[Youth-combat] RE: [Elfsea] RE: [Steppes]Fwd:[Ansteorra]YouthfulCombatants

[Michael Smith]

Hi Michael... You make some good points and some raise some questions.  I
wanted to address them.


----- Original Message -----


> 2. The youth need to be able to be identified on the melee/tournament
field
> - that way honorable, responsible fighters who are well trained will
> recognize an up and coming fighter and will fight accordingly and know how
> hard to throw their shots. This can be accomplished by helmet markings or
> something VERY obvious.  Personally, I would not want to be the fighter
who,
> being amped up and in the heat of battle, throws a blow that injures a
young
> fighter because they were of a smaller stature or were not fully mature
yet,
> even though they are authorized to fight.

Nobody should want to be the person to injure ANYONE.  If a fighter is on
the field and is "amped up" and feels they may be throwing a blows that
could injure any fighter on the field, regardless of size, they should quit
he field.  I'm curious if other kingdoms have markings, if it's been tried
or not...  I'm not for or against it, I'm just curious what 's been done,
being the type who doesn't believe in reinventing the wheel.

> 4. Parents have the final decision battle by battle tournament by
> tournament, and if neccessary, fighter by fighter.

I deleted point 3 because it was just a more verbose point 4. This is
addressed by Corpora.  We cannot make rules that circumvent mundane law.
Mundane law tells us that a parent has these rights.

> I simply want the parents to be aware of things that can happen. I've seen
> cup shots with fiberglass spears, fighters continually hit after they have
> shouted (as best they could) "good!" but were not heard, and fighters hit
so
> hard they almost needed to be carried off the field.  No parent wants to
see
> this happen to their child.

Agreed.  Heck, MY mother doesn't want to see this happen to ME, and I'm 35.
:)

>
> It has been said that all of the SCA is moving to this standard - well,
what
> if the entire society is wrong in this decision and in 3 months it results
> in 37 youth injuries, 3 of which cause permanent paralyzation?  What do we
> say then,  - "well, everyone else was doing that...". That won't be much
> comfort to someone who will never walk again...

More specifically, we are moving to the standard that most of the SCA has
been at for a long time.  While nobody would disagree with your point that
we'd hate to see what you suggest, it's awfully extreme.  Many kingdoms have
had this for YEARS.  No paralyzations.  We know this game isn't a pillow
fight for certain, but as a society, we seem to be handling it well.
Ansteorra will handle it at least as well, because we have such a strong
community of marshals who care so greatly about our youth fighters.

> Be aware, be informed, be involved and make your own decisions about your
> youth.  If the decision is made that they can fight - its still the
PARENTS
> responsibility to make the FINAL decision - not the youth's, or peer
> pressure or kids whining till they get there way. Be strong, be courageous
> and be a parent.

I can't disagree with you, but I think you have the order wrong.  It's the
parents final and FIRST decision.  If the Parent doesn't make the decision
FIRST, none of the rest matters.  For example Donnel said that her children
wouldn't fight as adults until they're 18.  DONE. They won't go thru the
authorization process, it won't be determined that they are allowed to
fight...because she has said they aren't.

Sincerely,
Centurion Morgan Buchanan