My SCA Experience may not be the same as yours! Just like each of our own personal views of what a White Scarf means, we all have our own SCA experience. My wife had a really bad newcomer experience and doesnt play. I know a lot of people who dont play because of bad SCA experiences. If it werent for my love of swordplay and the fact that the SCA provided me with a lot of people to fight, I would have quit the club years ago. But, I was stubborn and then found a really cool King who noticed that not only was I missing a lot of what the SCA had to offer, but my entire fighting unit wasnt being accepted. He made a huge difference in my SCA experience and I stuck around. Since the SCA is based on medieval times, it is also based on a class system. There are nobles and commoners. To this day, in England, the nobility is looked up to, and looked at as rock stars. I guess celebrities here in the U.S. are the closest thing we have to worshiping the nobility. My experience in this game has shown me that when we are in garb, and especially at long events like Gulf Wars and Pennsic, we find ourselves immersed into the world of the SCA. The kings, queens, dukes, duchesses, knights, etc. become the cool people. Even White Scarves to a lesser extent are looked up to, but more so on the field. Basically, in this game, your rank and whether youre a peer determines to a great extent your cool factor. Sure, your clothes and abilities make a difference, but just like in the military... rank certainly matters. I spent 10 years in the military. Four as an enlisted man in the Navy and six in the Army as an officer. I can tell you for a fact, I got treated way different as an officer. Ive experienced the exact same thing in the SCA. So, why does this matter and why am I writing this? Because its not about cookies like some people think. Yes, sure... the SCA is all about awards to keep people playing. Awards, cookies, carrots are one reason people stick around. But, what about the grand prize? Guys who fight for crown or principality and win get their grand prize. Women who inspire them get to be queens, duchesses, etc. They get their grand prize. Those who sew well who may not have the best stick around on their arm at least get their grand prize of a Laurel. Those who serve and organize get their Pelican. But, for many whose chosen SCA hobby doesnt align with stick fighting, there is no grand prize. Theres only a consolation prize. What anyones grand prize or reason for being in the SCA is entirely up to them. To have that ultimate SCA experience like being king and then a duke and a knight like my good friend has done makes their SCA an epic place. But, for many, despite their best efforts, there is only a grant level award and no peerage for their martial contribution. Their grand prize is to remain a commoner for life. Thats an unfair playing field. And, just like when the sides are 500 to 50, it makes the game no fun. So, if your experience has got you the prize or satisfaction in the SCA that you always wanted, then good for you. But, if you want more people to stick around and promote the SCA, you need to help convince the BoD to find a way to make that path to peerage available to everyone who plays this game. And, you need to convince them to do it fast. We are losing people. Weve lost people. Were gonna lose more. Write the BoD. If youre a king, a queen, a duchess, Im guessing your letter will count extra. But, no matter who you are. Write the BoD and urge them to fix this as fast as they can.
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 06:54:58 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015