A long time ago, in 1977, not far far away Geogre Lucas and his team created a movie that is still the favorite movie of many citizens. The movie becomes a saga, the community becomes wider, ready to do many things to create as many things in the real world as it happens in the movie. This is also the case with the Lightsaber fencing as well which is pursued by many people around the world. In France lightsaber is one of the 4 official weapons in the field of fencing, in Western-Europe there are many organizations dealing with lightsaber fencing. Lightsaber is connecting a new generation with a traditional sport by giving innovation to the sport but not replacing it. Fencing develops concentration, self-control, general vision, decision making ability, stress management, flexibility, strategic thinking and tactic intelligence; it improves creativity, reactivity, reflexes; it teaches important values as respect for the rules, for our-selves, for the adversary. We believe that lightsaber fencing should give these values to the people, but also help the padawan to express himself/herself through the acting. Not only the individual develops through sport, but new friendships and experiences are born through the relationships that are established (eg competitors, associations, judges, etc.), which is important in shaping the community! The project’s aim is to create a platform for participants already working as instructors, participants with different perspectives of lightsaber fencing, from different associations and countries to share their knowledge about teaching lightsaber fencing from the beginning to professional level. The goal is to create a common competency matrix, a training plan, and help each other to carry on their professional career! Try not. Do! Or do not. There is no try.
The project aimed to achieve multiple objectives: firstly, the initiation of lightsaber fencing within our club; raising the recognition of lightsaber fencing as a legitimate sport in Hungary and make it more known in Europe.; Establishing a collaborative platform that bridges combat and choreographed fencing for mutual learning; disseminating the unique sport of lightsaber fencing; fostering a cohesive working team among diverse lightsaber fencing clubs and lastly, getting more people into sport.
How do we begin introducing a sport without coaches? How can we expect to have coach training for a sport that isn't officially recognized as a sport yet? The Erasmus project provided an opportunity for Hungarian, Italian, and French coaches to learn from each other, exchanging best practices and enriching their training. For us Hungarians, it mainly offers a chance to take the initial steps towards establishing lightsaber fencing as an official and recognized sport in our country. As research progressed, aligning with examples emerged as crucial. The prospect of benefiting ourselves and the wider lightsaber fencing community catalyzed our participation. Our initiative targeted innovative and inclusive sports engagement. Responding to evolving preferences, we merged physicality with artistic expression, aligning with contemporary trends. By blending traditional fencing and lightsaber combat, we aimed to captivate a diverse demographic, bridging entertainment and fitness. Ultimately, our endeavor aimed to introduce participants to sports through an imaginative framework.