Early technical comparisons

The discipline started back in 2006 after a year of research and comparison between the founding Masters Simone Spreafico, Gianluca Longo, and Fabio Monticelli. Later on, the founders wanted to test their techniques by facing off against Masters and Technicians from various martial and fencing disciplines to see how effective and complete they were. The light saber combat sport, created in Italy by the founding Masters, consists of different forms of armed combat, each with its own unique features. Each form represents a full system of attacks and defenses that can be combined with the others. The common factor is the weapon, made up of a polycarbonate tube inside an aluminum handle that gives off light and sound.

• Coding

Following an initial codification and definition of the basic rules, a phase of experimentation began and attracted some people who asked to learn this nascent discipline. This phase ended with the creation of the Amateur Sports Association
"Ludo Sport Combat Academy" on September 15, 2007. The association based in Milan, Italy became affiliated with a sport promotion institution recognized by the Italian national olympic commitee and began to collect members under the guidance of the Founders of the discipline.


• The Protocol

In the following years, individuals from various cities willing to activate courses joined the association. The Founders of the discipline dedicated significant effort to document both the techniques and the teaching methodology in order to be in condition to trasfer such know-how to others interested to teach what they have created. The first courses for instructors came to be. The framework thus passes from the originators to instructors so that they in turn can faithfully teach them to students as the Masters conceived them. Instructor training is later also entrusted to the new role of Tecnico (pl. Tecnici), who is trained directly by SLM, thus being able to expand the possibility of spreading the sport. An educational protocol for training instructors is created and perfected, and the discipline begins to expand throughout the country. The first competitions between students are organized.



Training session in Milano "la Cripta"

Three "weapons"

After years of experimentation and development of the fencing system based on the use of the single light saber, the sporting use of two short sabers and the so called "saber staff", are addressed. The three "weapons" of light saber fencing can effectively confront each other thanks to the very structure of the "LudoSport system" which provide different forms of armed combat taught in a progression of increasing complexity, while still fully consistent. Different blade lengths of the three "weapons" have been defined after years of field testing which allowed to comprehend the fair and appropriate "handicaps" aimed at ensuring equal chances for the duellers in the arena.

The spirit of sportsmanship

We have made the sport accessible to the greatest number of people through a network of sports academies with a 360-degree offering of products and services which we call IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

• The power of passion

  Below, some of the early LudoSport students

  

  LudoSport created from nothing a phenomenon that has reached over 10 countries in different continents and involved more than 5,000 practitioners in few years. In other words, an international network driven by the only capital of passion and the pursuit of excellence. The formula for the success of this made-in-Italy discipline is the firm will of the founding Masters to promote and defend an authentic sporting spirit, aggregating and far from the danger of deviances originated by distortions of the concept of competitiveness. Friendship, mutual aid, understanding, education, respect, absence of discrimination. The utopia of a place where people can freely express themselves with respect for others has become a reality in every LudoSport venue. The acronym that sums up these concepts is summarized in Se.Cu.Ri.
  standing for SErvizio, CUra, RIspetto - the Italian words for Service, Care and Respect.
  Service is defined as the willingness of all practitioners to support each of their teammates on a path of technical improvement, through active and constant push to reach one's own limit and strive to surpass it. Care is manifested through practiced control in techniques and general attention to the safety of one's companions. Respect arises from self-awareness, of one's own limitations and strengths, and leads to a proper relationship with others in the knowledge that one should not underestimate anyone, whatever their Rank or experience.
  
  The choice was made not to entrust safety in a contact discipline to the extensive use of protections because these limit the practitioners' freedom of movement and might induce the athlete to perform the techniques in a casual and unaccurate manner being that the consequences of the actions would be borne by the protective gear. At the same time, the use of a mask depersonalizes dueling athletes and prevents nonverbal communication. Therefore, work was done on the ability to control the "weapon" and on the precision and cleanliness of movement. This choice determined the integration of control as the focus of the techniques themselves.



• The sporting light saber

  Below, the first prototype of the sports lightsaber, which was created on the will and concept of the Masters to meet the needs of reliability, safety and use in sports along with the idea of moving the sound cavity in the middle of the hilt. This would have allowed the use of the pommel section as storage of a customizable amount of weight to change the overall balance of the "weapon".
  The first generation of mechanical prototypes were created with the support of Mattia Galli (athlete of LudoSport in Milan) and Stefano Madama (Instructor of LudoSport in Milan) while the electronics was developed starting from SLM's inputs in collaboration with a company specialized in eletronic engineering with the aim of obtaining a saber with unprecedented responsiveness of light and sound FX that didn't need a button for activation, just a codified gesture.
  After an experimentation phase, the first prototype of the electronic part of the sport saber suitable for the needs indicated by the SLMs was produced. The subsequent start of the production process that was entrusted to Daniele Maggi (Tecnico of SLM) who managed all relevant improvements under the assignment of Abridge SRL.




• S.I.S.

  Scuola Internazionale Superiore (S.I.S.) is the yearly, intensive session held in a Resort where Founder Masters themselves and a group of Teachers selected by them run full-time Instructor Courses in parallel to candidates coming from all over the world. In order to facilitate the meeting between the SLM educational model and interested parties from outside the Italian territory, a location suitable to accommodate a considerable number of guests was identified. A full immersion "Bootcamp", the first of its kind, was organized in Summer 2014 where aspiring Instructors and Rectors of Academies trained for several days to obtain certification from SLM. Later the event will be standardized and took the name Scuola Internazionale Superiore (Italian standing for International Superior School).

• Seminars

Above, technical comparisons with influential figures from various combat and fencing disciplines.

• Outfit and Sabers
  

Above, The first Tecnico subtunics delivered at S.I.S.

• Lamadiluce Brand

With the growing demand for technical garments and light sabers suitable for our discipline, Gianluca Longo (Founder Master) created the website lamadiluce.it to help the global distribution of the gear. Abridge SRL then developed LamaDiLuce brand which has become the authorized brand for the distribution of technical material approved by SLM over the years.

• The first steps of a new sport



Among the first challenges of the Founders, the creation of a distinctive logo to represent the discipline that they have been developing. The symbol known as "sword logo" by the community represents the three Founders lifting a blade of light towards the sky.

From the LudoSport founding masters diary:

"We were still developing what would become laser sword sports and training whenever we could. Both our home garden and public gardens served as our gym, but we felt the need for a proper place to regularly train and focus. One day, our activities caught the attention of a friar who asked us what we were doing. We told him about our idea of SE.CU.RI., and the features of our sword which was not designed to harm. Then we talked about our dream of creating a completely new sport in Italy, based on a form of combat completely devoid of violent connotations. The friar understood our intentions and later offered to support us by letting us use a small space for training located right under the church crypt. We went to see that space: it was small, dark, with walls covered in graffiti, inscriptions and moisture spots on the walls. The plaster in many areas had come off the walls and the humidity was abundant. The floor was rough, covered by irregular concrete. But the conditions of that place were not a problem: we had a lot of imagination and a desire to work. That place was so unusual and full of imperfections, a rough environment to manipulate, so it was perfect for us. So instead of going on vacation, we spent the summer buying construction materials, paint, plaster and parquet and became self-taught painters, builders and decorators to create our future home. The Crypt. It was me, Simone, Cristian and Simone's brother as self-taught laborers. Today we can certainly say we sweated a lot to have that place. The Old Crypt still exists and our symbol is still there, after so many years, it has not been removed. That's where our roots are. That's where it all started.

LudoSport has a target audience that endorses the sports values on which the Masters founded the discipline. KEY ELEMENT: Fitness, Sports, Gaming, Entertainment, Social

Project Expansion

An Awaken event is like a kick-off party for new LudoSport locations where the sport isn't super popular yet. It's a two-day event where LudoSport reps (both athletes and instructors) show off the sport and teach some cool techniques. The goal is to get people excited about starting their own LudoSport academy. It's been around since 2015 and it's exclusive to Abridge S.r.L.



Above, Master Sabnak and an instructor



Above, the LudoSport Bootcamp banner.

• LudoSport accepts the challenge of raising awareness of a discipline developed for the lightsaber, with the Founding Masters beginning to discuss with national and international representatives of traditional fencing sports.
  
  The Founders of LudoSport believe that there is truly room for everyone in a common framework of values, culture, and willingness to define a technical and regulatory standard to achieve the highest levels of global credibility. Seriousness, professionalism and awareness are the essential ingredients to pursue a goal that will probably take years. Our motto "One name, one sky" tells our desire for unity and, now more than ever, unity makes strength.
  
  

Above, San Francisco, The trip aimed at launching the Academies in the US.



Above, Instructor "Buff" greets Instructor Daniele Maggi and Master Sabnak in Hawaii

• A LudoSport competition

Above, Pupils attend a competition

• Free meetings and trial lessons
Above, an instructor sets a group of very young people.



The SLM sets the rules for the various competitions and creates the scoring system. The first international competition is held in every country where LudoSport is practiced, represented by its top athletes, who compete together.
To ensure a fair and uniform scoring system, the SLM promotes the creation of an independent organization, initially made up of volunteers, who take on the role of race judges. The association is called "INCOM" and is currently led by Andrea Ungaro (LudoSport instructor) who acts as a link between the SLM and the referee group.

• 

Above, a French practitioner in the Netherlands

• Collaboration with british fencing federation

  Above, Master Sabnak in London before his interview with the leadership of the UK fencing federation.

  

Above, image of the plaque made at the first talk between LSM and the Spanish fencing faderation



Above, "Technician" diploma issued by SLM, The wisteria subtunic and the pendant with the symbol

• Light Saber Combat: AN EXPANDING UNIVERSE

  Above, the official proprietary logo of the LudoSport Network