Athlete of the Week: Jamie Mirikitani

Jamie Mirikitani grew up in Hawaii on the island of Oahu and was introduced to polo by his stepfather. Mirikitani played throughout high school and in college at Arizona State. Mirikitani has had many polo-playing opportunities, including playing for team Canada in Australia and even being flown from Arizona State to California and back every Friday and Sunday for a season to play at the 18-goal level. Mirikitani’s brother, Brent, also plays professionally at the Sarasota Polo Club.

How long have you been playing polo, and how did you get into the sport?
Probably since I was 14. We lived in Hawaii, and my brother, Brent, and I learned to play from our stepdad. I’ve been playing professionally for about 10 years.

What is the main thing you need to know playing polo?
The biggest problem is the riding. A lot of people start when they’re older, and if they haven’t ridden, that’s the biggest challenge. Hitting the ball is the easier part.

What is your favorite part about polo?
The biggest thrill is that I train a lot of my own horses, and I buy them when they’re young, and it takes two years to train them. It’s nice seeing them start off as young and not knowing anything about polo and training them. Then, hopefully, they become good; it’s exciting when you get a good one.

Do you hope your kids will play polo one day?
I hope so, but I’m not pushing them. They are 9 and 6, and I’m waiting until they get a little bit older.