Please note: The following information refers to Sport of Kings III (August 2007). Information for Sport of Kings IV is forthcoming.

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A few words from Sir Ulfred

Sport Of Kings encompasses more than combat skills. I really want it to inspire colorful tournaments with colorful participants. However, in this missive I want to focus on the combat arts which is such a large part of the event.

Our form of combat is not a devolution of real warfare, but rather is an evolution from an idealized view of european, medieval warriors. We did not start with a system borrowed from historical records or traditions. We took some ideas about the effectiveness of arms and armor, threw in some chivalric ideas, and defined a simple set of ground rules for combat.

Starting with no expertise we embarked on a cycle of implmenting a style, teaching the style, devising new methods to defeat the style, creating new styles. Over time, in the test of battle, some styles proved less effective and fell from favor. Other styles survived to coexist and compete on the field of honor and for favor amongst practitioners. We have yet to arrive at codified schools with unified language, standardized lessons and certified trainers.

Sport Of Kings wants to help combatants experience a broad influence of ideas and methods for explaining those ideas. Our belief is this promotes a higher skill level in tournament competition, leading to better entertainment as a spectator and participant.

We bring together many accomplished practitioners and ask them to share their knowledge and skills. These teachers achieved their success through self defined programs. During their careers they developed a system to analyze and hone their approach to combat. They use a personal blend of terminology, training methods, metaphors and tools - sometimes of their own creation and other times borrowed - to explain concepts such as movement, control of an engagement, training regimens, proper technique.

Some are very experienced teachers who have settled on the methods they find most effective in training. Others, are successful at combat but new to teaching, and thus are still exploring the best way to pass on their knowledge and skills. There is a lot of variety to choose from when looking for a teacher.

But the student should not believe that teaching combat skills is just a problem of the instructors ability.

A students personal history of physical activity can aid or inhibit the learning process. Unbalanced physical development, level of athleticism or old injuries can effect what is possible and surely introduces nuances in executing a technique. Students also have unique frames of reference that influence the translation of verbal and visual examples into kinesthetics.

Students have different emotional and sensory thresholds, leading to different tolerance for aspects such as - intense sessions of information processing; distracting environments; frustration with personal performance; perseverence during pain and exhaustion.

Remain open to the message each instructor is presenting. You are likely to hear many ways to say the same thing. Common themes will emerge from the various classes. You are taken down many different paths and what you see and understand from the journey down those paths has perhaps as much value as the destination.

Absorb what you can from the experience, knowing that if you leave with only a few immediate personal revelations you are doing well. Hopefully, much of the benefit unfolds during the next year as you continue to work on your skills. Something remembered but not understood may suddenly become clear. Find inspiration and have fun.

Sir Ulfred

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