Passing the baton—or the mallet, for this matter—down to Hope Kerley after her dad’s stint as a polo manager in Calgary Polo Club is nothing but an honor. As her role model who taught her everything about polo both on and off the field, following his footsteps is a dream come true.
It sure is a challenging role, but as a promising young talent, she takes pride in her position as a third generation polo player. Knowing the sport all her life is a huge advantage; add to it her passion for managing, and you get yourself a manager for keeps.
“Managing is something I feel I have always been meant for. I am very meticulous when it comes to my horses and organization, and have spent the past few years managing my family’s barn and horses,” Hope tells POLO LADY. “It wasn’t even a question if I wanted the job or not—management is a huge goal for so many people, so I had to jump on this opportunity the second it was offered!”
And it’s just the beginning of more exciting times ahead. This polo lady, apart from hopping on the saddle to hit goals, now juggles her schedule doing several things for the club. From team and tournament organization to planning social events, shopping for and presenting trophies to timing practices, these are just a few of the several tasks handed down to her. But she doesn’t mind—the experience is definitely one for the books.
“At the end of the day, I love the job because I have noticed myself grow,” Hope muses. “My first season of managing was a success and members were very happy for the most part. So knowing that is what makes it all worthwhile.”
As she continues to wade this not-so-foreign waters, the polo player has already placed walking paths towards certain goals for the club. Apart from personal growth, she wants to improve my club in every way possible and to keep having successful seasons. “In my eyes, a good polo manager is someone like Melanja Jones who can put a smile on everyone’s faces, but not be afraid to put her foot down when needed,” Hope points out.
Outside Calgary Polo Club, this active woman is also hopeful to pick up office or management jobs in other clubs. But as far as polo goes, the go-getter in her plans to buy, train, and sell successful horses as well as make a good name for herself!
“I can’t lie, polo consumes my whole life!” she exclaims. It’s as well as we can see—but if you happen to not find her tending to the club or the horses, Hope is probably checking out her other interests. “If I’m not managing or not in the saddle, my days consist of little to no free time. But when I do have a minute, it usually consists of grocery shopping, cooking, or watching Netflix!” she smiles.
