Press Release Version 1.0

This is a really rough draft of a press release for Team USA.

Please pick it apart and suggest more.

I can personalize for anyone, just as I personalized this one for Rob.

I was fortunate with him, because he has a blog I could steal quotes from.

James: We certainly don't have to use those specific quotes. That's for effect for now.

They come from across the U.S., and they range is age from 25 to 53. The 24 members of Team USA come from all walks of life, and their are bound together by their love of armored sword-fighting and their desire to represent their county in Poland in April.

Their goal is to stand against teams from around the world in the annual Battle of the Nations, which was held earlier this year in Xxxxxx, and will be held April XX-XX in XXXXXX. Poland.

Rob Roach, a 37-year-old network engineer from Naperville is one of those fighters who is actively training and raising money to be part of the first American team to travel to the competition.

When he's not fighting in armor, Roach, 37, is a network engineer. He is 5-foot-11, 290 pounds and has been fighting in armor for 11 years. He has also been involved in mixed martial arts and similar disciplines. When dressed for fighting, he wears armor from 1375.

Like Roach, many of the team members are long-time participants in the Society For Creative Anachronism and others have come to the competition through other paths.

Their number includes a millwright, and Army ICU nurse, a corporate pilot, a professional jouster and a Marine Corps reservist who is also a professional armorer.

Russia has won the first two competitions and was spo dominant this past year that two Russian teams fought in the finals. Other teams include Ukraine, Belarus, Italy, Germany and Quebec. All those teams are expected to return, and there is a possibility of more teams, including one from Australia and New Zealand.

James Etherton, a 45-year-old technical manager, is the captain of Team USA, and he is exceedingly proud of his teammates.

"For many, this deed of arms represents the culmination of a life’s pursuit of armored combat. There is something you should know about these men. In their own right they are great men," he said. ". They are family men, working men and patriotic men. But also many of these men come from other organizations and groups where armored combat is a way to gain great renown.

"What is interesting is all these men come here and accept no title at all. They come simply as John, Mike, William and such ... with their own identity ready to prove themselves once again in a new realm ready to have their swords speak for them. We are gathered here in the same spirit that makes our nation great, the equal opportunity to succeed. "

The competition is held in a number of formats, including one-on-one, five-on-five and 15-on-15. The weapons are made of steel, The armor is real armor, and the swords are real steel.

For Roach, part of this is deeply personal. His grandmother was raised in what was then Czechoslovakia, Polish border, and came to the U.S. on a steamer when she was 12.

"I personally know very little about the family before then, but it makes me feel . . . well, I’m not sure yet how it makes me feel to travel to the area where my Grandmother came from.

"I do know there are some visceral feelings stirring underneath. The thought of traveling there “on campaign” to fly both the U.S. colors, and my own personal standard over a field in my Grandmother’s “land”; To stand in full harness to trade stout blows with Men of coat armor where much of my “blood” came from stirs . . . something. I’m not quite sure yet what it is."

For more information on team USA, go to http://www.statutaarmorum.org/ . To see a video of this year's competition, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifVBhKmBCt8 .