What is on your desk
The 13 to 22 membership cliff
Teens age out of youth programming; young adults find boutique studios. Engagement breaks exactly where the chapter needs it.
The January cliff
January to March attrition is the retention crisis every chapter knows.
Mission documentation
Programming has to evidence the Four Core Values in review-ready language.
Staff certification
New programming usually means staff who cannot certify in it. Here they never have to.
The Code of S.A.B.E.R. against the Four Core Values
The chapter does not retrofit its values onto the program. The program already speaks your language.
| Security | Internal stability, the protocol before every exchange, decisions from conviction rather than anxiety. Respect, confidence and stability. |
|---|---|
| Aptitude | Rank earned by demonstrated skill, never by time served or fees paid. Growth mindset. |
| Bravery | Competing, performing, trying again after a loss. Courage; honesty in fair scoring. |
| Ethics | Integrity whether winning or losing; the code holds in all directions. Caring; integrity. |
| Resolve | Staying committed until the goal is reached, reinforced every week. Responsibility; perseverance. |
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
Local sponsors cover athletes so families pay nothing, and the chapter can collect that sponsor revenue directly for its own programs. Where members register directly, the chapter receives a share of registrations on its floor (20 percent is the standard opening). Results and athlete profiles live permanently on Saber Circuit from the first match.
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 branch director who wants to be first in the association to run this and is willing to codesign: we ship a version, you test it, we adjust together. A gym floor of about 30 by 40 feet supports 10 to 20 participants; equipment sets up in under 20 minutes and leaves nothing behind.
It does not fit if
A chapter culture that rejects martial-arts-rooted frameworks on principle; a priority gap that is under-13 family programming; branch governance that needs six-week committee cycles at every step.
The questions you will ask
What liability and insurance does the chapter need?
Your existing general liability applies to the program as it applies to any physical activity in the building. The program carries its own insurance. The scoring equipment is designed for safe contact training and used internationally. We confirm this with your risk office before launch.
What if our staff has no martial arts background?
None is needed. The certified instructor runs the floor. Your champion books the room and posts the offering.
What ages?
Thirteen and up, no upper limit. Teens 13 to 17 with parent or guardian consent, in age-appropriate brackets the chapter configures.
Can a sponsor pull out mid-season?
Season sponsorships are collected in advance, before registration opens. The risk disappears.
What happens to results when the season ends?
They are permanent on Saber Circuit. A member who competed in year one still has that result in year five.
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.