North Hollywood — Sara Livingston, 20, of Tarzana, fails to stop a shot by Brian Russell, 29, from Los Feliz as the two cross mallets at the North Hollywood Recreation Center skating rink on Oct. 24, 2010. In the last 2 years, both polo-specific bikes and manufactured mallets have emerged, though the vast majority of players still make their own mallets from ski poles and a variety of plastic pipe.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=16305

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North Hollywood — Fontana bike-polo player Amanda Wainscott, 26, has played for a year and a half. She wears a lacrosse face mask for protection.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=16306

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North Hollywood — A player's fixed-gear wheel is decorated for a day of bike polo. Enthusiasts of the scrappy game are asking for a L.A. to sanction space, where they hope one day to host world-class tournaments.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=16307

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North Hollywood — Alex "Joker" Dash, 29, of North Hollywood, center, collides with Los Feliz player Jeremy Woods, 31, left, and Sara Livingston, 20, of Tarzana. According to Dash, a player for more than three years, one of the main rules of the game is, a rider cannot touch the ground with his of her foot, which is called dabbing. If a rider dabs, he must leave play immediately, ride to center court and tap the wall before returning to the game. Physical contact is similar to that of roller hockey: Light body checking and stick checking are OK, but full-on ramming with the bike is not allowed.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=16308

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North Hollywood — Two-year player Craig Weidert, 26, from North Hollywood, topples but comes up smiling.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=16309

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North Hollywood — Mallets are placed in the fence for the next match during a day of bike polo at the North Hollywood Recreation Center skating rink on Oct. 24, 2010. In the past 2 years, both polo specific bikes and manufactured mallets have emerged, though the vast majority of players still make their own mallets from ski poles and a variety of plastic pipe.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=16310

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North Hollywood — Jeremy Woods prepares to go on the offensive.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=16311

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North Hollywood — Using an orange street hockey ball about the size of a tennis ball, a game is played "first to five points," in which a player hits the ball through a bike-wide goal designated by two cones.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=16312

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