Pinchpoint 2025
This past weekend, five of our MyTHS members, including three from our current beginner longsword class stepped onto the tournament floor for Pinchpoint 2025, a beginner-level longsword tournament hosted by MKDF in Columbia, Maryland — and we couldn’t be PROUDER!
Competing in your first HEMA tournament takes courage. It’s not just about technique or footwork; it’s about managing nerves, applying what you’ve learned under pressure, and stepping into the ring with other schools. For these six students, many of whom only recently picked up a sword 7 weeks ago, it was a huge milestone.
At MyTHS (Maryland Training in Historical Swordsmanship), we emphasize both historical martial arts and the supportive community that comes with it — and these students brought both to the tournament floor. They showed up with great attitudes and a willingness to learn from every bout, win or lose. They represented the spirit of our club: humble, focused, and fiercely passionate about this art.
A big thank you to MKDF for hosting a welcoming and well-run event that gives new fighters a place to grow. Beginner tournaments like Pinchpoint are essential for building confidence and helping onboard them into the broader Mid-Atlantic community.
To our students who stepped into the ring: you’ve made us incredibly proud. Whether this was the first of many tournaments or just a personal challenge you wanted to tackle, you’ve already won in our eyes.
Here’s to you Vincent, Joshua, Dylan, Molly and Nick. Huzzah!
On a side note… I (Matthew Ward) was mentor for 4 crablets, Ring Judge for the first pool and assistant judge for Elimination and Finals. I didn’t have time sit let alone take pictures, or I would post some.
