Described as “paintball with swords”, the SIU medieval combat sports club is a full contact sports club with a medieval theme.

Jesse Sell, an emergency medical technician from Carbondale, the previous president and founder of SIU Medieval Combat Club, said the club is part of a national organization called Belegarth Medieval Combat Society.

Jesse Sell described the weapons as a rigid core covered in different types of foam. Weapons are made to be sturdy, but soft enough to hit other players with, she said.

Abby Sell, a senior from Carbondale studying forestry, the current president of the sports club, said the members of SIUMC make and buy their own weapons and garb.

“There are places where we can go online and buy from a store, or we can find somebody who makes kits which we will use to build the weapons. Though the quality of gear you get out of those varies,” Sell said. “You can still make very good equipment by just purchasing the stuff yourself and making the gear.”

David Croteau, a junior from Carbondale studying communication design, is the club’s secretary and treasurer. He said the club does not wear any padding for protection.

“We pad the weapons so we do not have to pad the players,” Croteau said.

Abby Sell said safety equipment, like wrist supports, gloves, and kneepads are still encouraged.

“That is what I suggest for basic gear. Kneepads, mouth guards, gloves, and a padded bra for a woman or a cup for a boy,” she said.

Jessie Sell said some people do wear armor, but there are specific guidelines in the Belegarth rulebook considering those forms of protection.

SIUMC encourages players to choose a fighting name and engage in slight characterization, but it is not a must. It is simply a way to get into the combat mind frame and to distinguish oneself on the field, Abby Sell said.

“You will find it associated often with live action role playing, which LARPing is live action role-play. It is in the same vein but, it is really on the low end scale of it,” Jesse Sell said. “There are not any classes, there is no magic, and you do not have health or hit points. It is fantasy inspired, but not fantasy based.”

Croteau said fighting names are used so that plays run more efficiently and players can be easily identified.

“My name is Dave. So, if anybody says ‘hey Dave!’ or ‘Dave, go that way!’ you have like, three people running. It’s just a lot easier to have specific fighting names,” he said.

Both Abby Sell and Croteau said people tend to label the group as role-players; however, they technically are not.

“People argue that yes, it is a role playing game because you guys put on a costume and have a name. That is about as far as it goes,” Croteau said.

Jesse Sell said that most people only assume a name and wear garb, as they cannot walk out onto the field in street clothes. The style of fighting, weapons, and garb are the medieval elements. The focus of the club is full contact fighting.

Sell said SIUMC is a great form of exercise and stress relief and encourages students to stop by and check it out. SIUMC holds open practices every Thursday at 4 p.m. at Rinella Field.