I would like to introduce myself as the new Junior Schools section manager. My name is Sarah Styler and I have been helping with various SUPA events over the last twelve months as well as having three of my four children playing regularly in SUPA tournaments for several years.

Firstly I would like to thank Pam Cowley for all her hard work over the past years and for leaving a thriving junior section with some loyal and established school teams as a base. However, I would like to continue with the SUPA ethos of making polo available to all children and give everyone the opportunity to play.

It was only when my daughter Annie went to a polo playing school that I discovered SUPA existed, and thus my older daughter had missed out on the excellent opportunities SUPA has to offer. I know there are other players out there who do not go to our traditional polo playing schools or who have only one or two players within the school. The issue is how to alert these players and include them within SUPA. I have a few ideas on how to spread the word and one or two already in motion, and would be grateful for any suggestions.

It would be marvellous to offer a workable Combined section in the junior tournaments, just as Mike has done with the Universities section. Any individual from any school will be encouraged to enter the tournaments and be placed in well-balanced teams to ensure an even competition. We all know polo can be costly and I would like the Junior section to have a selection of sticks and safety equipment for the children to borrow for the tournaments.

The exciting thing about the Junior section is being able to give the children a good start in a safe environment from an early age. We have some exceptional coaches involved in SUPA and I would love to begin Junior training days in the school holidays. My hope is for the junior section to thrive and become more inclusive and to make junior polo more affordable,  more accessible and great fun.