Part IIi: Stuff for Instructors
Don’t be a jerk. Don’t be a pushover either. Err on the side of safety. Try whenever you say “no” to point out what the player did correctly and tell them what they need to do in order to correct it. Minor corrections should be done on the spot if possible.
Equipment Rule Zero
When deciding if equipment should be allowed on the field, a Marshal always has the option to say “no” in the name of safety. This applies even if the boffer or shield otherwise meets requirements. Our rules as to what is and is not allowed are not all encompassing. There will be things that fall through the cracks. For instance, if a player brings a foul looking and smelling shield and says “ I looked, and there is no rule that says I can’t cover my shield in my own excrement”, a Marshal can (and hopefully would) tell the player that the shield in question cannot be brought on the field.
Gauges
In this case what we mean by “gauges” are objects that one can use to measure quickly instead of trying to hold up a measuring tape to see how long, wide, etc. something is. Gauges as much as possible are common items that one might have handy or even generate as trash from everyday life, like a regular sheet of 8 ½ x 11 paper, or a coffee can.
Cutting PVC
The allowable lengths for boffers are based on being able to cut a ten-foot stick of PVC into even lengths and have little to no waste. This is especially important to new groups starting out that don’t have any equipment. You can look at the table and know that you can evenly cut up a section of pipe to make five squire boffers, or four delta knight swords, etc.
Page 1 – the Introduction
Page 2 – Part I: Boffers
Page 3 – Part II: Shields
*Page 4 – Part III: Stuff for Instructors (you are here)