“Fill in the Blank” Questions
SCA Name: Kytte Meliore Stevenson
Survey taken on: Sept. 14, 2003
Year you authorized in Heavy Weapons: 1990
Year you actually started fighting: 1990
Estimated Total Years Fighting: 13
How Many Years did it take for you to get Knighted? 7
Kingdom that you were Knighted in? Meridies
Still Active in Fighting? Semi-Active
Year Retired (if applicable): –
If Retired, Why did you retire? –
Who was the most influential person to you before being knighted? The two most influential people that I worked with were His Grace, Paul of Bellatrix and His Grace, Gyrth Oldcastle of Ravenspur. Coast to coast, huh? Both of them have a strong emphasis on footwork. Knowing where to put my feet helped tremendously. A special thank-you to Paul for showing me how to put my hip into a shot. I needed all the help I could get on that one!
In what other forms of martial arts have you participated, in what styles and what ranks did you achieve? –
Do you feel that your Martial Arts Background made a difference in your fighting career? –
What other athletic endeavors have you participated in? –
Do you feel that your Athletic Background made a difference in your fighting career? –
What Books that you have read that have made a difference to you and/or your fighting career? –
What led you to start chivalric fighting? Ya know, that is a more difficult question that I would have thought.
When I first saw a fighter practice, I was like, “Oh My GOD, that is SO cool!” But I was 99 lbs at the time (no, really I was) and had no plans of trying it myself. I went back to another one–because ..um..well—because I thought the fighters were handsome and romantic. I was chatting with one of the knights, Sir Robert Greenheart and says he, ” you ought to try this” ….yeah….right. I was THE original skinny, picked-on kid. To this day I’m not real sure what possessed me to try it, but once I actually got INTO THE ARMOR, I was entranced by the novelty of the whole thing and kept coming back for more. 14 years later, I’m still here.
Were you a member of an active fighting household, war band, squire, special trainee, etc, at the time of your training? The time of my training…hmmm, I’m still IN my time of training. It never really stops, does it?
But, yes, I was squired twice, Once in a fairly organized fighting house and later in a very laid back, loosely knit household. I am in a warband now, the Meridian Campatores. We have several knights and several everything elses. I like it VERY much, they are a marvelous bunch of men–great friends–very supportive. Was I a special trainee? Weellll………, off and on , I guess. A large number of talented fighters have been so kind as to have taken extra time with me over the years.
Were you able to get additional training other than that offered at regularly scheduled fighter practices? Lord, yes!
During your training years, did you attend special workshops/fighter practices etc? I never attended a workshop but I went to fighter practices EVERYWHERE. I fought in female specific tournaments twice before I decided that we were barking up the wrong tree there. We are all fighters, lets all fight each other, O.K.? Never felt any great need to separate myself or felt that as a woman, I was “misunderstood” or needed special “woman oriented” training. Never felt like I had to act like a man to be taken seriously. Ooops! let me get off my soapbox now.
“Select from a List” Questions
Gender:
Female
Primary Fighting Style:
Melee
War
Practices
Primary Fighting Form:
Sword & Shield
Primary Shield Handle:
Side Mount
Center Grip
Primary Shield Type:
Oval
Wankle
Fighting Stance:
Sword Leg Back
Bellatrix
Oldcastle
Fighting Behavior:
Aggressive
Calculating
Counter Puncher
Dominant Hand:
Right Handed
Fighting Calibration:
Low
Blow Strength (Kingdom):
Middle
Blow Strength (Society):
Middle
Fighting Level:
High Level
Fighting Awards:
Knight
Average Fighting Performance in Tournaments:
–
Was your Significant Other a Knight/Master of Arms at the Time of your Elevation?
No
Were you a Royal Peer before you were Knighted?
No
Since being Knighted, Have you become a Royal Peer?
No
Greatest Impediment:
Mental
Height:
(5′3- 5′7)
Weight:
(?-140)
Strongest Ability:
Speed
Agility
Accuracy
Common Injuries:
Knees
Wrists
Elbows
Hands
Feet
“Open Ended” Questions
Knighthood:
Do you still feel the same about being a knight as you did before your elevation?
–
Fighting Philosophy:
–
Training Philosophy:
Lift many weights
Run many miles
Take your vitamins
Pell work! foot work!
Practice.. Practice.. PRACTICE!
Words of Wisdom:
Be careful what you wish for - being a knight can be way more difficult than you think and I do not mean physically.
