What is on your desk
The disengaged thirty to fifty
SEL programs miss them. Athletics excludes them. Counseling cannot reach them all.
The SEL mandate without a vehicle
Compliance binders, not programming. Administrators are audited on outcomes nobody produces at the student level.
The "weapons" reflex
Not weapons. Instruments. The training saber is an instrument of structured movement, closer to a fencing foil or a kendo bokken than anything else. Full protective protocol, certified instruction, insurance carried by the instructor.
The budget reality
The district does not pay for new programming. Here it never does. Sponsors fund participation; families pay nothing.
See it run
Walkthrough video: https://iframe.mediadelivery.net/embed/698702/aa2d70be-3769-48eb-9bfb-c54af3e7cc4b
The walkthrough: how the arrangement runs on a partner's floor.
The Code of S.A.B.E.R. mapped to CASEL
All five competencies, addressed structurally through the curriculum, not bolted on.
| Security | The bow, the equipment check, the acknowledgment of the partner before contact. Self-awareness; emotional regulation. |
|---|---|
| Aptitude | Chosen willingness: show up, try, fail, try again. Growth mindset; self-efficacy. |
| Bravery | Sash testing before peers; stepping into an exchange knowing you might lose. Self-management; goal-directed behavior. |
| Ethics | The standard held when no one is watching; integrity in scoring; never using skill to harm. Social awareness; responsible decision-making. |
| Resolve | Rank takes time; reliability to partners and instructor. Relationship skills; persistence. |
How the arrangement works
What I carry
- The Light Sword Training Academy curriculum: nine forms, the sash progression, the Code of S.A.B.E.R.
- All equipment, in and out of the building each session. Nothing stored unless you offer a corner.
- Certified instruction. Your staff never teaches.
- Program insurance. Your existing coverage treats the session like any other activity in your building.
- The sponsor packet that makes participants free, and the outreach to local businesses.
- A one-page monthly report: attendance, milestones, sponsor dollars, photographs with consent.
What you carry
- One protected weekly slot for one season or semester.
- A floor about 24 by 24 feet for a class; about 30 by 40 feet for a league night.
- One champion inside your organization with about 30 minutes a week.
- The announcement to your community.
What your organization receives
Sponsor-funded seats: local businesses pay for recurring visibility with your families and every student plays free. Illustration built on the founding model's prices: $247 per student per season, 30 students, three seasons a year, is $22,230 per school per year paid by sponsors, not by the district or the family. Your sponsor market sets the real figure. The school provides the room; the instructor delivers the program; sponsors fund participation.
Every revenue figure above is a documented result from LSTA's founding operations or a labelled illustration, never a projection or a guarantee. Results vary with market, fill and execution.
Is this the right fit?
It fits if
A principal, assistant principal, athletic director, after-school coordinator or SEL director who can see the thirty to fifty and wants a real vehicle at zero cost, with a partner who stays past the launch quarter. Formats: after-school program, PE enrichment unit mapped to the 2024 SHAPE America National Standards, or a student club.
It does not fit if
A district that excludes anything sword-adjacent on principle; an elementary-only school; a request for a one-time assembly.
The questions you will ask
Is it safe?
Protective protocol before every exchange, foam-core training sabers, electronic scoring that removes the incentive to strike hard, certified and background-checked instruction. Parents are welcome at the first session.
Does it cost us anything?
No. Sponsors fund participation. Families pay nothing.
Will my child be ranked against adults?
No. The school program is ages 13 to 18 only, in age-appropriate brackets.
Who built the program
Light Sword Training Academy, founded in Virginia Beach in 2015. A federation-registered network operating across the U.S. and internationally. Contracts on U.S. military installations. Two municipal Parks and Recreation partnerships. 1,500-plus warriors trained, 60-plus five-star reviews, nine combat forms.
Sifu Edward Armstrong
Co-Founder and Co-PrincipalEntrepreneur of the Year. Board-Certified Tai Chi Instructor. Published author. Built the founding academy in Virginia Beach in 2015 and the nine-form curriculum. Featured on ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox.
Sifu Julliana Armstrong
Co-Founder and Co-Principal3× WEKAF National Champion. 2× World Champion under GSBA, Team USA, Germany 2026. First American international referee. Trained service members under the Langley AFB and Fort Eustis contracts. NASM-certified personal trainer.
Sijo Nathan Young
Founding Master, Technical DirectorTwo-time World Champion. 2004 Olympics performer. Lead designer of the technique progression the sash standard is reviewed against.
Sifu Nick Benseman
Founding Master, Choreography DirectorStunt director on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. 101 stunt credits. Validates every combat form against real fight choreography.
In 2015 the founding academy opened in Virginia Beach. In 2016 the franchise that gave the sport its international structure failed the people inside it. In 2017 the four masters above rebuilt LSTA as a federation, engineered against every failure they had survived. That history is why the terms on this page favor your organization.
The next step
A 30-minute conversation, then a free two-hour demo class on your floor with a sign-up sheet at the door. If nobody signs, we shake hands and I go. There is no cost to you at any step.
Proposed slot: [Day and time you have in mind]. Proposed demo date: [Date].
[Instructor name] · [Phone] · [Email]
Certified instructor, Light Sword Training Academy · lightswordtrainingacademy.com
Light Sword Training Academy is an independent martial arts organization. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The Walt Disney Company, Lucasfilm Ltd., or any related entity. Training equipment is purpose-built for fitness and martial arts training. Revenue and retention figures on this page are documented results from LSTA's founding operations or clearly labelled illustrations; they are not typical results, projections or guarantees. Individual results vary. Participation is for ages 13 and up; participants under 18 require parent or guardian consent.