The Polish Obstacle Course

Konrad Dudziak

Scott Holt

The Polish Obstacle Course

Origins:

The Polish Obstacle Course or POC, was first played oversees in Poland were it was called different names in different areas; one common name was "Manso". The creator and date the game was first played is unknown. The Game was played most often on beaches, were the lines were easily drawn in the sand, and on playgrounds with the help of some chalk.

It was made popular in America on the streets of Jersey City in the years of 2003-2005, where Konrad Dudziak, a native of Poland and then current student, remembered a game his father showed him when he was young. After sharing the idea with Scott Holt, a fellow student, they decided to give it a try. The course was drawn with chalk on the schoolyard, and played by a handful of friends.

The Game:

The game is quite simple and has many advantages:

• Can be played on any kind of terrain
• Can be played with any large number of people, and as few as two.
• Field size is adjustable
• Requires no sport specific attire

The Obstacle Course:

 

Objective: Reach the other teams base (marked grey and black) or eliminate every player on the opposing team

Rule: Stepping on or over a line will eliminate you from the game

How the game progresses:

• The Teams will start in the starting area (labeled 1 and 2)
• The players will try to push/pull and trick opposing team into stepping on and over the lines
• A player will try to run through the narrow pathway to escape the course. He will hide in the "ears" to avoid getting push out of bounds by the opposing team
• Once a player exits the course, he will have to enter it again on the opposing team's side, make it through their narrow path and touch their base.

You Tube Video Of POC played on Grass

Saint Peter's Preparatory School

Downtown Jersey City

The Rise and Fall:

The game caught on and it became a school sensation and quickly was the game of choice at Saint Peter's Prep. Its boom in popularity followed an exponential growth pattern for 7 weeks until SPP dean's office officially banned the game, citing that students began being increasingly late to classes as a result of the game, and the game resulted in the ripping and tearing of school uniforms. The game was still played after school hours, of school property or in defiance of school orders for in the following years.

Quick Fact:

"The Game" remained nameless for the first month. Students started calling it The "Polish Obstacle Course" to honor the game's origin, as well as describe the games simple design. Others referred to it simply as the "Cool Game Outside." POC became the more common name at the end of the 2004 school year.