For many people today, the thought of letting a child train in the martial arts – boxing, karate, wrestling or the growing practice of historical sword combat called “Western martial arts” – is objectionable. Kids are already exposed to too much violence in video games, TV programs and movies. When our society is plagued by problems of real violence at every level, why would we encourage kids (or, for that matter, adults) to take part in a recreational activity that turns physical conflict into a game?

But just because martial arts involve grappling, throwing punches and swinging swords doesn’t mean they are synonymous with violence. These physical activities, coupled with an understanding of a sense of respect, dignity and trust, may actually reduce violence in society. Studying the arts of violence may diminish the urge to commit violent behavior – a paradox that is at the heart of the code of chivalry.

In this essay, excerpted from an opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald, Prof. Damon Young explores the aggressive tendencies of youth (boys in particular) and considers how a grounding in the martial arts may be an important part of a concerted social campaign against violent street crime. His thoughts about young men learning to channel their aggressive tendencies are echoes of the philosophers of the Middle Ages who wrote about the importance of chivalry.

Studies show that martial arts training can help make young men more calm and disciplined, and less prone to criminal violence.

I was a schoolboy once, and I can understand the allure of macho posturing and physical confrontation. But when the boys are grown men, it’s not so innocent. Boys get grazes and bruises, but drunk adults die from brain injuries, knife cuts and bullet wounds.

Some of the idiocy may be stopped by a greater police presence, more arrests, harsher sentences. Media campaigns might change some minds – well, it worked with drink-driving. But it won’t dissipate the rampant male aggression, particularly the explosive, adamant and irrational rage that often clouds the minds of young men.

This sounds like an excuse – it isn’t. It’s a partial explanation.

Young male rage brings with it all sorts of identity issues: masculinity, sexual desirability, ennui and socio-economic factors. But from poor ethnic gangs to white, middle-class private school boys brandishing bats, is a common ferocity: angry, swaggering, immature aggression.

The question isn’t how to get rid of it, but: what can we do with it? How can we channel this into something less dangerous, and more productive?

There are many ways to do this constructively, but one is martial arts: teach boys how to fight. Take them to classes, like boxing, judo, karate, kung-fu, ju-jitsu.

This seems absurd: surely learning to fight means more violence. Certainly, some young men are made more violent by martial arts – the macho atmosphere and praise for violence enhance their aggression, instead of diminishing it. And some professional fighters seem to grow more angry and unbalanced as they age.

But research suggests that young men who learn to fight in a safe, structured, respectful martial arts school are less antisocial. How does this work?

First, the martial arts offer controlled catharsis. They get to fight, and fight hard – but against willing participants, under the eye of an experienced teacher, coach or trainer. They learn to be aggressive without being malicious.

Second, combat sports can increase self-esteem. Instead of needing to prove themselves in animalistic rites, martial artists enjoy genuine achievements: gaining grades or belts, executing difficult techniques, winning competitions. They learn there are better ways to get respect.

Third, fighting offers discipline. You have to train regularly, eat well, keep your fitness up, and set realistic targets. Maybe young men can combine this with Friday night drinks and thuggery, but it won’t pay off in the long run. Success demands commitment, and this means less late-night idiocy and more early morning jogs.

Fourth, fighting can teach humility. Confidence can spill over into arrogance, which can lead to more infantile self-assertion in the city. But there’s nothing like losing a fight to teach you your limits. Boys need to learn they’re not invulnerable – as a colleague of mine, a fine arts graduate, put it, “every 15-year-old boy needs to be punched in the face”.

Finally, the martial arts demand trust. In order to train well, you need faith in your teacher and fellow students. You have to know they’ll go light when you’re a beginner, and they’ll release their choke when you tap – and you’ll do the same. In this way, young men learn to be less antisocial, and more gregarious; they learn trust in others, and self-restraint.

It’s no panacea; psyche and society are too subtle and complex for any universal policy to work. But it’s food for thought: don’t deny male rage, channel it into something safe and structured. Instead of just policing the streets, we might educate the angry mind. If we want them to be more civilised, perhaps we must teach our boys to fight.

Related posts:

1. Chivalry, Aristotle, CS Lewis & Martial Arts
2. No First Strike In Chivalry
3. Chivalry Gets Its Chops

Martial Arts and Philosophy contains a chapter on chivalry and martial arts by Scott Farrell.

So, Aristotle, C.S. Lewis and Bruce Lee decide to go to a jousting match …
Sounds like the beginning of a very strange joke, doesn’t it? But the fact is, that could well be the premise for one of the chapters in the forthcoming book, Martial Arts and Philosophy, which will be published by Open Court Press as part of its extremely popular Pop Culture and Philosophy series. The chapter, entitled Sir Aristotle And The Code Of Chivalry, uses the practice of Western martial arts – the “schools of defense” taught in medieval Europe – as a means of exploring the philosophy of chivalry and seeing how it compares with Aristotle’s virtue ethics and the spiritual doctrines of C.S. Lewis. The chapter will stand alongside several that use traditional Eastern martial arts, like karate, kung fu and ju-jitsu, as a means of exploring other aspects of philosophy.
If you’re a regular listener of the Chivalry Today Podcast, you may already be a fan of the Pop Culture and Philosophy series. In Episode 24, host Scott Farrell talked with Prof. Gary Hardcastle, editor of the volume Monty Python and Philosophy about how the iconic movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail reflects modern notions of the code of chivalry.
Martial Arts And Philosophy is edited by acclaimed philosopher Damon Young, himself an avid martial artist and author of the blog Darkly Wise, Rudely Great – Prof. Young’s piece The Strength of Civility also appears on the Chivalry Today website. We’re looking forward to having Prof. as an interview guest on the Podcast in Season Five, so listeners can enjoy hearing him and Scott compare notes on chivalry, martial arts and the larger topic of philosophy. Until then, we hope you’ll take the opportunity to pre-order Martial Arts and Philosophy today!

Related posts:

1. Episode 24: Monty Python and the Code of Chivalry
2. Podcast 39: Chivalry in Renaissance Martial Arts
3. Next Season’s Fun

At the 2010 Winter Olympics, Shaun White showed that a true competitor with a sense of style and chivalry doesn't take the easy way to the finish line, even with a gold medal in his pocket.

Talking about chivalry in sports usually brings to mind images of come-from-behind victories, or the courage to compete in the face of pain or adversity. But at the recent Olympic winter games in Vancouver, British Columbia, one athlete provided an image of chivalry of a slightly different sort.

In the popular snowboarding half-pipe competition, Shaun White was the “one to beat.” Snowboarders in this game are judged on the best of two runs, and at the end of the first set of runs, White had a nearly perfect score, which put him in the admirable position of being both the leading competitor going into the second round, and also the final rider in the competition. That meant if any of the other riders beat his score, he’d have one, ultimate opportunity to take back the gold-medal spot.

Despite the other riders’ best efforts, however, none was able to overtake White’s position. That created an interesting situation: White literally won the gold medal while standing on the sideline.

There were lots of smiles and high-fives among White’s crew — but a serious question remained: Would White take his second run?

Run number two would essentially be a “victory lap” for White. A TV camera positioned nearby picked up a joyful conversation between White and his coach; the coach told White he could just “ride down the middle” of the course, rather than risking another display of aerial maneuvers, if he wanted to. The medal was already in his pocket.

It was no easy proposition. In preparation for the games, White had spent a lot of time recovering from injuries that ranged from a separated ankle tendon to a fractured chin, all in the effort of perfecting a move dubbed the “McTwisty,” which involves spinning around and over a total of 1260 degrees of rotation, while soaring as much as 30 feet (that’s three stories) above the ground.

But White’s decision came quickly: He swooshed down the snowy slope and gave his second run everything he had – including a conclusive “McTwisty,” to the crowd’s delight.

Clearly the spirit of chivalry lives on in this gold medalist, who took the knightly spirit of prowess – the pursuit of excellence with enthusiasm and dignity – to the snow. These games are full of wonderful examples of dedication, courage, strength, humility and camaraderie. But in the snowboarding competition, there was also a demonstration that even in the face of an easy victory, a White knight can still earn a medal with a sense of chivalry.

Below: A video of Shaun White’s second “victory” run at the 2010 Winter Olympics, complete with the “McTwisty.”

Related posts:

1. Free Trade of Chivalry
2. Deathmatch Chivalry
3. Zits On Chivalry

“When talking of warriors and the traditions of the martial arts, we often think of values like strength, courage and fortitude — values that would have been very familiar to, and admired by knights of the Middle Ages. Yet in today’s world, where we are so often given a message that strength and courage are synonymous with “freedom” and “independence,” we sometimes forget that the warrior’s creed dictates that commitment and responsibility are the price one pays for being strong and powerful. Ethical and moral codes of warrior cultures place more value on dependability than on independence.

Dr. Bohdi Sanders is a martial arts expert, author and philosopher who has spent a great deal of time and effort exploring the ideals of the warrior’s code in cultures around the globe. In his book, Warrior Wisdom, he examines what it means to be a warrior — on a physical, psychological and moral level. His writings show that, in the warrior tradition, strength comes with commitment, power comes with service, and honor comes with responsibility. His exploration of chivalry shows that the code of the knights of old is an expression of the timeless wisdom of the warrior.”

Duty, Wisdom and Ethics in Action

From those who have been given much, much is required. Warriors have been given specific training in martial arts and in the knowledge of self-defense. Hopefully they have also been instructed in ways to not only be able to defend themselves, but also to use their martial arts skills to defend others. Warriors have a duty to defend others when it is in their power to do so.

There are a lot of people who do not have the same training or skills that the warrior has developed over his years of training. They are not able to protect themselves, much less those around them. These people live their life depending on the goodwill of others. For various reasons, they have never developed the ability to fend off an attacker. Most have grown up in a fairly sheltered environment and really do not understand the psychology of the predator. The warrior is their only defense, other than depending on a police officer who may or may not be around when they are in need, or depending on the mercy of someone else.

The warrior, on the other hand, has studied the art of self-defense. He knows the mind of the predator and what the criminal looks for in a victim. The skills that he has trained so hard to perfect are designed to keep him and his friends and family safe from those who would prey on the innocent. He has been given much knowledge; therefore he has an ethical a duty to use this knowledge to help the weak and the defenseless when he can. Wherever you are, those around you should be a little safer because you are there.

In the words of Moliere, “It is not only what we do, but what we do not do, for which we are accountable.”

Of course this depends on the warrior’s sense of chivalry. Chivalry is mostly thought of in connection with the qualities of the medieval knights and how they were expected to behave towards women, but the ideals of chivalry also include qualities such as courage, honor, consideration for others, and loyalty to your code of conduct. I consider chivalry part of the warrior lifestyle, not just some outdated, romantic notion.

Just as there was no actual “pirate’s code,” there was also no definite set of ideals that made up the qualities of the ideal knight, but there are traits which are generally accepted as chivalrous. Were there knights who did not live up to the code of chivalry? Absolutely! There will always be those who will not be willing to live a life of excellence, but instead will lower themselves to an inferior standard. This fact doesn’t negate the fact that chivalrous ideals are good qualities to aim for and to make a part of the warrior lifestyle.

The term “code of chivalry” could be interchangeable with the term “code of honor.” It simply means a code that one lives by. Your code of honor, if you are a warrior, will have ideals that you try to live up to, whether you are dealing with the local mechanic or with the elderly lady trying to get across the street.

In meditating on your own code of honor, it may be good to consider some of the old codes of chivalry and the ideals that they fostered.

Is chivalry dead? Not to those with the warrior spirit…

The master warrior is a man of character, a man of wisdom and insight.
— Forrest E. Morgan

About the author: Dr. Bohdi Sanders is a life-long practitioner of martial arts with a black belt in Shotokan Karate, and a certified personal fitness trainer. His book Warrior Wisdom: Ageless Wisdom for the Modern Warrior discusses exactly what it takes to walk the path of the warrior in short, easy-to-read commentaries and quotes. You can read more of his writing on the Wisdom Warrior Blog.

Related posts:

1. No First Strike In Chivalry
2. Podcast 41: Robin Hood And Chivalry
3. Chivalry Gets Its Chops

In just a few days, the 2008 Olympics will begin in Bejing, China. These Games have, and will continue to allow the world to focus on both the possibilities and challenges faced by today’s global society. Among all the debate, celebration and protest over the 2008 Games, it is interesting to note that these things are not unique to this session of the Olympics. In fact, more than 70 years ago, an editorial in the British newspaper, The Guardian, made some statements that bear an eerie similarity to some being made today. It is interesting to look back and recall the concerns voiced just prior to the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin.

Similarly, this historical article gives us a chance to contemplate the association between chivalry and the Olympics. As the author points out, the Games were originally conceived in the highest spirit of chivalry — as a means of transcending bigotry, nationalism and corruption in pursuit of a more noble goal: friendship. Human nature being what it is, of course, striving to reach that goal continues to be problematic, but no matter how many times we stumble, we persevere nonetheless. In a race with no finish line, the only way to fail is to quit trying.

“What is the point of this article?” you may ask. It is a crucial demonstration, I think, that any worthy, noble goal — from the values of chivalry to the Olympic dream — can be coopted and subverted by those with a political cause to advance. That was true in the Middle Ages, and it remains true in the modern world. But if our response to that corruption of noble ideals is to hide them away … to cancel the Olympic games or to proclaim the obsolescence of chivalry … then our ideals may as well be dead. We have to “put ourselves out there” rather than locking chivalry away in a glass case like a relic from the ancient past. We have to continue to strive and compete — and risk failure — if we are to establish free trade in ideals that can inspire others. The challenge is simply to never allow idealistic goals to blind us to suffering and oppression. To never turn our backs on those in need, simply for the sake of “putting on a good show.”

In Games, Knightly Ideals Were The Original Gold Medal

Forty years ago this year the first modern Olympic Games were held, revived by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, with a triple purpose. He wished to spread throughout the world the social benefits of sport as observed in Great Britain and the United States. He wanted to foster through sport the instincts of nobility and chivalry. And he believed that by the friendly mingling of athletes from many countries the peace of the world would be reinforced. He said:

Coubertin’s first hope has been fulfilled. The Olympic Games have had a great effect in promoting the physical health of a world which is being progressively industrialised. The other hopes have not been fulfilled. They have not kept bright the flame of chivalry. Sport has run away with us and has become a wild, nationalistic race. Coubertin’s Free Trade in athletes has become an athletic war. And Coubertin’s hope that the athletes of the world, by meeting at Olympic Games, might form an international body of friends is still far from fulfilment.

To-day the Olympic Games begin a new phase. This year at Berlin for the first time we are to see them confessedly exploited as an advertisement for a political party. The conduct of the Games and their setting are to be a demonstration of the excellence of Nazism. Houses in Germany have been whitewashed, and there has been other whitewashing as well. German Jews have been given no chance to fit themselves to represent Germany, but a few selected Jews have been included in German teams for the sake of window-dressing.

All over Europe it is being said that whatever dangerous designs Germany may be harbouring will be postponed until the Olympic Games are over. There will be no trouble at the Games; even if events are won by negroes, as is not improbable, the Nazis know on which side their bread is buttered. But the ordinary man is cynical; he believes that Germany is using the Games for her own ends.

The German railway office in London has for some time been displaying in its window the words Pax Olympica. Inhabitants of Berlin, it is said, are speaking of “the Olympic pause.” Which is it to be? If it is only a pause, then the Olympic Games may remain in public estimation the greatest of the world’s athletic festivals, but faith in them as an instrument for world peace and understanding will have been destroyed.

© 2008 The Guardian

REPRINTED FROM THE AUGUST 1, 1936 EDITION OF THE GUARDIAN

Related posts:

1. White Knight of the Olympics
2. Disrespect: The New Chivalry?
3. Episode 29: Campaigning to Live with Chivalry

Jousting is more often thought of as a “show” rather than a “sport,” but when six competitors gathered in Poway, Calif., for the American Sword of Chivalry 2008 jousting tournament, American audiences got a very rare opportunity to see knightly skills in action. Most jousting shows, while colorful, dramatic and delightful entertainment at Renaissance Faires and dinner theaters, are a display of theatrical talents and stunt riding, not actual skill at hitting an opponent with a lance with accuracy, grace and sportsmanship.

The jousting tournament was covered in Episode 22 of the Chivalry Today Podcast — including interviews with many of the riders, and the winner of the weekend’s competition. Below are pictures and video of this exciting and educational event, that posed the question: Can a modern athlete learn a lesson in sportsmanship from the days of chivalry?

Video: The Mounted Melee

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video: Jousting — Dominic Sewell v. Arne Koets (and shaking hands afterward)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video: Jousting — Frederick Piraux v. Jeffrey Wasson

Click here to view the embedded video.

Related posts:

1. Episode 29: Campaigning to Live with Chivalry
2. Episode 31: Chivalry Goes To Gaul With Amadis
3. Episode #19: Charlemagne and Chivalry

A warrior’s code isn’t a thinly veiled license to attack others. In the 11th century, the Code of Chivalry (then a relatively new concept) established the doctrine of a “just war,” that is, the idea that a nation only puts its warriors on a course to war for a cause that is right and morally justifiable — to defend the helpless or stop persecution, for example. (But not, in contrast, to “defend its honor” or win loot.)

Here’s an essay that brings that notion down to the individual level — an examination of the sticky question: If following the Code of Chivalry means I can’t throw the first punch, does that mean I’m supposed to let myself get hit before I can put up a fight? Or, as Pellinore asks in Camelot: “I say, Arthur! Do you mean to say a chap has to wait till he’s killed before he can attack?”

It’s an age-old and universal quandary for followers of the warrior way. Martial arts expert Lawrence A. Kane, author of The Way of Kata,» shows us that Oriental martial arts emphasize the defensive responsibility of a master warrior. (Interestingly, Western martial arts emphasize this as well with sword-fighting techniques like the Absetzen, which combines a block and thrust as a single movement, and is hailed as the highest form of martial skill.) It’s a reminder that, despite mastery of combative techniques, a chivalrous warrior never shows aggression or escaltes a hostile situation, no matter what martial tradition he or she follows.

A gentle but strong philosophy of chivalry in martial art

Karate is first and foremost a defensive art. This essential tradition is best described by Gichin Funakosi’s famous saying, “There is no first strike in karate.” While this statement is absolutely true, it is also commonly misunderstood.

To be clear, karateka (practitioners of karate), like most martial artists, are taught to avoid seeking conflict. This convention helps practitioners of potentially lethal arts behave in a manner appropriate to interaction within polite society, something I think we’d all agree is a positive thing indeed.

What many don’t realize is that defensive techniques, when executed properly, are designed to be just as “fight stopping” as offensive ones. Here is where the confusion lies.

The ancient masters understood that if they were to only block an adversary’s attack he would continue to strike until either they did something more effective to stop him, or they were beaten to a bloody pulp. Consequently, every martial application, including defensive ones, were designed in such a manner that they could be used to end a confrontation as quickly as possible.

To many, “no first strike” implies waiting for an adversary to attack, then trying to successfully counter when you are already injured or out of position. In order to decipher the true intent of Funakoshi’s statement, we must understand three Japanese terms: 1) go no sen, 2) sen no sen, and 3) sen-sen no sen.

Go no sen means “late initiative,” blocking and riposting after an enemy has already attacked. It is a great learning method because it breaks advanced techniques down into small movements, but it is not practical on the street.

Sen no sen means “simultaneous initiative,” intercepting the adversary’s blow just after it begins. This is an intermediate form of karate, using quickness and power to simultaneously attack and defend, cutting off the opponent’s strike before it makes contact.

Sen-sen no sen means “preemptive initiative,” cutting off a blow before it even starts. Practitioners sense that an attack will be forthcoming and then cut it short before the aggressor has a chance to transform the mental desire to attack into physical movement.

Sen-sen no sen, cutting off an attack before it is fully in play, looks an awful lot like a first strike, yet it is still a defensive movement. This is what Funakoshi really meant: Striking to cut off an impending attack is okay, while instigating unwarranted violence is not. If you can walk away from a confrontation you absolutely should do so. Most rational people would agree that picking fights is simply a bad idea. In fact, the more dangerous you really are, the less you should feel a need to prove it.

To clarify further Funakoshi wrote:

Notice that he wrote, “at that time attack him” as opposed to, “after he strikes launch your counterattack.” Sen-sen no sen is fully consistent with this approach.

Clearly martial artists should only engage in physical violence if there is no other choice. In the 6th century B.C. Sun Tzu wrote:

There are many peaceful ways to settle a disagreement, any one of which is preferable to a physical confrontation (but) that does not mean that you must stand around waiting to get hit before you can act in your own defense.

© 2007 Lawrence A. Kane

About the Author: Lawrence A. Kane has studied and taught a wide variety of martial arts over the last 30 years, including karate, kobudo and medieval weapons forms. He is the author of Martial Arts Instruction (2004) and The Way of Kata,» (2005).

Related posts:

1. Chivalry, Aristotle, CS Lewis & Martial Arts
2. Chivalry and the Warrior Lifestyle
3. Violent Arts & Gentle Souls

Okay, so love, compassion and chivalry can transform an athlete into a “nice guy,” but we all know where nice guys finish, right? Despite the ultra-agressive rhetoric often used to sell the image of the athlete-warrior, Joe Ehrmann shows us that the vaunted quality of “toughness” may actually be an impediment to success — both in sports and in life. He also reminds us that reputation (an important part of the knightly code) extends far beyond the playing field.

Putting Chivalry Into Play

How is all of this taught within the context of football?

From the first day of practice through the last day of the season, Ehrmann and his best friend, Head Coach Biff Poggi, bombard their players with stories and lessons about being a man built for others.

They stress that Gilman football is all about living in a community. It is about fostering relationships. It is about learning the importance of serving others. While coaches elsewhere scream endlessly about being tough, Ehrmann and Poggi teach concepts such as empathy, inclusion and integrity. They emphasize Ehrmann’s code of conduct for manhood: accepting responsibility, leading courageously, enacting justice on behalf of others.

“I was blown away at first,” says Sean Price, who joined the varsity as a freshman and is now a junior. “All the stuff about love and relationships — I didn’t really understand why it was part of football. After a while, though, getting to know some of the older guys on the team, it was the first time I’ve ever been around friends who really cared about me.”

Helping Others

Four hours before each game, the Gilman players file into a meeting room for bagels, orange juice and Building Men for Others 101. Ehrmann and Poggi tell their players they expect greatness out of them. But the only way they will measure greatness is by the impact the boys make on other people’s lives.

Ultimately, the boys are told, they will make the greatest impact on the world — will bring the most love and grace and healing to people — by constantly basing their actions and thoughts on one simple question: What can I do for you?

That explains the rule that no Gilman football player should ever let another student — football player or not — sit by himself in the school lunchroom. “How do you think that boy feels if he’s eating all alone?” Ehrmann asks his players. “Go get him and bring him over to your table.”

There are other rules that many coaches would consider ludicrous. No boy is cut from the Gilman team based on athletic ability. Every senior plays — and not only late in lopsided games. Coaches must always teach by building up instead of tearing down. As Ehrmann puts it in a staff notebook: “Let us be mindful never to shame a boy but to correct him in an uplifting and loving way.”

Whenever Ehrmann speaks publicly about Building Men for Others — usually at a coaching clinic, a men’s workshop or a forum for parents — someone inevitably asks about winning and losing: “All this touchy-feely stuff sounds great, but kids still want to win, right?”

“Well, we’ve had pretty good success,” Ehrmann says. “But winning is only a byproduct of everything else we do — and it’s certainly not the way we evaluate ourselves.”

Win for Life

Unless pressed for specifics, Ehrmann does not even mention that Gilman finished three of the last six seasons undefeated and No. 1 in Baltimore. In 2002, the Greyhounds ranked No. 1 in Maryland and climbed to No. 14 in the national rankings.

Much more important to Ehrmann is the way that his team ends each season when nobody else is watching. Before the last game, each senior stands before his teammates and coaches to read an essay titled, “How I Want To Be Remembered When I Die.”

Here is something linebacker David Caperna — reading from his own “obituary” — said last year: “David was a man who fought for justice and accepted the consequences of his actions. He was not a man who would allow poverty, abuse, racism or any sort of oppression to take place in his presence. David carried with him the knowledge and pride of being a man built for others.”

The most important coach in America sat back and smiled. Win or lose on the field of play, Joe Ehrmann had already scored the kind of victory that would last a lifetime.

To Be A Better Man:

• Recognize the “three lies of false masculinity.” Athletic ability, sexual conquest and economic success are not the best measurements of manhood.
• Allow yourself to love and be loved. Build and value relationships.
• Accept responsibility, lead courageously and enact justice on behalf of others. Practice the concepts of empathy, inclusion and integrity.
• Learn the importance of serving others. Base your thoughts and actions on “What can I do for you?”
• Develop a cause beyond yourself. Try to leave the world a better place because you were here.

© 2007 Jeffrey Marx and Parade Magazine

About the author: Pulitzer Prize-winner Jeffrey Marx is the author of Season of Life: A Football Star, A Boy, A Journey to Manhood, a book about Joe Ehrmann, published by Simon & Schuster in 2004.

Joe Ehrmann is the founder of Building Men & Women for Others. He is an inspirational and dynamic speaker and seminar leader, who works with organizations and associations to promote growth, teamwork, effectiveness and individual responsibility. As an educator, motivator, professional speaker and coach for over 25 years, Joe is a champion of causes, change and compassion. Whether through keynotes, workshops or seminars, Joe conveys his unique heartfelt messages with a passionate delivery that inspires introspection and action.

Related posts:

1. Knights of the Gridiron: Part 1
2. The Athlete’s Code of Chivalry
3. The Road to Abu Ghraib

We think of knights as warriors and rulers, but we don’t often think of the knight as an athlete. Yet knights had their own type of sport called a tournament — not the stylized jousting matches we see in the movies, but a rough-and-tumble game that was essentially football on horseback with each player carrying a sword. The games were played over acres of land covered with trees, rivers and hills, which meant the temptation to cheat must have been almost unbearable. Going out-of-bounds or bringing extra players onto the field (or maybe even sneaking a real weapon into the game instead of an approved “rebated” safety weapon) would have been easily accomplished. We may think of jousting as an honorable and noble sport, but chivalry was often eclipsed by the lure of financial reward and personal renown. Chronicles of medieval tournaments are rife with descriptions of unsavory, brutal, scandalous behavior in the pursuit of “the prize.”

Modern athletes struggle with the same issues, and perhaps no sport is quite as subject to the lure of unprincipled behavior as professional football. While there usually seems to be a fundamental divide between the “athletic integrity” and “victory is its own reward” philosophical camps, former NFL star Joe Ehrmann is teaching players, coaches and administrators alike that you don’t have to give up one to get the other. Ehrmann’s approach to athletic excellence incorporates trust, humility, compassion and a keen awareness of the responsibilities that accompany success — athletic ideals that can be traced back to the Code of Chivalry. Had Ehrmann lived a few centuries ago, he surely would have been seen as a beacon of honor and chivalry in sports; athletes today are lucky to have such a dynamic example of the knightly virtues to follow.

Chivalry, Athletics and False Masculinity

Young faces usually filled with warmth and wonder are now taut with anticipation and purpose. Eyes are lasers. Hearts are pounding. This is nothing unusual for the final minutes before a high school football game. But a coach and his players are about to share an exchange that is downright foreign to the tough-guy culture of football.

The coach, Joe Ehrmann (pictured at right), is a former NFL star, now 55 and hobbled, with white hair and gold-rimmed glasses. Still, he is a mountain of a man. Standing before the Greyhounds of Gilman School in Baltimore, Ehrmann does not need a whistle.

“What is our job as coaches?” Ehrmann asks.

“To love us!” the Gilman boys yell back in unison.

“What is your job?” Ehrmann shouts back.

“To love each other!” the boys respond.

The words are spoken with the commitment of an oath, the enthusiasm of a pep rally.

This is football?

It is with Ehrmann. It is when the whole purpose of being here is to totally redefine what it means to be a man.

This is lofty work for a volunteer coach on a high school football field. It is work that makes Ehrmann the most important coach in America.

In his eighth season at Gilman, Ehrmann’s résumé is anything but ordinary for a defensive coordinator. After 13 years in professional football, most of them as a defensive lineman for the Baltimore Colts, he retired in 1985 and began tackling much more significant challenges. As an inner-city minister and founder of a community center known as The Door, Ehrmann worked the hard streets of East Baltimore. He also co-founded a Ronald McDonald House for sick children and launched a racial-reconciliation project called Mission Baltimore. Now he’s a pastor at the 4000-member Grace Fellowship Church and president of a national organization that supports abused children.

“He’s a lot of things to a lot of people,” says Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. “He’s really an opinion leader. And what I love about Joe — it’s not just the messages. It’s the messenger. He’s a very unique man. Gentle. Principled. Committed. And effective.”

The Challenge for Men

Aside from the X’s and O’s of football, everything Ehrmann teaches at Gilman stems from his belief that our society does a horrible job of teaching boys how to be men and that virtually every problem we face can somehow be traced back to this failure. That is why he developed a program called Building Men for Others, which has become the signature philosophy of Gilman football.

The first step is to tear down what Ehrmann says are the standard criteria — athletic ability, sexual conquest and economic success — that are constantly held up in our culture as measurements of manhood.

“Those are the three lies that make up what I call ‘false masculinity,’” Ehrmann says. “The problem is that it sets men up for tremendous failures in our lives. Because it gives us this concept that what we need to do as men is compare what we have and compete with others for what they have.

“As a young boy, I’m going to compare my athletic ability to yours and compete for whatever attention that brings. When I get older, I’m going to compare my girlfriend to yours and compete for whatever status I can acquire by being with the prettiest or the coolest or the best girl I can get. Ultimately, as adults, we compare bank accounts and job titles, houses and cars, and we compete for the amount of security and power that those represent.”

We compare, we compete. That’s all we ever do. It leaves most men feeling isolated and alone. And it destroys any concept of community.”

The Solution

Ehrmann offers a simple but powerful solution. His own definition of what it means to be a man — he calls it “strategic masculinity” — is based on only two things: relationships and having a cause beyond yourself.

“Masculinity, first and foremost, ought to be defined in terms of relationships,” Ehrmann says. “It ought to be taught in terms of the capacity to love and to be loved. It comes down to this: What kind of father are you? What kind of husband are you? What kind of coach or teammate are you? What kind of son are you? What kind of friend are you? Success comes in terms of relationships.

“And then all of us ought to have some kind of cause, some kind of purpose in our lives that’s bigger than our own individual hopes, dreams, wants and desires. At the end of our life, we ought to be able to look back over it from our deathbed and know that somehow the world is a better place because we lived, we loved, we were other-centered, other-focused.”

© 2007 Jeffrey Marx and Parade Magazine

About the author: Pulitzer Prize-winner Jeffrey Marx is the author of Season of Life: A Football Star, A Boy, A Journey to Manhood,» a book about Joe Ehrmann, published by Simon & Schuster in 2004.

Joe Ehrmann is the founder of Building Men & Women for Others. He is an inspirational and dynamic speaker and seminar leader, who works with organizations and associations to promote growth, teamwork, effectiveness and individual responsibility. As an educator, motivator, professional speaker and coach for over 25 years, Joe is a champion of causes, change and compassion. Whether through keynotes, workshops or seminars, Joe conveys his unique heartfelt messages with a passionate delivery that inspires introspection and action.

Related posts:

1. Knights of the Gridiron: Part 2
2. The Athlete’s Code of Chivalry
3. Knights, Not Royalty

When we talk about sports, we tend to think of Greek athletes rather than knights in shining armor. We often forget that many knights spent their time, at least in part, on the “tournament circuit,” participating professionally in the martial sports of the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. Too often we think of the Age of Chivalry as sort of an “athletic vacuum,” where spiritual fitness eclipsed physical fitness. We forget that our approach to sport as a demonstration of character can be traced back to the days of knights in armor, where the jousting tournament became a metaphor for the tribulations of the spiritual quest. When we look to athletes as role models today, we’re holding them to a standard of nobility rooted in the Middle Ages. In this essay, Professor Broekhoff delves into the origins of this long-standing relationship between chivalry and sports.

Learning the physical side of the knightly code

Public education, if one can speak of such education in the Middle Ages, was a function of the Church. In the monasteries and cathedral schools, the curriculum consisted of the septum artes liberales (seven liberal arts), which were divided into the trivium of grammar, rhetoric, and dialectic, and the quadrivium of arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. In this curriculum there was no place for physical education, although the following lines from a “students rule book” give evidence of some concern of physical well-being of the students:

In its attempt to shape the nobility according to the ideals of the Church, the clergy emphasized the importance of the artes liberales in the education of the young pages and squires. Such efforts are reflected in the Miroires aux Princes (Mirrors for Princes), in which famous clergyman presented an ideal education for the prince as a model for all noblemen. In his treatise De Eruditione Filiorum Nobilium, for example, Vincent de Beauvais stresses humility, discipline and obedience as desirable characteristics of the young nobleman, but he also points out the human movement reveals the style of the body.

If ideally the young nobleman should be well versed in the artes liberales, the practical situation left much to be desired. From all evidence, the illiteracy among the medieval aristocracy was widespread. It is said, for example, that the illustrious Bertrand de Gucsclin, constable of France during the Hundred Years War (c. 1337-1429), hardly knew how to write his own name. The long and arduous training to prepare the knight for his physical duties was obviously not conducive to intellectual pursuits. Eustache Deschamps, the 14th century poet and chronicler, bewailed the fact that in his search for physical prowess the knight does everything for his body but nothing for his soul. Even during the late Middle Ages many amorous knights needed a clerk to record their poetry.

The education of the young knight was in reality for the most part physical education. Petrus Alfonsus (1062-1140) was probably the first to define the aristocratic curriculum by introducing the septum probitates as the knightly equivalent of the septum artes liberales¹. These probitates or knightly arts which formed a compendium of the noblemen’s education are admirably described in Johannes Rothe’s (1936) Der Ritterspiegel (Knight’s Mirror), near the beginning of the 15th century. (The poem describes riding, swimming, shooting, climbing and dancing as well as these, which apply more directly to our image of chivalry):

It is not difficult to see in this program of knightly education the reflection of the feudal ideals of chivalry in which physical prowess played a major role. From a practical point of view, the nobleman’s life depended on his physical skills and endurance. As Jusserand² remarks, dressing in a harness (armor) in these days was a physical exercise in itself. The reports of the chroniclers leave little doubt that the medieval knights were indeed in excellent physical condition. According to his biographer, Bousciacaut, famous chevalier and Maréchal of France, could in his youth turn a summersault in full armor, except for his helmet, and scale the inside a ladder equipped in harness by pulling himself up by the arms³.

The education of the knight, however, went far beyond the immediate objectives of the development of scale and physical fitness. The knightly art provided, above all, an opportunity for the development of knightly character and the traits that were admired in the true nobleman. In this respect, the educational setting was of utmost importance. Until his seventh year, a son of the nobility remained home under the care of his mother. After this, he was often sent away from home to start his knightly education at the court of a powerful baron or sometimes of even the king. For seven years he served his lord as a page, and during this time he was initiated in the knightly arts and customs. At 14 years of age, the young noble was promoted to the more prestigious position of squire. As such, he took care of his knight’s horse and served as a shield bearer in battle. Some of the sons of the poorer nobility remained as squires for their entire lives, because they lacked the money to equip themselves properly. Ideally, however, the squire was dubbed a knight at 21 years of age, after another seven-year period of service⁴.

The division of the time of education into seven-year periods, the seven liberal arts and knightly arts, form an expression of the medieval tendency to regulate everything according to certain ideals. This spirit of casuistry, in which everything is isolated and referred to an ideal solution, was highly developed in the Middle Ages. All things had their proper places, and all forms of behavior were governed by definite rules. As Huizinga indicates, this strict casuistry and the establishment of formal rules were the only means of creating a semblance of harmony between warfare and the chivalric ideal⁵. The seven-year periods, however, remained an ideal classification from which there was frequent deviation. For example, Gautier⁶ sets the average age of admittance to knighthood before the 13th century at 15 instead of 21!

That custom of barons, suzerains and kings to educate the sons of their vassals dates back to the beginnings of chivalry and certainly enhanced the bonds of friendship and loyalty among the nobility. When Charlemagne slaps his nephew Roland in his face with a glove, the ultimate affront of among knights, Roland jumps furiously forward to avenge this insult. At the last moment, however, he restrains himself, remembering that Charlemagne “l’a nourri petit enfant “(nourished him as a child ). When Roland dies, his last thoughts are of his royal uncle, who educated him⁷.

The education of the chevalier was an education through example. The initiation into knighthood via the stages of pages and squire was hard but never out of touch with reality. The young nobles witness the tournaments and battles firsthand and continuously imitated the heroic feats of their lords. The competitive spirit among them was fierce, and it was not uncommon for a squire to lose his life in a duel in which he tested the methods of his fencing instructor with too much abandon. But there were always the lighter sides of courtly life in the less dangerous pastime of hunting with falcons and playing the board games of chess and checkers. Pages and squires frequently mixed with the ladies and learned courtly manners by serving at table. The presence of women ameliorated the sober atmosphere of physical training and yielded the cultural forms expressed in the courtly ideals of chivalry.

From Chevalier to Modern Gentleman

The chivalric ideals that put such a heavy stamp on medieval society were clearly reflected in the education of the knight. Throughout the upbringing of the young nobleman, physical education formed the integrative force which worked beyond the acquisition of physical skills and endurance to develop in him the characteristics of the true chevalier. The historical significance of this aristocratic education, according to Adamson⁸ is that it paved the way for the Humanism of the classic revival. The courtier of Castiglione, for example, was a world apart from the medieval chevalier; yet, chivalric ideals and the knightly arts were at the core of his education.

Far beyond the gentil homme of the Renaissance, the chivalric code as a “doctrine of courtesy” kept influencing the educational ideas of the socially prominent of Europe. The knightly arts featured prominently in the curriculum at the German Ritterakademien and found their way in the Philanthropina of the 18th century, announcing the advent of a renewal of physical education. Similar lines could be drawn to the English public schools and the emergence of the modern ideal of the gentleman. From a cultural-historical point of view, these developments show an interesting parallel with the ideals that arose in the chivalric Homeric society extending to the kalokagathia ideal in the 5th century B.C., even if only the bare outlines are visible.

Conclusion

The chivalric ideals of physical prowess, loyalty, generosity, courtesy and glory have not lost their significance for modern society, but they are no longer the integrated ideal of a social elite. The disappearance of a distinct social group comparable to the medieval chevaliers coincided with the diffusion of the chivalric principles.

by Jan Broekhoff Ph.D.
© 2006 Earle F. Zeigler, Ph.D.

About the Author: This essay is excerpted from the new book Sport and Physical Education in the Middle Ages, a collection of scholarly writings about sports and athletics in history, by Prof. Earle F. Ziegler. Along with fencing and jousting, the book traces the development of hunting, gymnastics, ball games and board games throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

1. Schoelen, E., Erziehung und Unterricht im Mittelalter (1965) p. 208
2. Jusserand, J.J., Les Sports et Jeuix d’Exercise dans l’Ancienne France (1901
3. Painter, S, French Chivalry (1940) p.39
4. Cornish, F.W., Chivalry (1901
5. Huizinga, J., The Waning of the Middle Ages (1954) p. 246
6. Gautier, L., Chivalry (1960), p. 125
7. Gautier, L., Chivalry (1960), p. 106
8. Adamson, J.W., “Education” in The Legacy of the Middle Ages (1951), p. 282

Related posts:

1. My Approach to Chivalry Today
2. Chivalry & The Arrow of Light
3. Chivalry and the Warrior Lifestyle

A Code for Martial Honor

Ethics and chivalry in sports is a broad and sometimes confusing topic. On one hand, the principles of sportsmanship can be difficult to define — what’s honorable in water polo or basketball, for example, might be very different from what’s honorable in golf or rock climbing or archery. Yet there are basic principles of good conduct, fairness and respect that transcend all sports.

That being said, however, there is one segment of the sporting world that perhaps deserves a special distinction: martial arts. While many sports may be combative or aggressive, sports that involve physical attacks, from wrestling and karate to Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and Krav Maga, may seem uniquely removed when it comes to claims of “fair play.” How can you claim to be fair or “sportsmanlike” when you’re punching, kicking and trapping another person?

Although that may seem like a contradictory question, it brings to mind the fact that chivalry does, in fact, come from a “martial arts” tradition — the knights who developed and practiced chivalry were trained to fight with deadly state-of-the-art weapons, and to grapple in hand-to-hand combat. Similarly, Bushido, the way of the Japanese samurai, was created by warriors training for battle, and it is often called the “samurai code of chivalry.”

Bushido is still respected by practitioners of Asian martial arts today. The U.S. Martial Arts Federation abides by a code of ethics that is drawn from the tradition of Bushido, and is extremely reminiscent of the knightly virtues of the Code of Chivalry. Martial artists, for the most part, recognize that their unique training and abilities impose greater restraints than those expected of other people, and greater responsibilities to help those in need. The USAMAF code of ethics (reprinted in part below) contains some remarkable echoes of both Bushido and chivalry. It is a fine reminder that self-control, strength and tranquility are not contradictory concepts, and that the greatest warrior is often the one with the gentlest touch.

The primary objective of practicing Martial Arts is perfection of character. In order to perfect one’s character, one should be grateful for the abundant blessings of nature, as well as for the great love of parents; one should realize his enormous debt to teachers and be ever mindful of his obligations to the general public.

Every practitioner of Martial Arts should realize that honesty is the foundation of all virtues. Kindness is the secret of business prosperity. Amiability is the essence of success. Working pleasantly is the mother of health. Strenuous effort and diligence conquer adverse circumstances. Simplicity, fortitude and diligence are the keys to joy and gladness; and service to humanity is the fountain of mutual existence and common prosperity. Courtesy, respect, modesty, loyalty, generosity and dedication are not only the source, but the reward of the training.

Unlike many other styles of martial arts, Martial Arts continually strives to live up to the seven principles of the Code of Bushido “the way of the warrior.” The Code of Bushido teaches humility, truthfulness, bravery, benevolence, compassion, sincerity, loyalty and devotion to our families, friends and country as well as every aspect of our lives. As Martial Arts practitioners we believe that (the) Code of Bushido serves as our constant reminder to perfect our character.

Looking at it from today’s perspective, ethics in Martial Arts manifests itself mainly in the following ways:

The first is humility. Being humble is not easy for a martial artist. This is especially so for those who have some small accomplishments already. It is easy to look down on others who are less skilled and become unduly vain and arrogant. It is also easy to become short-sighted and narrow-minded, often praising oneself and putting others down. The result is unnecessary prejudices that often exist between different styles of martial arts. The fact is, all styles have their own merit and all have individuals who have attained high levels of accomplishments. Determining which style is better than another is neither possible nor necessary. The study of martial art itself is an unending journey.


All who have great accomplishments also display great humility. This is because, without humility, no one is capable of learning. The more humble a person is, the more willing he is to learn. This is the prerequisite to the attainment of knowledge. “As an empty cup can be readily filled; an open mind is sure to learn.”

The second aspect is courage. The willingness to stand up for truth and justice is a traditional virtue in martial arts. The courage spoken of here is a higher kind of courage. It is the courage of self-sacrifice, of standing up for the truth, regardless of what the odds are or what the cost may be. It is not the petty bravery of proving one’s self-worth by engaging in meaningless rivalry, foolish stunts or the intimidation of others. The courage in this sense is an important test of a person’s true worth. In times of danger or crisis, a martial artist must stand up and be counted. The willingness to sacrifice is the hallmark of a true martial artist. No human endeavor can ever be possible without some sacrifice.

The third aspect is integrity. A true martial artist must have a high moral character, be open, forthright and honest. He should never be intimidated by power, corrupted by money, nor weakened by desire. A person must never be vain, but he can never be without pride. The true martial artist must have enough pride not to be used and corrupted by others, or lower oneself to grovel at the feet of the rich and powerful. He will never permit him(self) to be used by evil. The independence and integrity of personal character must be defended at all cost so that we may stand tall under any circumstance. In doing so, one will always have a clear conscience and righteous strength. This is the physical manifestation of Martial Arts spirit through the merging principles of the way and the art.

Last but not least, is respect. Respect and sensitivity toward others has a strong effect on personal relationships, both at work or at school, and with friends and family. Along with the mental connection and respect for others, comes an awareness of others and their needs.

Respect for those who are senior and from whom we learn is essential for learning. Without this basic element, the teacher can not teach and the learner can not learn.

Practitioners should not only show etiquette for the seniority system and honor senior members but show respect for self, other practitioners and all human beings.

We should always honor our families, and give without the expectation of receiving. Striving for family honor is a lifetime responsibility. As a member of a family, one’s first duty is to be filial to parents, to be helpful and harmonious with our consort, and to be affectionate to brothers and sisters, in order that the family may be a sound, successful and harmonious unit of the community.

As a member of a nation one must be grateful for the protection which one derives as a citizen; one must guard against self-interest and foster a spirit of social service.


This principle can be further expanded to include respect for other human beings, respect for society, institutions, other nations, cultures and all aspects of life and nature. Only when there are sufficient numbers of people who share this respect we can hope to change our world of violence and chaos into a world of peace and order.

As the Martial Arts practitioners we should also use ethics as a frame of reference for our daily behavior and activities. We are responsible to demonstrate the “code” in and out of the training area. This example shows that we do not consider our art separately from our everyday life, that (it) is part of everything. This demonstrates the strength of our art and makes us good practitioners and teachers.

One should be discreet in action, yet hold courage in high regard, and strive to cultivate manliness. One should be gentle, modest, polite and resourceful, but striving always to practice moderation in all things. One should also realize that these qualities constitute the secret of the practice of Martial Arts. The ethical principles … inspire all of us (less-than-perfect beings) to continually strive for perfection within ourselves.

© 2006 Scott Farrell & USAMAF

This excerpt is reprinted from the website of the USA Martial Arts Federation. The complete text of the USAMAF Code of Ethics includes clauses for coaches, referees and a specific statement regarding self-defense — it is highly recommended reading for anyone interested in modern applications of the Code of Chivalry.

Related posts:

1. Chivalry, Aristotle, CS Lewis & Martial Arts
2. No First Strike In Chivalry
3. Chivalry and the Warrior Lifestyle

Take the Pledge

Today in America, surveys indicate that as many as two-thirds of children between the ages of 6 and 18 are involved in athletic activities— from team sports like soccer, football, softball, tee-ball, water polo and basketball, to individual sports such as ice skating, wrestling, gymnastics, swimming, track and golf. More than 60,000 parks, schools and neighborhood recreation centers in this country sponsor youth sports of some kind.

Athletic activities provide a wide range of benefits to kids, from improved physical health to “quality time” spent with parents and friends. But there’s a basic dilemma that goes along with introducing children to organized sports: How do you teach a child to enjoy competition without instilling an unhealthy “win at all costs” attitude that may lead to professional or interpersonal problems later in life?

That quandary goes back to the days of knights in shining armor; it was, in fact, the very reason why the Code of Chivalry was developed in the Middle Ages. In those days the line between ethical competition and ruthless self-interest was as thin as the edge of a sword.

In today’s world, we’ve seen many examples of how easily disregard for the rules in sports translates into disrespect for authority in other areas of life — in the workplace, in the political arena and in society in general. (How many news stories have you heard about the multi-million-dollar “bad boy” athletes selling drugs, abusing women, or vandalizing property?)

To combat the poor examples set by sports stars who lie, cheat and steal, many youth leagues and athletic associations are adopting codes of conduct and ethical statutes to help young players internalize the concepts of respect, fair play and sportsmanship. These codes emphasize graciousness, self-restraint, integrity and dedication — concepts that would have been very familiar to the armored knights of the Middle Ages.

Knights in shining armor were the greatest athletes of their time. They were admired as both warriors and competitors, but it was their dedication to the ideals of upstanding and ethical conduct that made them heroes for many generations to come — just as sports stars who combine personal values and athletic excellence in today’s world continue to be held in high regard long after they’ve retired from the public eye.

By emphasizing the connection between integrity, sports and the chivalrous knightly champions of old, parents and coaches allow today’s kids to learn more about the importance of ethical conduct on today’s “fields of battle.” To help with this, we’ve created The Athlete’s Code of Chivalry — a simple but effective pledge that incorporates the Seven Knightly Virtues. We hope that athletes, coaches and parents alike accept the challenge of committing themselves to training, playing and living by the Code of Chivalry as they pursue their athletic endeavors in the 21st century.

The Athlete’s Code of Chivalry

As an athlete, I set an example of integrity, honor and strength. I come from the competitive tradition of knights in shining armor, and whenever I participate in my sport, I pledge to follow these guidelines:

• I will have the courage to prepare myself mentally and physically for my sport, to use all my strength and skills in every game, and to never make excuses for my performance on the field.
• I will know and understand the rules of my sport, and I will play by those rules in all situations and circumstances so that every game is a fair and just competition.
• I will share my enthusiastic spirit generously with coaches, teammates, teachers, officials and everyone who works to make my sport possible, because I know that I cannot excel without the support of others.
• I will be gracious in both victory and defeat, recognizing that every test of my athletic skills gives me an opportunity to improve myself.
• I will be honest, truthful and responsible when participating in my sport, because the bonds of trust that exist between athletes, coaches and officials create a safe environment on the field.
• I will conduct myself with dignity and honor at all times, remembering that I represent the noble image of athletic excellence in every aspect of my life.
• I will possess a positive, hopeful attitude before, during and after competition, because participating in my sport is a privilege, and I want to look back on my experiences with joy and happiness.
• I will live by the Athlete’s Code of Chivalry, and I will do my best to always be an honorable example of sporting excellence for others to follow and admire.

Scott Farrell has more than 25 years of experience in armored, full-contact martial arts in tournament societies and Renaissance Faires. He teaches courses in Western martial arts through the Team Touché Fencing Center in Del Mar, California.

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1. Chivalry Rounds the Bases
2. Introduction to Chivalry Today
3. Class Projects and the Code of Chivalry

Here is a tale of chivalry told in two acts. A character study of two individuals who demonstrate very clearly that there’s a difference between coming in first and being a champion. Both have something to teach us about courage.

The first fellow is Ned. Throughout his life, Ned enjoyed a variety of sports and outdoor activities. A few years ago, he took up a new hobby: Old Western re-enactment. At these events, members of the club capture the flavor of the American west in the nineteenth century by dressing up in authentic frontier clothing, eating period meals around an open fire, holding square dances, and competing in shooting matches using replica guns right out of a John Wayne movie.

But the club’s organizers had a dilemma. They recognized that modern equipment and techniques could give some competitors a significant advantage. On the other hand, they were sympathetic to new members who wanted to participate, but didn’t have access to costly authentic cowboy gear, or who just didn’t understand the rules completely. They tried to keep their cowboy re-enactment game simple and fun, hoping that everyone would join in the historic flavor of the event — abide the “Code of the Cowboys” as it were.

To encourage this, match judges used a convention known as the “Failure To Do Right” rule. A participant charged with a Failure To Do Right wasn’t disqualified, nor was a penalty added to their score, it was simply used to discourage unauthentic, distasteful or improper behavior. Most of the people who played in the cowboy games respected the Failure To Do Right rule, and they tried to instill that respect in others.

Back to Ned. Before joining the cowboy group, Ned was very active in amateur sports — softball leagues, volleyball tournaments, flag football teams and the like. Ned knew a thing or two about competition. “Just win” was his motto, taken right off the sports gear commercials, and with that philosophy, he entered the cowboy club’s regional championship match. Ned brought with him an assortment of equipment which just barely met the requirements for authenticity, and he utilized unconventional techniques at every opportunity. When the final scores were tallied at the end of the match, the trophy went to Ned.

A triumph in the spirit of courage? Maybe according to the sports drink ads and athletic shoe commercials. During the match, however, Ned had been charged with numerous Failures To Do Right, but since they carried no penalty, he paid them no heed. Here’s what he had to say after the match: “What a bunch of bumpkins. Failure To Do Right doesn’t bother me. If it’s a penalty, penalize me. If not, get out of my way. I’m here to win.”

Here’s our second profile in courage — Frederico. At the same time Ned was competing in the cowboy championship, Frederico ran the Los Angeles Marathon. He didn’t win. He didn’t come in first in his age bracket. He didn’t have the most improved time, and he wasn’t the youngest or the oldest or the biggest celebrity in the race. Frederico had one distinction: In a field of 16,000 runners, he placed 16,000th. Dead last. He completed the twenty-eight mile course in just under eleven hours, giving him an average speed of about two and a half miles an hour.

Going into the race, Frederico had a pretty good idea where he’d wind up. He was old, overweight and out of shape. Frederico never expected fame and glory when he sent in his entry form. The only person cheering him on at the end of the race was the police officer waiting to remove the “finish line” sign.

Out of 16,000 runners, Frederico was competing with only one person: himself. He knew that all the hot-shot runners would be elbowing past the “old fat guy” when the starter’s pistol fired. He knew that the ESPN camera crew would broadcast pictures of him wobbling and panting at the
end of the pack while the commentators made jokes at his expense. He knew that, in the land of beautiful smiles and perfect bodies, everyone watching the race would be wondering, “What is that guy doing?” None of that bothered him a bit.

Here’s what Frederico had to say after finishing the course: “Anybody can be motivated to win a marathon. Not everyone has the guts to finish last.”

Two individuals, two stories, two outcomes. After the cowboy shooting championship, new rules were enacted banning certain types of equipment and techniques. Next season, Ned hung up his spurs — if he had to compete with the “bumpkins” on their terms, he didn’t want to compete at all.

After the marathon, people who heard about Frederico’s performance were inspired to challenge their own limits, to push their own boundaries, to do that one thing they thought they could never do because someone would laugh at them. Luckily, there was someone with the courage to run ahead of them and demonstrate that even coming in last can be a triumph.

Ned and Frederico. First and last. One has a trophy and one is a champion, but both have something to teach us about the true spirit of courage and chivalry.

Related posts:

1. Chivalry and the Cowboy Code
2. Free Trade of Chivalry
3. Grandfather’s Love and Courage