“Kendo is a great sport. A great way to release stress, improve discipline and have good teamwork. It is a great way to grow children,” Kyle Lee, Head Instructor at Chinook Kendo Dojo, tells FeverSports.
Kyle is one of the catalysts locally to support the 4th Canadian National Junior Kendo Championships, which is held in Calgary between May 16-18, 2025. For Calgarians, this is a rare chance to witness an ancient art form that shaped cinema history – and continues to sharpen minds, bodies, and spirits right here at home.
Kyle adds that he always tells kids to enjoy the event, to do their best to capture experiences in their dojo journeys, “kids growing up should learn how to fail and learn from mistakes. For this tournament too, if you can have one takeaway, whether you win or lose, and you learn from it and grow and put that into your daily life, then that is the ultimate goal.”
Kendo, meaning “the way of the sword,” is more than a sport – it’s a pursuit of personal growth, focus, and respect. Practitioners (kendoka) spar with bamboo swords (shinai) and wear protective armour, guided by centuries of philosophy and etiquette.
Did You Know? The legendary lightsaber battles in Star Wars were inspired by kendo? George Lucas drew from the Japanese martial arts’ precision and discipline to choreograph the iconic duels, and actors like Mark Hamill trained in kendo to portray Jedi authenticity. An ESPN documentary, Evolution of the Lightsaber Duel, dives deep into this cultural crossover.