen to represent
the New York area in the East Coast
Surfing Championship at Cape Hatteras,
N.C. She has also worked as a tennis
instructor and played varsity lacrosse.

Why fight to be on the polo squad? "I
need a sport that challenges me" she
explained. "Polo is something that I'm
not that good at yet-it's something
new."

Eventually Miss D'Orsi was included in
the Wednesday and Friday inter-squad
scrimmages, which often are just as rough
as the Sunday varsity games.

"You should see all the bruises I
have" she remarked offhandedly. Then
with the beginning of a smile on her face
she added, "I'm one of the guys when I'm
on the field. They don't treat me any
differently."

She continued practicing as often as
possible-usually four times a week-then
one day she received the final stamp of
approval-the command to "bring your
whites," meaning that she should suit up
on the chance that she would be put in
the junior varsity game.

Several weeks ago she was set to play
in the third chukka against the Harvard
JV team, but she missed her chance when
the Harvard team arrived late and only
two chukkas were played.

This Friday she may again have a shot
at being the first woman, at least as far as
anyone can remember, to play in
intercollegiate polo. If the game is going
well she will be put in to ride against
Cornell in the 3 p.m. JV game at
Farmington. "I would really like to play
Cornell just to see the expressions on
their faces" she grinned.

Photo By John Alexander

Virginia Coed May Play Against Cornell

She Has Mastered Skiing And Surfing; Polo Is Next