The International Jugger Blog

Juggers from all over the world have contributed to the international Jugger documentary project of Runtun Films. Here is the trailer -- nice work! Enjoy!

It took a bit more time than estimated – about two years –, but Ruben has just published his fourth book on Jugger "JUGGER – Das Praxisbuch. Grundlagen, Training, Teambuilding", now focusing on training methods and strategy.
As in Judo and Karate handbooks, step-by-step "motion" pictures show basic steps for fighting with the different German type spars. Football-like plans explain strategic moves. The book has got an impressive, full-color layout and print, hardcover, and is set in A4 landscape format (about 29x21cm).

While the plans for an English translation are unknown, the Swedish one is on the way and should be published by september.

Read more on the pages of the publisher and in Uhus finest-assorted Weblog Droppings for a comment of the author.

Team Murcia Selection has become German Champion at the XVI. Deutsche Meisterschaft in Berlin.
After Rigor II had beaten the former long-year German Champion Rigor I, the Spanish won the finals of the world's biggest championship in Jugger after a fast, tight and excellent game against Rigor II.
Yes, even teams from other countries can win a country's Championship in Jugger!

The XVI. German Championships, which took place the last week-end at former Tempelhof airport Berlin, is second only in size to the same tournament -- also organized by the Jugger e. V. -- last year, in worlds Jugger history. This time, we counted 60 teams, three of which came from Ireland and two from Spain. All in all, over 500 players fought for the German Pokal.

On a side note, team Falco jugger had beaten Murcia Selection at the same tournament, thus beating the coming-to-be German Champion. Quite a nice feeling for the Falco I players, who reportedly only didn't climb to the quarter finals due to the report of two faulty results of two other games with a one Jugg counting error each, of their group. But their group was one of the strongest with four teams at around the same top level, so it doesn't really matter if misfortune during a game or during reporting results would have made the difference.

Two professional photographers were on the field and shot an estimated number of 10.000 pictures. You can find a selection at the Jugger e. V. website.


Foto: sebo

The international Jugger community is a huge bubbling cauldron. But there are always a few who stick out – they care more about the community and Jugger than others, they invest more of their free time, they take responsibility, they are just Juggers  head to toe, they gather competence and experience and let others profit from their knowledge, and, in the best cases, gain wisdom, a feat that is widely underrated (and, often, lacking) but extremely important for any society.

So why not dig out the good old term "Juggermaster", found in the movie near the end when Sallows team challenges a Red City Elite, to honour those who really care and work hard (and are also experienced enough to do so)?

Not in terms of hierarchy, of course, but more as a visible reward. To make the choice a little more objective, short guidelines are added – a reward of any kind always bears the chance of injustice to those who also work hard but get left out, so clear guidelines are important.

The seasoned head of a club is the Juggermaster, although many members might be as or even more active. Sad little world, is it. A Juggermaster should be very experienced in every case: At least, say, 5 years of active training and of participation at Jugger tournaments, having organized a team, club, and/or tournaments, having mastered at least one of the five kinds of spars and knowing all others well, so that he or she can teach how to fight efficiently; having taught many others how to make each of the five spars (and knowing well what is important when making them) and the rest of the equipment.

Uhu created some symbols that can be ironed on jerseys or whatever, reserved for those who earned them according to the definitions; there is also a How-to for ironing patches to shirts. Load the PDF ⇒ here. Read the article about [the player position symbols, with free download of the graphics.]

Explanation: Juggermaster (Club): The head of a stable Jugger group or club and some years tournament experience.
The chain not only represents the unique position in a team, but also the community that stands together – though it does this not necessarily in a row, not at all, but flexible like chain links.

Juggermaster (Serenis): An undisputably extremely experienced Jugger who is an inspiration and a “sage” for the community. Examples: Adam (Brisbane /AU), Siggi (Hamburg/D). Something like 15-20 years of experience as an active Jugger should be expected.
The cogwheel not only represents a driving element of the community, but is also a reminiscence to the atmosphere and, also, the crude, non-standartized currency in the movie.

Jugger Zero or Juggermaster Zero (Founder): One of the very few who introduced and established Jugger in a country. Examples: Mark Hill (Ir), Lester (D), First Ones of HH/KH (D), the predecessor of Adam (+; AU), Ruben (S). For a complete list, see the "Hall of Fame".
The Radioactivity symbol represents the atomic apocalypse, which is the base of the movie. Without it, there wouldn’t have been a Jugger movie and, therefore, curiously even today’s Jugger roots in that apocalypse.

David Webb Peoples: The First One. He invented Jugger from scratch. He is our ultimate icon.

Ruben has finished working at a new Jugger book that will be published at Zauberfeder Verlag.
The typesetter is working hard at it, so we hope to be able to have the book printed soon!
Special thanks go to the Jugger e. V. Berlin for support and to those players who showed basic attacking and defending positions with the different Pompfen.

Publication date is not set yet, but we can already offer a first glimpse on the layout ...

EDIT 2/2014: It has been published!

And en gång till:
Recently, short lesson clips on how to play Jugger Pompfen/spars/pompårna popped up at youtube. Both settings are quite alike (and good for learning) but are done, in fact, on different continents: In Australia and in the U.S.
They are especially interesting for the beginner, but even the more experienced players may learn a bit! Enjoy.

• How to play the chain: Basic lessons on chainplay at youtube from Ireland


• How to play the shield: Basic lessons on shieldplay at youtube from Doug, U.S.

I would like to recommend two web pages that I think are quite interesting:

• The Nine Cities is a weblog done by Adam, Urgestein of the Australian Juggers. Adam does a fascinating job by interviewing players all over the world on Jugger, and, moreover, doing his famous BBQ reviews (tournament reviews). A vera good site indeed, often full of humour, and sometimes with quotes of unintended truth behind the openly visible words ... (and no, I explicitely don't mean the quoted Australian players character by "truth", because that is just the "visible" meaning which is a no-go. Words are cunning).


• An interview on Jugger, its fascinating roots and its todays character, in English with Ruben, just when he had prepared his new book; head over to ⇒ tentaclepr0n to hear or download the audio file.

Enjoy!

Which place would be better to show Jugger to the Vikings than a big Metal festival?
We had the honour to invite German teams for a Jugger presentation, and a mini-tounament thereafter, at Metallsvenskan: A Metal festival in the city of Örebro, right the heart of Sweden, with about 10.000 Heavy Metallers. And yes, we all had a very good time indeed!

Watch the clip, thanks to James and Sindy, to gain an impression.
and if you happen to live in Sweden (and also if not), just come over to jugger.se (see here for their facebook page) and start up your team!
Welcome, Vikings!

Polish jugger has formed a league consisting of five teams, mainly post-apocalyptic brethren joined by a viking reenactment group. There has been one tournament played this year, although next are already being planned. However, main focus of the community is to promote jugger, especially by playing it during various conventions.

One of the promotional tournaments was held on Saturday 27 April 2013 during a convention ‘Grojkon’ in Bielsko-Biała. Actually, a few people admitted that they had known the game from the movie, yet they hadn’t had a chance to play it. Announcing among the visitors got us two new teams ready to take up the challenge. After the rules were simply explained and a show match was played, gathering spectators eagerly joined and formed next three teams ad hoc, which effected in a tournament of 5 teams of people generally new to the game.

Round-robin tournament with the first to score two points winning format. Games were played in formations of a staff, a chain and two short weapons with kneeling for three seconds after being hit by
any. The newly-formed teams played well and followed fair-play rules.Team Chickens climbed the podium having won the third place, Raubritters were the runner-ups and TAD comfortably won. The level all players presented was surprisingly high and what is more important everyone enjoyed the event very much. Such games are played several times a month and will certainly be included in next conventions, which are quite often in Poland, and will hopefully let us gain more players for the sport. Probably, the next league tournament will be played in the beginning of July.

The Uhu is quite proud that he can assert: The free Jugger ebook has hit over 1,000 downloads in March! Thanks to all who have read this book, and even more to those who contributed to it.


Don't forget, if you have news on Jugger in your country, don't hesitate to write a little on the way Jugger is played "your way", how the sport has evolved in your country etc. Also photos are most appreciated (with the express permission of the photographer).
Welcome!

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