Name: Joy Poole
Birth year: 1942
Residence: Singleton, New South Wales, Australia
Hometown: Maitland, New South Wales, Australia
Profession: School Teacher, Principal
Education: Newcastle Teachers' College; Maitland Girls High School
Other interests: Writing, Coaching Softball
Equestrian affiliations: American Polocrosse Association, Board of Directors for the Australian Stockhorse Society, Board of Directors for New South Wales Polocrosse, J Star Australian Stockhorse Stud
Other equestrian interests: Horse History, Australian Stockhorse Coaching and Judging
Why I got into the sport: When I was 14, a school friend told me they were going to start a polocrosse club in Maitland, I had no idea of what polocrosse was but if horses were involved I thought it must be pretty good.
What I love about the sport: Polocrosse is about the horses. People often asked me when I had played for so long what was still the incentive and I would reply, "The horses." Every new horse is a new adventure. How will it play, what can it achieve. The players I coach are like the horses. Every new player I start with is a challenge and I work to produce the best result from that player. I get as much thrill out of seeing a player I have coached improve and do well as I did for myself when I played. I consider being invited to coach the USA team as a great honour and privilege. Since coaching the American team I have also learnt a lot from the attitude, commitment and selflessness of these players.
My Horses: Over the years I was fortunate in having some great horses. the two horses that took me to the top and kept me there were J Star Impact and J Star Felicity. Both these horses won countless pony prizes including National and State Awards. I had some great horses in the twilight of my career, J Star Canshe 11, J Star Fame, Bellfield Pirouette.
Accomplishments: Won the Australian National Polocrosse Titles 9 times as a player or a coach
2006 - Chosen as the "Aussie Sporting Icon" for our district and as a result had my photo on the front of the local telephone directory
2003 - Coached the USA team in the First World Cup
2000 - Awarded the Australian Sports Medal; was the motivator for the riders in the Opening Ceremony for the Olympic Games; organised the entertainment fillers at the Equestrian events for the Olympic Games including playing polocrosse; led the Northern leg of the Heritage Horse Ride from Broome to Sydney gathering messages of goodwill for the Olympic games and also showcasing polocrosse and the Australian Stockhorse
1993- Awarded the Order of Australia Medal for services to polocrosse as a player, coach and umpire
1991 - Coached Australia to win the Trans Tasman series
1988- Introduced the Level 1 Coaching Syllabus to Zimbabwe
1988 - Coached the first women's polocrosse team ever to travel overseas, defeated New Zealand in the Trans Tasman Series
1983- Introduced Polocrosse to Indonesia
1978- Invited to Papua New-Guinea to Coach and Umpire their National Titles |
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