What is LARP Club?

By Brenden Warlick

Larp club logo designed by Matthew Gilliland

At first glance, LARP (Live-Action Role-Playing) Club may seem like a bunch of people smacking each other with pool noodles, but Larp contains layers of emotional value that often go unnoticed . This club means so much to every single person in it. One person that deserves to talk about it is the creator and sponsor of the club, Shane Ridenour.

“It is an escape from reality, having fun and just enjoying life,” Ridenour said.

Ridenour always speaks passionately about the LARP club. It is fascinating the amount of work he has put in for this club to help everyone. He has made all of the weapons brand new this year, and he has worked constantly to push into school events.

Ridenour and the officers of the club try their best to make the club feel as welcoming as possible. One of the movements this year was spearheaded by Zacchaeus Blakeney. Blakeney started a movement to move the club’s meeting day to Thursday for the purpose of allowing the band students to join. Thanks to his efforts, the meeting day was moved to Thursday and about 10 new people were able to join. Now, he is the new records keeper of the club.

“It is the highlight of my week. I love getting to go out on the field with all of my friends…We get to hit each other,” Blackney said.

Photo of LARP club members taken by Brenden Warlick

The club has an outstanding impact on the current students, but even those who have already graduated have good things to say about it. One of those students is named Nathan Gordon. Gordon himself had a large impact on the club that is still felt today. His title is spoken in reverence each week as it was passed on, his influence will never leave the hearts of the club members.

“It was the best use of my time after school. I got to immerse myself in a fantasy world of make believe—and you get to hit people, so y’know,” Gordon reminisced.

If anyone who has participated in the club for more than a week was asked what they thought about it, almost every single one of them would say that it is amazing. It does not need a profound explanation at all. The vice president of the club, Kyle Birkedahl, describes it plainly,

“It is the best.”