Try and guess what all these things have in common? The sun. School buses. Rain coats. Older headlights. If you guessed "things that are yellow", you'd be correct. But what if I told you that one more thing could be added to the list. That would be "The first lightsaber". I know what you're thinking. You're thinking "Doug, lightsabers are blue, red and green" and that's how it's always been. Then you might go into the story about how Samuel L. Jackson ended up with his purple saber. Some of you might even say something about Temple Guards. But generally when you think about lightsabers those are the colors that come to mind. While all that might be true, the yellow saber has much deeper roots in the Star Wars universe. Or perhaps I should say the "Star Wars merchandise-iverse".  Toy Lightsabers In today's lightsaber filled world, it might be hard to imagine a time before laser s

January Student Spotlight---- Vijay Barona The path through Indy Lightsaber Academy is a difficult one. Success one day can turn into spinning your wheels the next. This is true for all students. It's how they overcome and work through their barriers to become better. Vijay is a great example of someone who has shown persistence, curiosity and a thirst to become more. And that's just what he did. It's this type of growth that is one of my favorite things about ILA. But let's read a bit about Vijay's journey in the lightsaber combat world.. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What is your favorite thing about ILA?  My favorite thing about ILA are the con tournaments because I get to show off my learned skills and it is fun crush the con goers. I also really enjoy attending Fight Camp. During this time I get to improve on my skills, get to hang out with my fellow classmates, and I a

Y'all need to start treating your lightsabers better.  If you're going to come to a lightsaber class and/or want to participate in the sport, please respect your weapon. Otherwise your $100+ saber turns into a quasi-functional and slightly more dangerous flashlight. Just like in any martial art, or even ventriloquism (probably), you need to care for your equipment. The combat lightsaber is a unique weapon in this modern age. Historically most swords and weapons had minimal electronics, although I suppose there was a lot of other upkeep. When it comes to combat lightsabers, they can either be an expensive stick that used to light up or a technological marvel you paid $800 for. Either way you need to care of it, or at least know what you should be doing. So here are 5 tips for basic lightsaber maintenance that you should all be doing. (DISCLAIMER--- I am not a saber smith or super knowledgeable in wiring circuit boards. But I do know about things that if neglecte