Western Kentucky ‘Star Wars’ Fan Group Hosts a Weekly Light Saber Duel

"Geek" noun. is defined as "a person who is knowledgeable about and obsessively interested in a particular subject, especially one that is technical or of specialist or niche interest."

Today is National "Embrace Your Geekness" Day. Once upon a time (in a galaxy far far away even) "geeks" were made fun of. Being bullied in school or teased with stereotypes of pocket protectors for being dedicated to a particular fandom or hobby. I'm not sure what exactly changed to make this a thing of the past, but I am sure glad it did! Fantasy stories of Comic book heroes, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings (my favorite!) are so much fun.  Honestly, any topic could make someone a geek by definition. Obsessed with cars? Geek! Know everything there is to know about sports? Geek!

I recently learned about a really cool "Geekdom" right here in Owensboro. Did you know there is a Western Kentucky Saber Guild? As in, LIGHT saber. The Star Wars saga has arguably the biggest fandom in the world. Spanning six decades now since its creation in 1977 by George Lucas.

The Saber Guild Origin Story:

The Western Kentucky Saber Guild was started here in Owensboro by Trevor Fox Herald and his wife, Joanna Myers-Herald.  They were members of the Morehead State University Order in Eastern Kentucky where they met and learned the combat/martial arts techniques used for saber fighting. When they moved to this area, they noticed there wasn't a guild, so they decided to start their own.

Force 101:

In Star Wars, The Force is an energy that exists throughout the universe. Certain beings are force-sensitive meaning they can harness the power of the Force to move objects, enhance physical abilities, and read minds to put it simply. There is a light side (Jedi) that works for good and a dark side (Sith) that works for evil. Trevor is the guild's Sith Lord, while his wife is the Jedi Grand Master. I bet that makes for some fun dueling!

Benefits of Dueling:

"It's a great way to get some exercise, especially for those who are interested in an alternative to traditional sports. We consider lightsaber dueling to be a theatrical martial art, meaning that it's partially combat, partially performance. We strive to make people feel as though they are in the movies," Trevor shared.

Guild Membership

The group has around thirty active members ranging from "the young to the young at heart."  The only requirement is that if anyone under the age of 16 wants to join, an adult needs to accompany them.   "Aside from that, all are welcome to come and see if it's for them." Trevor said, "Owning a saber of your own is not required. We have plenty to loan."

Where and When to Join the Fun

The Western Kentucky Light Saber Guild meets every Sunday evening from 6-9 PM at Mitch McConnell Plaza. "For the first hour, we focus on drills and training the forms, for the second we play games like capture the flag, and for the third, we host trials and duel calls" Trevor encourages anyone interested in learning more to join them downtown or join their Western Kentucky Saber Guild Facebook page. You can also look forward to seeing them in the Christmas Parade!

"May the Force be with you!"