Mechelle Hankerson, Assistant Spectrum editor
Nick Bonadies, Spectrum editor
If you’ve walked through Monroe Park on Wednesdays or Saturdays, you’ve probably seen them. They hurl swords and spears at each other and dress like they’re on a quest for the Holy Grail.
But really, this is just the standard practice uniform for members of the VCU chapter of Dagorhir Battle Games.
The Galatia Mercenary Company – or Galatia for short – practices in Monroe Park every Wednesday and Saturday in the art of “boffering,” a considerably safer alternative to actual sword-and-shield warfare using handmade armor and weaponry.
However similar they may look to the movie “Role Models,” “There’s very little role-play elements (in boffering),” VCU sophomore and Galatia arms master John Woodley said. “We do have some live action role play themes, (like) we dress in medieval clothes, and we don’t use our real names.”
Galatia is the only Dagorhir unit at VCU, so most competitive events require the Galatians to travel to northern Virginia. For their more epic showdowns, Galatians have traveled as far as Pennsylvania.
“There’s a huge event in Pennsylvania; pretty much every (unit) across the nation goes,” Galatia president and VCU junior Brent Weiss said. “There’s like 400 fighters on the field at a time … a couple thousand participants.”
While the Galatia unit is a VCU-sanctioned student organization, the team is open to the public, including older players who began fighting when the sport was beginning in the 1970s.
“Once in a while, you run into the grey-haired 50-year old still doing it,” Woodley said. “But most people are (in) their late 20s and early 30s.”
The team also accepts walk-ons, who are people who see them practicing and wish to try it out.
“Walk-ons are always welcome,” Woodley said. “They’re very enthusiastic.”
“I first walked on to practice, and I saw 15 guys facing 15 guys,” Woodley said. “They were all holding weapons and shields, and they ran together and started fighting, and I thought that was a lot of fun … I tried it and … it was a decent sport, so I just started coming back. I suggest just to come out and try it and see if it appeals to you.”