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Major League Combat integrates the skill of juggling three clubs into a team sport where team members must attack and destroy the opposing force's ability to juggle. This is typically accomplished by throwing one of your own clubs up high allowing enough time to use the other two clubs to attack the airborne clubs of your opponent and then catching your club and resuming a 3 club juggle. There are a variety of different attack techniques and gameplay formats that allow for a multitude of strategies to be developed and implemented.
A tournament comprises four different combat games: Zombie Combat, Sumo Combat, Kill the King, and 360s Combat
Zombie Combat is the most forgiving of the four combat games. Players are given several chances to be reactivated depending on how many of their clubs have been lost. Look out for two club Zombies who don't have to juggle, can't move their feet, but can attack if you walk close enough to them, and can be reactivated if a team member throws them a third club.
Sumo Combat pits each team member on on one in a 12 foot diameter circle. A 5 minute round is played with the winner staying in the circle and continuing, and sends the defeated to the back of their team's line. Using your body to shove your opponent out of the circle is permitted in addition to the standard combat attack techniques.
360s Combat pits one member from each team against each other for a one minute round. Players attempt to throw all three clubs in the air, spin their body a full 360 degrees around, catch the clubs and resume their 3 club juggle. At the same time, they may also choose to attack their opponent. It's similar to "bump" in basketball where you're trying to execute a skill while being attacked.
Kill the King
Each team must protect their king from being taken out while at the same time going after the opposing team's king. The team that takes out the opposition's king first wins.
One of the prohibitive factors of juggling is that it can take years of practice before one is ready to participate in a competitive venue. Major League Combat was developed in part because someone with no juggling ability can be ready to compete on a team within two months of practice. All that's required is the ability to juggle three clubs, and to posses good control over high throws. Once those basic skills are achieved, the rest of the training is teamwork and strategy.
Although Major League Combat is a lot of fun and incorporates a skill that alone usually leads to practice and social isolation, the skill of juggling also increases eye-hand coordination making it one of the best training exercises for any sport or skill where eye-hand coordination is required. Reflexes become faster and more accurate, and the brain actually grows more grey matter which is essential in connecting physical reactions with visual perception. Combining all this into a team sport changes the effect juggling has on an individual by teaching teamwork, practice and work ethic, sportsmanship, and gives the athlete a sense of belonging as part of a team.
We are very excited about Major League Combat because it incorporates a skill we love into a team sport format that parallels mainstream sports. This in turn has produced an event that's exciting to watch, and exciting to play. It's easy to follow and understand while being impressive and inspirational. It encourages fans to learn how to juggle which has physical and mental benefits. It provides a team sport venue for jugglers to join who otherwise may have lived a life of solitude as a lone juggler without purpose. We want to grow our sport globally by airing coverage of our events on broadcast television and by holding events as often as possible. We would like to teach athletes from other sports how to juggle so that they can participate in a Major League Combat charity tournament. Considering the eye-hand coordination athletes need for Baseball, Basketball, Football, and other sports, they could learn the skills required for Major League Combat within a month or less.
Teams consist of exactly five team members (and up to two standby players). We provide team jerseys at MLC sanctioned events but players must all bring solid black athletic shorts or pants. Team captains must email us and let us know the names of all the players on their team, and which event they plan on participating in. There are currently no entry fees.
Check the schedule page for our current tournament touring schedule
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