Atlanta's BEST Academy has set a historical precedent by debuting the first all-Black high school polo team, making its appearance at the Atlanta Polo Party at Bouckaert Farm. The event, which took place over the weekend, showcased the team's newly acquired skills in a sport usually overlooked by more mainstream athletics, challenging a seasoned team from Forsyth, as reported by Here Atlanta.
Quinn Ramsey, the team's captain, highlighted his excitement in reaching out into the sport's world beyond the conventional approaches, acknowledging that many team members were new to polo only two years ago, but through devotion and training they've grown adept, "As soon as we got around the horses we learned fast. I think we are pretty ready," he said in a statement obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta.
The program's inception, a collaboration between fashion designer Miguel Wilson and his Ride to the Olympics Foundation, echoes his earlier efforts in establishing the pioneering polo team at Morehouse College, as both initiatives aim to navigate and break through the traditional demography of equestrian sports. BEST Academy principal, Robert Williams, communicated to FOX 5 Atlanta the underlying objectives of the program, stating, "We are showing them they can thrive in any environment," accentuating the broader educational motives that reach beyond just the playing field.
This sports endeavor, while resulting in an initial 5-0 loss, was not just about the score for the BEST Academy, but more about participation, representation, making their mark on the turf of a game with traditionally limited access to African American youth; Miguel Wilson in his vision for altering the layout of participants in polo, said, "This initiative exemplifies the American dream" according to Here Atlanta reports.
Sarah Ramsey, mother of the team's captain, saw the personal growth in her son, "It makes me really proud. He learned really fast," she told FOX 5 Atlanta, echoing the sentiment shared amongst other parents observing their children's development in leadership and confidence through the sport.
