Western Kentucky Saber Guild provides members an escape, exercise, and some combat skills through the lens of Star Wars — even though knowledge of “The Force” is unnecessary.
President Trevor Herald said their group of roughly 30 people experienced a significant jump in membership after last month’s OMG!con. At the convention, Herald said it was a monumental marketing push, where they were leading a panel and even had a visitor from LucasFilm join in practice.
“It’s wonderful,” Herald said. “We’re relatively new. We’ve only been doing this for about two years, and having it grow like this is wonderful. The order started with five, and the guild here started with seven.”
The group primarily uses different forms of combat made famous by the Star Wars franchise. It utilizes Sith and Jedi terminology to determine sides in their matches, though prior Star Wars knowledge is not required.
Herald added the group emphasizes the theatrical side of combat even though it’s based on standards made by the franchise. He noted that they pull from different stories and forms to create the environment.
“We teach lightsaber combat in the seven forms as they’re known — it breaks down more into nine for us — but we teach we teach people how to fight with lightsabers and make it look cool,” he said.
He said the group is far from “nerding out about Star Wars,” though that remains an element of their efforts. He compares it to a unique way to build socialization and connect while playing a sport.
“It’s quickly become a close-knit group,” he said. “You quickly build connections, make friends, and tell stories of past battles. It’s a wonderful experience.”
In his personal life, he said he has seen members grow socially and learn how to adapt to situations and change lives. Personally, through the guild and different iterations of the guild, he was able to meet great friends and his wife — who is the leader of the Jedi while he leads the Sith.
If people are interested in joining the guild, he said they are welcome to attend any regular meeting at McConnell Plaza at Smothers Park — the field behind the Hampton Inn & Suites — on Sunday nights from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. They also have smaller meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays to get trained in combat skills.
To learn more about the guild, visit them on Facebook here.
