There are competitive sports, participatory sports and spectator sports. For the most part, polo is a spectator sport.

Nowhere do they view polo like they do in Lititz.

"You're disconnected from technology," said Elizabeth Beck, the president of the Lancaster Polo Club's six-member board of directors. "You can really unplug and reset. It's very much a respite, but there's also some excitement. It's a really great blend of what you imagine of polo. It's camaraderie, and you're enjoying the day, the time and the people who you're with."

A Sunday afternoon in the summer with the Lancaster Polo Club is more of an outing or social gathering than it is a sporting event.

Sure, the players, the equines, the sportsmanship, the horsemanship and the action are the main focus of attention. But there's just as much going on off the massive grassy playing field as there is on it.

"The vast majority of the members of our club are spectators," said Beck. "We have made a more concerted effort to try to bring people into the sport. Sometimes it can feel unattainable because it's so niche. There's a lot of education. It's a complicated sport. We're trying to bridge that gap."

The Lancaster Polo Club hosts home matches on every summer Sunday in Rothsville, at the tree-lined Forney Field, 70 Church St., Lititz. The two-hour matches begin at 2:30 p.m., but gates open at 1 p.m., allowing plenty of time for pregame festivities like tailgating, socializing and food trucks.

The Lancaster Polo Club's 16- to 18-match season began on June 14 and will run through the end of September. The matches, which are made up of four or six 7.5-minute periods or 'chuckers,' feature competitors in male, female, children, beginner and advanced categories, as well as some combination of all of those.

The matches, some of which are sponsored by local businesses and community members, are open to the public, and there are fees associated with admission. Spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets.

"I want to convey a sense of openness to that curiosity," said Beck. "I want people to come and experience it. It's very welcoming. When someone's new, that's where the friendship starts. It starts with coming to your first match. It really is a wonderful sport, a wonderful community. You really can only experience it by being there."

Once known as "the Sport of Kings," polo is played by two teams of four players, each on horseback. Each side uses teamwork, strategy, riding skills and a long mallet to advance the ball down the field and ultimately through the other team's goal posts.

"You kind of don't know until you do know," said Beck, who was introduced to polo by her parents more than 30 years ago. "It's kind of one of Lancaster County's best-kept secrets. It's the oldest team sport in the world. It's a fascinating sport. It's an intense sport. It's a Sunday afternoon tradition. It's really the embodiment of community."

This year marks the Lancaster Polo Club's 86th season. Currently, the club boasts more than 80 members, only six of whom are players.

"We get people traveling in," said Beck. "There are no set (player) rosters. Sometimes players will go to other clubs and play. It's kind of like, 'Who's available?' Each player is assigned a handicap, and teams are structured by those handicaps. Polo is a migratory sport. It's played in the winter down south. About this time in the south, it's getting too hot for the horses and the players.

"Over the last three years, we've made a concerted effort to spread the word," concluded Beck. "We've been more thoughtful about the types of events we're pushing out."

For additional information, go to https://lancasterpoloclub.com.