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Author Topic: Forming a Saber Club  (Read 12568 times)

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Offline Jedi Loreen

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Re: Forming a Saber Club
« Reply #15 on: August 23, 2010, 03:01:18 AM »
I am lucky enough to belong to an organized saber club that meets every Wednesday night at a local park in Orange County California. We call it the Orange County Saber Academy, it's a offshoot of the Orange County Fan Force/Star Wars Society. So, we were already a group of Star Wars geeks, some of us just got interested in starting a saber club and learning how to fight.

We have anywhere from 6 to 14 (sometimes even more) people show up on a regular basis.

Everyone must read and sign our Rules and Regulations. Since we are a part of a local Fan Force Club, we also have a Liability Waiver that everyone must read, fill out and sign before the are allowed to fight with us.

Once that formality is taken care of, an instructor will work with the new person to make sure they understand and can follow the rules, and know the basic moves and get a little training to make sure they are safe to fight with the others in class, then we let them join in.

We aren't just a bunch of people flailing around randomly at each other with lightsabers, we have a lot of organized team games that make the class a lot of fun. We've been doing this for 6 years now, so the Park Rangers are all used seeing us out there, and the police also know what we do.

We do a big choreographed show every year for a local Relay For Life event for the American Cancer Society and we are going to start trying to do more smaller shows for other Charity Events.

But mostly we are about actual fighting.

We have a lot of poor college students, and not everyone can afford a lightsaber, but most everyone can afford $25-30 for a Kendo shinai, so that's what we usually use. These also don't get dented when you drop them on the concrete basketball courts where we practice.  ::)

We also have some members who build special weapons by disassembling and reusing the parts of shinais, usually combined with large dowels. We have great swords, pole arms, double bladed sabers and even padded mace like weapons we call "wompers". Each new weapon must be inspected for good construction and safety, tested and approved before it can be used in class.

These weapons are now available for anyone to use, if they are cleared on that weapon class. To get cleared, an instructor will have them use the weapon to fight all the different weapons we have, teaching them how to use it properly and the techniques that work against these various weapons.

To fight Florentine style (saber in each hand) you must also be cleared before you can fight this way in class.

Even though we only fight using 50% power, we still have a few injuries now and then. Often, it's caused by someone running into their opponents blade tip as the were moving forward to attack, or deflecting their opponents blade into their own face (I got a nasty black eye from that a few years back). But since we do hit each other, we have to expect to at least get bruises, I usually end up with a bruise or two every week. But I don't mind, it's to be expected. We're not doing basket weaving.  ;)

But all-in-all, our class is a lot of fun and we have had a pretty good turn out every week for years. A lot of people have found out about our class through our Fan Force/Star Wars Society website, and sometimes people just see us at the park and get interested in joining in.
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Offline Darth Midian

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Re: Forming a Saber Club
« Reply #16 on: August 23, 2010, 11:03:03 AM »
Thank you everyone for your input,  J-Lo thank you for taking the time to explaine the structure of your group.  You posted alot of useful information.  We definately don't want to be a bunch nuts wacking each other with lightsabers, & foam swords. We have thought about a waiver, & we have briefly discussed some rules all ready.  Thank you everyone for your input, I'll keep everyone posted on the progress.  Thank you.
« Last Edit: August 23, 2010, 11:07:14 AM by Darth Midian »

Offline Darth Vectivus2

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Re: Forming a Saber Club
« Reply #17 on: August 23, 2010, 01:39:45 PM »
Jm, I know how you feel.  I've been watching all sorts of cool stuff on you tube & bummed none of it is around me.  I know there's a club in Cinnci, but that's about a 2 hour ride.  So I started talking to my friend about forming a club.  We're still discussing things that would like to do, xxx we're still figuring out what we're doing.  So far my thoughts are to find a place to meet, find some people that are interested, get together & see what happens.  I going with the theory of build it & they will come.  If there's members out there who are running or in a club please, your input is greatly appreciated.  Thanks

Lol, I know.  No one in the area, at least for me.  I might be able to set up a club, but there are only like four guys even in the metro area that I know of.
I would definetly drive to have meets and dueling sessions, and am considering at tax time setting up some sort of work area to start crafting PVC sabers similiar but no where near as awesome as Ultrasabers.  I know of a couple of guys as well but they need to get thier own sabers first
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Offline Jm419

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Re: Forming a Saber Club
« Reply #18 on: August 23, 2010, 02:16:31 PM »
Jm, I know how you feel.  I've been watching all sorts of cool stuff on you tube & bummed none of it is around me.  I know there's a club in Cinnci, but that's about a 2 hour ride.  So I started talking to my friend about forming a club.  We're still discussing things that would like to do, xxx we're still figuring out what we're doing.  So far my thoughts are to find a place to meet, find some people that are interested, get together & see what happens.  I going with the theory of build it & they will come.  If there's members out there who are running or in a club please, your input is greatly appreciated.  Thanks

Lol, I know.  No one in the area, at least for me.  I might be able to set up a club, but there are only like four guys even in the metro area that I know of.
I would definetly drive to have meets and dueling sessions, and am considering at tax time setting up some sort of work area to start crafting PVC sabers similiar but no where near as awesome as Ultrasabers.  I know of a couple of guys as well but they need to get thier own sabers first

Or just the funds for MHS parts.  That way, you could do the practices and everything, then before you drive up, have them all build their MHS sabers.
    


Offline Darth Midian

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Re: Forming a Saber Club
« Reply #19 on: August 23, 2010, 02:31:01 PM »
Darth Vectivus, I like building pvc sabers, check out my albums over at TCSS.  These are all the pvc sabers I have built.
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/album.php?albumid=176
This album is a step by step on how I build my pvc sabers.
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/album.php?albumid=201
A bit off topic sorry, but since we started talking about pvc, I thought I'd share.  
« Last Edit: August 23, 2010, 02:41:30 PM by Darth Midian »

Offline Lone Star Jedi

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Re: Forming a Saber Club
« Reply #20 on: November 01, 2011, 06:19:45 PM »
Sounds like you're getting some good advice. The Lone Star Jedi is set up similarly to Orange County Saber Academy. We have a Charter that everyone who becomes an official member agrees to. We're pretty new (only about seven months old) but we are about six official members strong with others that come and go.

We use community blades made out of PVC and padding for practice (You can make two for under $15 and have supplies left over). This makes it easier for more people to get involved. We use Ultra Sabers for performances. Never thought of purchasing a grab bag - thanks to whoever mentioned that.

We have different levels for members depending on their involvment. Youngling is a pre-member (so they can check out the group) and must sign a liability release. Padawan is where people decide to officially join the group and make a commitment by completing an "application". By the time members reach Jedi Knight, they are required to have a battle saber (from Ultra Sabers or "homemade") and are allowed to perform. The performances we do (or will do) are mostly to raise money for charities. There is more to it, but that's the basics.

We thought about joining NY Jedi's Saberwars, but are not looking at a franchise...just having fun and helping the community.

In January we will be charging dues to official members ($5 monthly) to cover costs of meetings, PR, Marketing, lease of a space and/or special needs the club may have.

Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lonestarjedi to get more ideas or if you have more questions.
« Last Edit: November 01, 2011, 06:25:20 PM by Lone Star Jedi »

Offline Lone Star Jedi

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Re: Forming a Saber Club
« Reply #21 on: November 01, 2011, 06:29:27 PM »
Darth Vectivus, I like building pvc sabers, check out my albums over at TCSS.  These are all the pvc sabers I have built.
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/album.php?albumid=176
This album is a step by step on how I build my pvc sabers.
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/album.php?albumid=201
A bit off topic sorry, but since we started talking about pvc, I thought I'd share.  

WOW! Those ROCK! Thanks for sharing!

 

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