I believe that is the purpose of the proposed changes to the Div 3, to provide training and it is optional.  The 16 and 17 year olds who want to learn rattan will NOT be fighting in the adult list. I have always felt it was irresponsible to send anyone to the adult list without proper training. Over time I have observed that is what the practices are for and also the authorizations. If the fighter can not demonstrate adequate safety for himself and his opponent, he fails.

I am very glad to see this issue get addressed in our Kingdom and thank those who are making this a possibility. We live 30 miles south of a city, getting minors to participate was not our problem. The rules for not being able to actively marshal when you have a minor not your own "signed" over to you for the practice was a huge issue. And we have 3 at large youth marshals who regularly attended practices.

 

My step son is now 21 so for our family this is no longer a personal  issue. For the other two at large marshals in my area this still applies. One marshal has a son who aged out and is over 18 but one still is just shy of 17. The other marshal's son has moved on to fencing in a modern practice. The boys are friends but got very tired of hitting each other after 4+ years. Of these 4 boys, 2 have been Kingdom Youth Champions at least once, 3 have been Baronial Youth Champions and all have won a wide variety of tournaments in local events and at Pennsic..         

Our kids have asked to fight rattan for a very long time. Rather than continue to "lose" some of these youth fighters to the "underground", allowing them to officially receive training as they are approaching the adult list with increased standards for armor and other carefully spelled out criteria, in my opinion is the most responsible way to transition them.  To borrow the driver's permit idea, this would be the equivalent to driver's education. Not all kids attend, some do. 

As far as being able to calibrate and show control, all of our area youth fighters have worked with the younger kids many times and made us very proud of how they mentored the younger fighters. While not spelled out as a requirement in the Youth fighter rules, as parents and marshals, we insisted our kids perform service projects as part of the character building chivalry portion of the SCA.

 

Somewhere in these discussions, someone mentioned different shots and torque increasing shots.  At one practice someone thought teaching the butt wrap shot would be fun. What I wanted to share was that as a mom and marshal I was very much less than thrilled with this idea of a fun shot and when asking about the reasoning, the response was it is a legal shot. In my mind that pretty much goes along with rhino hiding.....When I see someone's head snap back and helmet ring, it makes me wonder how they did not feel the shot. Since I am not in that helmet, it is not for me to judge. Chivalry must prevail.

Nivah

 

  

 

 

As a Father who has two children in the youth combat program, one of which is nearing D3. I would like to know why, in my option, there seems to be a hasty rush to get the 16+ “children” fighting heavy without setting up training program first?

I do not see some form of a structured training academy that the children would attend in which they can then receive their “Youth” Rattan Combat Auth (“not“Adult, this does not mean that they cannot fight with the adults, think of it as a learner’s permit to drive) in this "purposed" changes. Some form of a training academy that would teach the children disciplined restraint over their young urges to going off half cocked and hurt themselves and or others with their lack of experience and control over their weapons. 

Parents whom have or had children in that age ranges know what I am meaning with the zealous of young adolescence.   

Come to think of it, why hasn’t there been such an academy set up for the adults as well? Many new and old fighters could befit from such programs.

Andreas

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