Arizona Coyotes star to make polo debut at 11th annual Scottsdale Polo Championships

Shane Doan will play for Arizona Polo Club

Former Arizona Coyotes captain Shane Doan will join the long list of great players who have taken to the field during The Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships: Presented by Talking Stick Resort.

Doan, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, will turn his skates for riding boots, hockey sticks for a mallet, and the puck for a polo ball to try his hand at polo, according to a press release.

Doan has represented Team Canada numerous times in international play, and has won five medals (two gold, three silver) at the World Championships. He helped Canada win the World Cup championship in 2004 and was also a member of Canada’s 2006 Winter Olympic team. In 2022, Doan was also general manager of Team Canada’s Olympic Hockey Team at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

A longtime equestrian enthusiast, Doan will spend September and October training and learning how to play the sport under the guidance of Andres Camacho, Diego Florez and Natalie Camacho of the Arizona Polo Club so that he can represent and join the local club on the field when America’s Greatest Polo Party returns Nov. 5. 

“I’ve been riding horses my entire life and even had a horse ranch for many years. I have always been fascinated by the fast paced, action packed game of polo and now that I’m retired I feel like it’s a good time in my life to try the sport and see if I can put some of my hockey skills to good use and play polo. I don’t know how good I’m going to be but I’m excited to give it try and make my polo playing debut here at the Scottsdale Polo Party,” said Doan.

Doan was introduced to the event last year when he was honored with the day’s “First Drop” to start the match. This is similar to the first pitch in baseball. Last year more than 13,000 fans turned out for the one-day event, the press release stated.

Doan will be one of several new players and elements for this year. Among the polo teams confirmed to play in 2022 are: the United Kingdoms’ Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club and Wales Polo Team, Aspen Valley Polo Club, USA Women’s Team, Switzerland, The El Paso-Naranjo Polo Club and Arizona Polo Club.

Top U.S. polo Star Nic Roldan returns as well to play alongside the first family of American polo, Marc and Melissa Ganzi, who are the event’s defending champions and own the Aspen Valley Polo Club.

Gates will open at 10 a.m. on Nov. 5.

Tickets and tables are now on sale at ThePoloParty.com.