Friday, March 6, 2026
The CSC Eagle Newspaper – Chadron, NE
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The CSC Eagle Newspaper – Chadron, NE
Lifestyles

Come one, come all for LARPing

Jordyn Hulinsky

Swords, shields, and spears flew and danced around the amphitheater last Thursday for RLA sponsored LARPing, Live Action Role Playing, event.

Nine teams, averaging 15 participants per team, brought 80 students to the battlefield. About 40 people sat on the sidelines and watched the spectacle.

Nehemiah Soler, 19, junior of Arvada, Colorado, thrusts her sword forward Thursday during LARPing at the amphitheater. — Photo by Janelle Kesterson
Nehemiah Soler, 19, junior of Arvada, Colorado, thrusts her sword forward Thursday during LARPing at the amphitheater. — Photo by Janelle Kesterson

“The LARPing went extremely well,” RA of Kent and organizer of LARPing Katrina Hurley, 21, junior of Seward, said. “I was very excited that so many came out to participate. The outfits were astounding! The battle cries and war speeches were my favorite. We will definitely try to put this together again for next year.”

As thunder and rain rolled in and poured down on the battlefield, adding to the excitement, teams slashed down the enemy with foam swords to protect their King or Queen. The King or Queen on each team was the key. As soon as the King or Queen died, the entire team was considered dead and the other team won. Deaths were decided by three hits from a sword or shield and a direct hit from a spear thrown through the air.

“I  think the event was fun as a whole, but it wasn’t very well organized,” Tyler Regier, 19, sophomore of Chadron, member of the Kiss my Anthian LARPing team, said. “Some teams didn’t know the rules…I think next year they should gather everyone to explain the rules, even if you’ve heard them before. That way there’s not so much arguing on who died or didn’t die.”

Spectators and the LARPers were offered turkey legs, grilled chicken, crackers and cheese wheels and wedges to feast on.

The winners of the battle, the Greasy Graplers, earned the 38-inch trophy with their name engraved on it and each member received an iHome speaker.

“It went good, a little more physical than it was meant to be, but it was organized very well,” Cooper Cogdill, 19, freshman of Chadron, member of the Greasy Graplers, said. “I think it will be even bigger next year.”

For next year’s event, Hurley said she would like to have more judges. She would even like to see it maybe turned into a Renaissance Festival with fortunetellers and jousting.

Leopoldo Salcido, 19, freshman of Evans, Colorado, prepares to defend an attack Thursday during the LARPing tournament at the amphitheater. —photo by Janelle Kesterson
Leopoldo Salcido, 19, freshman of Evans, Colorado, prepares to defend an attack Thursday during the LARPing tournament at the amphitheater. —photo by Janelle Kesterson

“I believe the event went very well for it being the first year,” Alex Jensen, 20, junior of Chadron, member of the Ravenholdt, said. “It definitely had some factors that could use improvement, but it was overall a great beginning to an annual tradition. Some areas of improvement could include more judges and all rules being available to the participants beforehand. Some rules were made up halfway through the event, which changed some teams’ strategies.”

“I think they should have more people do it, and they should have a freestyle team tourney and an individual tourney, or like a 3-on-3 tourney,” Cogdill said.

“The food provided, the people running the event, and all the participants made the Chadron State’s first year of LARPing a memorable experience and will hopefully build a long lasting tradition in the years to come,” Jensen said.