Most people know that pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country, but if senior Hosea Johnson had his way, it would be polo. At 10 years old, Johnson started riding horses and only three years ago picked up his first mallet.
As his excitement for the sport grew, Johnson joined Charm City Polo Club, a team located in Owings Mill. For the past three years, he has practiced once a week with Charm City. Practices consist of trotting, fast-paced cantering and conclude with a mini-scrimmage. The team also does consistent work on progressing their overall skill with the mallet.
“We can’t leave the arena until we hit two penalty shots on goal. It’s like taking two free throws in basketball,” Johnson said.
Garrison Forest and his coaches own around 20 polo horses. At each practice, Johnson is assigned a horse for the day, tacks them up and gets them in the arena.
Johnsons competes in Maryland as well as Virginia against other club teams. When it comes down to the prelims, every February teams from different states travel to Maryland to play.
Due to polo not being an NCAA sport, Johnson is solely interested in colleges that have polo teams. Just like any other sport, Johnson will have to try out for a spot.
Johnson has been in touch with the University of Virginia polo coach as well as Yale and Virginia Tech.
When furthering his academics, Johnson plans to get his degree in veterinary medicine and open up his own vet clinic.
“I’ve loved horses all my life so I want to find a job that is more about them and help them out,” Johnson said.
Johnson wants to continue playing polo after getting his degree as well. He plans on playing at a higher level and traveling.
“As far as polo, after I settle down and achieve the things I want, I want to play semi-pro polo in a few different states and countries,” Johnson said.
When not on the polo field, Johnson has many other hobbies.
Johnson was a part of the Strathmore Social Justice and Arts Program where he got to see what social justice was in others eyes. Johnson also created a project called Black Beauty in Black Men.
“It was a self-made film as well as a series of photos of me with horses that described my life story on how horses changed me and the way I saw the world,” Johnson said.
His main goal was to shine light on the fact that men should be able to express their feelings and his project shows that it is okay for men to be vulnerable.
His hard work and positive message were recognized and his self-made film was presented at the Wooly Mammoth Theatre in D.C.
