CA, US & World
New Jersey Star Wars Fans Learn Competitive Lightsaber Combat
For some Star Wars fans, the fantasy of wielding a lightsaber is becoming a real-world sport.
At LudoSport in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, participants learn competitive lightsaber combat in a discipline that combines elements of fencing with specialized lightsaber techniques. LudoSport’s international rules describe the activity as a fencing-based sport inspired by the lightsaber.
“It’s not choreography, it’s competition lightsaber combat,” said Dominic Ciarrocchi, dean and lead instructor at LudoSport Cherry Hill.
New students do not need previous experience. Classes introduce participants to fundamentals including footwork, stance and terminology before moving into more advanced combat.
The sport also gives participants a chance to create an identity within the LudoSport community. Athletes can choose or receive a “battle name,” with instructors and participants using names such as Wizard, Warlock, Ranger and Sparrow Hawk.
Ciarrocchi said part of the appeal is the chance to turn a lifelong interest in science fiction into an activity people can practice every week.
“There’s a little bit of wish fulfillment happening,” he said. “People get to be like, yeah, I lightsaber fight on one of my nights during the week.”
While the activity is built around combat, LudoSport emphasizes safety, control and respect. Its current sporting regulations establish rules for training and competition, including equipment and protective gear requirements.
Ciarrocchi said the more physically demanding aspects are introduced later, allowing beginners to learn at their own pace.
The organization describes its community as inclusive, with structured instruction designed to help participants progress through different levels of training.
“You’ll get to feel like a space wizard from a galaxy far, far away,” Ciarrocchi said.
For participants, the experience is about more than learning how to swing a lightsaber.
LudoSport’s motto at the Cherry Hill academy captures that idea: “Show up for the lightsaber, stay for the community.”
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By: CNN Newsource
September 20, 2026
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