About comBATON and its history

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It was originally called Baton but was changed to comBATON shortly after the patent was issued in 1998. The name was derived by combining the words combat and baton due to common letters. It is a game of combat with the baton as the focal point.

The first practice was staged on November 20th, 2004 in Lake Mary, Florida. The inventor and patent holder, Steve Blanton, had been looking high and low to find someone to help develop the game but could find no one with enough imagination to see the potential. It took approximately ten years before someone was found that would help in the endeavor.

David Turnbull, who is the president of the A.A.U. Tae Kwon Do Association for the state of Florida and operator of two schools in the Lake Mary area, was approached by Steve. "It was like striking a vein of gold", as it was described by the patent owner. David had an unusually large lot of young black belts, some with 2nd and 3rd degrees, that were willing to play the game and help develop it.

There were 10 or 11 players that showed up for that first practice. Only a few basic rules were discussed before the players took to the field. David was also a player as well as taking over the coaching chores while Steve officiated. "It was amazing to see how instinctive the players interacted in a team concept," Steve later said. "They took to it naturally."

From that day forward David has been a prominent force in the development of the sport. More practices were scheduled at the Lake Mary soccer field and more players became involved. Another team formed in Spring Hill, Florida under the supervision of Brian Schneider, an owner and operator of a school there known as TaeKwonDo America. Paul and Ginger Allen got involved with their school at the RDV sports complex in Maitland, Florida. Wendi Turnbull, David's wife, helps manage the Lake Mary team. Parents from both teams have been instrumental in helping the sport along.

It is the intention of the league to become an international sport with a world playoff system. It is also the league's intension to convey the spirit of the marital arts and bring the martial arts community under one roof. To be an example for the world to follow on and off the field. That is, to respect others, to respect their property, to be courteous, and when off the field to fight only to defend. To develop moral and ethical conduct among the youth in every community around the world with discipline and honor. Something that our world greatly lacks today.