Atlanta’s BEST Academy makes history with first all-Black high school polo team

FAIRBURN, Ga. - Students at Atlanta’s BEST Academy made history this weekend as the first all-Black high school polo team in the country.

What we know:

The team showcased its talents Sunday at the Atlanta Polo Party at Bouckaert Farm, facing off against a team from Forsyth.

What they're saying:

Quinn Ramsey, captain of the team, said polo has given him an opportunity to take part in something unique.

"Rather than basketball, swimming and regular sports that everyone plays, I’m just happy I had the opportunity to play polo," Ramsey said.

He added that when the team first started two years ago, most of them knew little about the sport. "As soon as we got around the horses we learned fast. I think we are pretty ready," he said.

The program was co-founded by fashion designer Miguel Wilson and his Ride to the Olympics Foundation, which also launched the first polo team at a historically Black college, Morehouse College.

BEST Academy Principal Robert Williams said the program is about more than learning a new sport.

"We are showing them they can thrive in any environment," Williams said. "They are learning how to be a part of a polo team, how to have courage and build confidence. Every door is open for them."

Parents say the team has had a positive impact on the students, including Ramsey’s mother, Sarah, who said polo has helped her son grow as both an athlete and a leader.

"It makes me really proud. He learned really fast," she said. "When he comes to practice, he is calm afterwards. It calms him down."

Ramsey, who hopes to pursue a career in law enforcement, said the sport has taught him discipline, teamwork and respect.

"It taught me discipline and how to listen more, and how important it is to follow directions," he said.