SCA

SCA in Mobile

We tried something new.  The Society for Creative Anachronism is a close combat marshal art using armor and weapons from the ancient times to about the mid 1500's.  The goal is to tag your opponent hard enough to be considered killed.  That's the watered down version.  Training is long and disciplined but fun as all get out.  

  

Zombie and I went to Sage park in Mobile, AL, to check these guys out.  Signed a waiver, got some basic instructions, and then they spared with us.  The folks that run this are a good crowd!  They were very careful for us not to get hurt and made sure that we did everything properly.  There is no cost to join but you need to be at least 16 but there is a youth league.  They even let us borrow equipment until we get our own.  

SCA Combat is a global thing.  They square off at tourneys and hold large scale battles all around the world.  Gulf Wars is a huge event that's more local.  Folks spend about a week living in the past and having a top level nerd fest.  

Keep in mind, this is NOT LARP.  Live Action Role Play is pretending to fight.  This is actual contact combat.  Just like any other sport, bruises and getting your bell rung are going to happen and not for the week kneed. This group trains in one of the most humid cities of the US in the hottest part of the day.  Training is strict and serious.  We were not allowed to spar each other because we are new and still learning control and the rules.

Weapons very.  most use sword and shield.  You can learn the pike, spear, ax, pole ax, and so on.  Projectiles are thing to!  Bow and arrow, crossbow, ballista, and even catapult are in this.  Sage park has a restriction with practicing with projectiles currently so they do that somewhere else. The only thing not allowed are morning stars (incorrectly known as a mace).  These weapons are not metal but think more like as negotiating sticks with a layer of duct tape around them.

The group meets at Sage Park around 1PM every Sunday until 4ish.  Come out and take a look.  Bring a folding chair, towel, and some water.  You can find them on FaceBook and their website:

http://www.baronyosprey.org/