New group Virtual Jousting League announced

A new Jousting group was recently announced: 'The Virtual Jousting League (VJL)' This makes the third new jousting group created this year, joining groups Jousters4Jousters announced in April, and SL Medieval Games Association (SLMGA) announced in August.

The new groups share a goal to address divisions in the jousting community arising after the formulation of the United Jousters group in late 2013. The VGL group was created by Nyza Stillwater, former chairperson of the United Jousters and coordinator for the UJ Grand Joust.

He shared his reasons for starting a new League in a lengthly statement sent to various SL groups on September 15, 2014. The announcement is too long to present here in its entirety, but key points from the statement are grouped in logical order:

A Statement Regarding Nyza Stillwater’s Decision to Form a New Jousting Group Called the Virtual Jousting League and the Reasons for its Formation as well as the Current State of the Virtual Jousting Community in His Eyes

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Dear Second Life Jousters,

Politics. Some love them, others loathe them. Regardless of your personal feelings towards them, politics are a necessary evil.

I resonate to say that I feel the establishment of the Virtual Jousting League isn’t going to divide the jousting community any more than it already is.

The United Jousters was founded in late 2013 for two reasons in my eyes. The first … a desire to let the people decide and to establish a democratic process to getting matters decided. The second … because people were not happy with the direction the Second Life Tournament Association was going. Celtic Isle and the White Rangers essentially lead the charge, and other groups gradually followed.

When United Jousters was started, I, while not a core founder, still envisioned it as a group for everyone, regardless of affiliation.

Gradually though, in my eyes, United Jousters became a coalition of people who shared their common interests, and gradually shifted in a new direction… Anyone who doesn’t join United Jousters, in partial or full involvement is viewed in some judgment as “them”.

This primarily comes to light because UJ doesn’t promote SLTA or DDA events, because of hyperactive past hostilities between members of the two which have gone on for a lengthy amount of time. Additionally, it’s probably the case because SLTA and DDA don’t want their jousts recorded in UJ standings...

Correction - Bella Denver shared SLTA policy on point sharing for all.

See HERALD blog post March 17: ‘Sharing of point standings leads to lively debate’

The United Jousters wasn’t founded initially to compete with SLTA, but in the end, that is how it was seen by many people… For the past 3 to 4 years, SLTA has run unopposed in the virtual jousting community. They had a well-established program and for the majority of people it worked well. They ran good jousting events, they drew excitement and interest from new jousting groups and roleplay sims.

United Jousters in the beginning would allow for anyone who was a member of the group to post jousts or information related to jousting in notices or in group chat…Content on the website, including meetings and meeting minutes were available to the public, just as with real life organizations. Gradually though, it was decided by the committee to give only permissions to certain individuals (joust hosts and affiliates) to post, but was limited to only jousts that were affiliated with UJ in some way, or obtain special permission. This meant that SLTA, DDA, and any individual who did not have posting permissions were not included and could not promote their jousts.

See HERALD blog post March 8, 2014: 'Reaction to Jousting League website announcement'

Soon after, meeting minutes and agendas were closed to members only (who may or may not have been supplied with an account name and password, as you have to sign up through Capt Blinker directly to obtain access). The primary reason for this was in response to alleged attacks from DDA and for not wanting to have information used against the organization.

Correction - The HERALD blog presented commentary from public accessible minutes and meetings, not the DDA. See HERALD blog post April 15, 2014: 'UJ restricts access to meeting minutes''

Capt Blinker and I didn’t have the best relationship working behind the scenes. … we simply did not agree on many things or the way UJ should be run…

For me and my lifestyle, I’ve always needed to be at the top of ladder. It’s a personal preference, and not something that anyone wants to do or deal with, but it is how I’ve always gotten things done…

I decided in the end that a small group/individual based approach was more proficient and productive than an approach that was based off a democratic committee where at any given time 10 or more people may each have a different view…

…Did I do it to get more of what I envisioned done in a short amount of time? Yes… Did I do it to obtain more control over the group? Yes… because of efficiency and because I hope that what I want is what the majority want…

Most jousters don’t wish to trouble themselves with politics, they just wish to joust, and nothing more. A very small percentage of people will step up to work with a group of allied people, let alone start up an entirely new organization.

I didn’t start up VJL because I wanted to initially compete with UJ or SLTA (but it seems that is what has happened and that’s okay). I started it up because my vision did not radiate with theirs and I believed in a better way.

I believe in a town-hall system, an open-ended community where one person or a small group of people are put in charge of running the organization…

Any normal man with a life might consider me crazy to even undertake this effort as it’s like walking into a field of mines…I’ve been told the VJL consists of a lot of “duplication efforts” and hosting “the same information”…

… Rather than looking at a new group as a proponent to bringing further division to the jousting community, why not look to it as friendly competition to further increase and promote your own organization and to make it the best organization that it can possibly be?

I’ve been asked if I’m taking my toys and going to play elsewhere. To a certain extent, I am, but at the same time, I’m still letting my toys being played by anyone and many of my toys are being left behind as they consisted of some of the founding efforts of organizations, such as the United Jousters.

To the naysayers, I say this, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that we have different states of mind, different visions, and perhaps cannot work together. I’m sorry if you view me in a certain light that I cannot see or will not see. I will still always do my best to work with you and find a compromise…

If you wish to join me, great, and if not, then I’m sorry, but I will respect your decision so long as you respect mine. To the end, we all want the same thing, and there is more than one way to go about acquiring that.

I look forward to working with all of you to continue to improve the jousting community!

Sincerely,

Nyza Stillwater

#united #joust