Longtime advocate for ComBATON still pushing sport
A martial-arts team competition hopes to catch on in Central Florida.
Justin Fiore Mckim Special to the Sentinel Posted March 23, 2007
It all started with a pen, a piece of paper and a dream.Steve Blanton loves to ignite his creative fire by developing story ideas.
Back in 1989, during one of Blanton's brainstorming sessions, he formulated ideas for an innovative sport called Baton, a kind of a Taekwondo meets football.The sport, now labeled comBATON, is still in its infancy stages after nearly 20 years of progression. It is played on a field the size of an Arena Football League field. A baton is used like a football would be on the gridiron, with six players on each side.When an offensive player carrying a baton kicks the goal from its magnetic mount, points are awarded based on the style of kick. Instead of tackling an opponent, players stop a baton holder with martial arts kicks. Players can also pass the baton as a quarterback would in football.A patent was issued for the sport in 1998.Its first-ever practice was held in 2004, and it has struggled to pick up steam. Blanton hopes to generate more interest in comBATON when the sport holds a tournament for boys and girls at the Mount Dora Middle School gymnasium (1250 N. Grant Ave., Mount Dora) Saturday at 4 p.m.A Taekwondo AAU coaches and officials clinic will be held at 8:30 a.m., followed by a sparring clinic and scrimmage which will kick off the day's festivities.Teams from Spring Hill and Lake Mary will be competing in the comBATON event. A Taekwondo class from Miami that was introduced last weekend to comBATON by Blanton might also join the tournament. Sign-ups and video clips can be found at www.combaton.com."We're slowly trying to build this team sport," Blanton said. "I think football fans will like this. They like to see contact."Saturday's tournament will be played 3-on-3 because of the smaller gym setting.The story that helped create comBATON is still not finished. Its setting was the Far East, over 5,000 years ago. Two tribes continuously fought wars. One day, a captured female sold her captors on a way to resolve differences through fighting without weapons. Over time, comBATON was born.Blanton estimates that he has spent over $50,000 promoting and trouble-shooting his vision. He pays for everything: team uniforms, equipment, fabrications of the goal poles and tournaments, among other expenses."My savings, everything, is going into this," he said. "I'm gambling."He rarely doubts his creation."I don't think in those terms," Blanton said. "Failure -- I just don't see it. I feel so strongly in my gut that it will eventually take off. I'm going to stick with it until it does. When? I couldn't tell you."It took about three years to establish the basic concepts: an opening attack, rules, defending, etc. Over five years was spent pursuing a patent. Blanton has worked nearly 20 years cultivating a game hardly anyone knows about. He hopes all that will change in the near future. .He has learned to be patient through the process and appreciative of every opportunity comBATON receives. Like the one Saturday at Mount Dora Middle School."I believe in it," said Blanton, who is also a real estate appraiser. "We need to capture the imagination of the martial artists [for it to be a success]."Capturing that imagination has not been easy. Blanton understands the reality and setbacks associated with starting anything from scratch."I'm sure it will take a while before somebody takes us seriously," he said. "There are no serious takers yet."The strongest backers have been the folks managing and participating with teams in Lake Mary that have a strong black belt contingent.Blanton hoped to have the king of martial arts, Chuck Norris, jump at the chance to take over comBATON. His patent agent shopped it to Norris' people. Blanton said the actor was not interested.Blanton does not intend to quit the sport that has captured his own imagination, but the thought has crossed his mind when hope seems invisible."It's very frustrating," he said of the struggles. "You believe in this idea. You have this inspiration. You think about putting it aside."He has not retired the baton yet, and with interest slowly growing throughout the state, he believes others in the Southeast will take notice. He envisions international competitions, tournaments broadcast on ABC and even highlights on Sportscenter."I really think other countries, like China, might jump on top of it," Blanton said. "But we're starting it right here in Central Florida."
