looking for training partner in washington state

[samuel acosta]

well im looking for a training partner in lewis county area of washington state.im 15 turning 16 on april 28th if thats a problem or something tell me.i havnt signed up for arma youth yet but im asking for it as a birthday present from my parents! i have trained my self in my fighting skills and most people say im a natural and i should persue my talent to the fullest. it is hard to train because no one i have met has been as interested or well trained as me and instead of training it has become a teaching thing were i am the teacher. i want someone who can if not train with me teach me how to be an even better swordsman and hornorable member of society.

i dont think there is anyone in my area and if there is i would love to become a good friend of yours and hopefully someone in my age group with the same interest will post and i can start a long lasting friendship through this glorious orginazaton.

thanks for the post it means so much to me!

[Kevin T. Crisalli]

There are a number of ARMA members in washington, but most of us are in the Seattle, Tacoma Everett area. I'm afraid we're all kinda old fogeys in comparison to you. I know of no other youth types, sorry.

[samuel acosta]

alrighty looks like ill have to find some people and make them sign up down here were i am

[Ken Dietiker]

Repeated Post

[Ken Dietiker]

alrighty looks like ill have to find some people and make them sign up down here were i am

Not sure where in Lewis Co. you are located, but I'm way up here in Tacoma and we have one other in Olympia, and that's about as far south as we get (that I'm aware of) next to Vancouver/Portland. So, you're pretty much in between those I know of. I know I'm a little out of your way, but you're always invited up here for some training if you can make it up this way.

The only person I do know who could possibly help you in your search, in your area, is a knife maker living in Onalaska, named Arik Estus. (Makes nice Dirks, Dubghs and Skeans in his forge in Onlalaska, WA). Don't have his email, but you can find him on SFI and PM him. Nice guy, but his interests and most of his buddies focus on Scottish weapons and martial arts; sword and shield, back sword, etc.

[Dave Rogers]

Just thought I'd throw my name in the hat as well. I'm not a member yet, but after lurking for a while I think I've found this as something I simply must do.

I'm in the Bellevue and/or Gig Harbor area. I'm every bit a novice.

I'm a history nut, especially with regard to the Viking era and medieval northern Europe. No reason other than my own ancestry is English and Norwegian, so I figured I'd start there.

I've started a modest sword collection. A little over a year ago I decided to embark on a new fitness regimen based on combat with knives, swords and axes. It's only natural I suppose that since I have these things I should want to learn how to use them properly. That... and I really needed to get back in shape and I just detest health clubs and stairmasters and other boring machines.

I have little interest as yet in any kind of re-enactment or role-play. I don't think I'm of a mind to get into the Ren-Faire kind of thing. But I am very interested in learning how to truly fight with these weapons the way my ancestors did. It's the connection to history that I'm after. That, and it's wonderful exercise. Which I need.

I'm of the opinion that there was a chivalrous martial art developed in Europe over the centuries that is every bit as elegant, spiritual, and deadly as the more familiar Asian martial arts. Somehow it's been lost, and I think there's much to be regained. A worthwhile thing to do.

Anyway... I'm a total novice. Just starting to learn. This looks like a wonderful place to do that.

[Brent Lambell]

Welcome Dave. It sounds like ARMA could be a match made in heaven for you. If you are ever down the road in our neck of the woods, ARMA Portland would be happy to meet you and show you what we do. Of course, finding someone in WA would be far more convenient...

[Jeramy Gee]

Some of us have been getting together to practice at Sammamish State Park on Saturdays from noon until whenever we finish. Hopefully, we'll see you there.

[Dave Rogers]

Some of us have been getting together to practice at Sammamish State Park on Saturdays from noon until whenever we finish. Hopefully, we'll see you there.

That's great! I'll try to arrange my Saturdays to do that. Perhaps I'll see you in a couple of weeks.

[Joel Norman]

I actually just moved to Kent recently (lived in Houston until now). I don't know the area real well yet, but count me in for getting together.

[Ken Dietiker]

I actually just moved to Kent recently (lived in Houston until now). I don't know the area real well yet, but count me in for getting together.

Hi Joel, welcome.

Have you contacted anyone yet?

[Joel Norman]

No, I haven't. Who can point me in the right direction? Come to think of it, I was at the International Gathering and so possibly have met some of you. But I mostly knew the local Houstonians more than anything else.

[Ken Dietiker]

Hi Joel,

I do not believe anyone from this area was able to make the IG, for various reasons. At that time there were very few of us though we seem to have grown in size a bit since then, not by any great numbers, but even a few is more than double what we were before.

Now who to contact. This depends as can see from the posts above. As you are in Kent, you are sort of between Seattle and Tacoma, so the options for you are a bit better, and may be more dependent on your schedule than your distance. If you are looking to practice on the weekend, specifically Saturday, contact Kevin Crisalli and you can meet that group up in Issaqua at Sammamish Lake Park. If Sunday or during the week such as Tuesday afternoon, you can meet with me in South Tacoma in Parkland area. Or you can do some combination of the two. Your choice really as your location gives you more options than the rest of us, what with the price of gas and all that.

Let me know which way you are leaning and I'll hook you up with the right person myself.

[Kevin T. Crisalli]

Hey Joel, Kevin here in Issaquah. Feel free to drop me a line and I will give you the lowdown on our practices. Take care!

[Joel Norman]

Well, since I'm kind of in the middle of both, and y'all don't practice on the same days, I'll check out both groups. Can you give me the exact time and location of each?