Ask most teens and young adults how they spend their free time and you're likely to get a wide variety of answers. Some practice martial arts, while others compete in sports. Some like to write short fiction, while others like to build and paint models. One hobby you are not likely to expect, however, is the Medieval/Fantasy Battle Simulation Association, or M/FBSA for short. This is unfortunate, because the M/FBSA develops a wide variety of abilities in its participants, helping them become better-rounded individuals.
First an explanation of the Association, or simply "the Game," as its members sometimes call it, is in order. The M/FBSA is a group of young men and women, ranging in age from merely thirteen to a ripe old twenty-six, which convenes once a week and fights simulated battles using foam-padded weapons. All members have medieval or fantasy-based personas they adopt when fighting, and dress and arm themselves appropriately. A loose set of rules governs the concepts of injury and death, and aside from the occasional accident, no one actually gets hurt.
You may think that this seems like an awfully violent way to spend your leisure time. The truth is, however, that the Game is no more violent than some other sports--hockey, for example, is considerably more violent. It may be true that certain individuals who are given to obsessive behavior, or who possess some other mental defect, should not participate because the Game may blur their perceptions of fantasy and reality, but those people are the exceptions, not the rule. For an overwhelming majority of the population, the M/FBSA's benefits far outweigh this potential risk.
The first, most obvious benefit of participating in the M/FBSA is that it promotes physical fitness. In today's society, most people lead sedentary lives. The M/FBSA helps counter this by its very nature. No one would argue that armed hand-to-hand combat is for the lazy. A typical meeting of the Game lasts from 11:00 in the morning until dark, and with the exception of water or meal breaks, there is fighting going on the entire time. Each individual battle is relatively short, so even those who get "killed" fairly early each time have ample time to run around the field. Additionally, if all the running around isn't good enough exercise, it might surprise you to learn what a good workout it can be to swing even a fake sword over and over again - to say nothing of getting hit repeateddly with big sticks.
A less obvious benefit is that the M/FBSA promotes a strong sense of sportsmanship and fair play. It would be both boring and impractical to have each person watched by a field judge, or Vanguard, at all times, so responsibility for enforcing many of the rules devolves upon the fighters themselves. Hence, everyone learns to take the appropriate "injury" when a telling blow is landed. When no one is worried about being cheated, everyone enjoys themselves more. Though it can seem strange to the casual observer to hear two people nonchalantly discussing who killed whom with what strike and in what order, it is a refreshing commentary on the spirit of honor that presides in the M/FBSA.
In addition, the members of the M/FBSA learn to work with their hands and to appreciate the value of good craftsmanship. Each fighter's weapons are hand-crafted out of a wide variety of materials, and must meet exacting standards for safety and durability. Each weapon on the field must be approved by a Vanguard each week before being allowed on the field, so all foamsmiths know that they must use high-quality materials and careful, deliberate construction techniques to create weapons that will be safe to use both now and in the future. Many participants also make their own costumes, and this often goes beyond simple sewing. I know one member of the Game who crafts his own leather clothing and armor in intricate patterns, which takes both supreme patience and considerable skill.
Participation in the M/FBSA also instills in each member a strong sense of camaraderie and equality. From early teens to mid-twenties, no member of the Game thinks of another as "just a kid" or "some old guy." All are equal members, and viewed in equal regard. There is no racism, as many of the warriors' personas are not even human. It seems silly to look differently at the black kid when you're wearing pointy ears and claiming to be an elf. Along the same lines, there is no sexism. Anyone who uses the phrase "hits like a girl" has obviously never fought in the Game.
The final benefit to consider is that the M/FBSA promotes an extreme degree of creative thinking. Each member must name his or her own persona, or "Character," then create background, personality, costumes, fighting style, and weapon designs to go along with it. Some examples of characters are Bane, an evil prince of a demonic realm, Keanna Roar, a half-elven assassin, Lo'bo, a filthy rock-throwing Forest Troll, and Edouard "the Mad" Beoulve, a noble but cursed human knight. Each of these characters is the child of a highly creative mind given free rein. Some fighters may prefer to dress in torn, dirty rags and fight with massive two-handed axes; some may choose to dress in the manner of a feudal Japanese samurai and fight in the elegant niten, or "two swords," style. Some may rely on their fleetness of foot to survive; others may opt to wear cumbersome but life-prolonging armor. The point is that every participant is free to create in ways that many other hobbies don't allow.
The Medieval/Fantasy Battle Simulation Association promotes a wide range of mental and physical activities, all under the umbrella of something fun to do on a Saturday. Whether you're "Lord Lockesly Hunter Heart Le'Fey of the Elven Lands of Thaerolith," "The Ferocious Meat-slab," or "Kayla, from Math Class," you're likely to get some benefit from participating. By encouraging members to grow in each of the areas previously discussed, the Game creates well-rounded individuals. Everyone should have such a worthwhile hobby.