Question: A foam weapon, a padded mock weapon used for simulated handheld combat, is used in a North American medieval combat sport, begun in 1977 with the creation of what?

Context articles: Battle gaming
Lance
SCA armoured combat
Melee weapon
Guisarme
Belegarth Medieval Combat Society
International Medieval Combat Federation
Pugil stick
Ancillary weapon
Foam weapon

Battle gaming is a North American medieval combat sport where participants use mock foam-padded weapons (boffer) in live action battles.
 The sport began in 1977 with the creation of Dagorhir.
The lance is a pole weapon or spear designed to be used by a mounted warrior or cavalry soldier (lancer).
 During the periods of classical and medieval warfare, it evolved into being the leading weapon in cavalry charges, and was unsuited for throwing or for repeated thrusting, unlike similar weapons of the spear/javelin/pike family typically used by infantry.
 Lances were often equipped with a vamplate – a small circular plate to prevent the hand sliding up the shaft upon impact.
 Though best known as a military and sporting weapon carried by European knights, the use of lances was widespread throughout Asia, the Middle East and North Africa wherever suitable mounts were available.
 As a secondary weapon, lancers of the medieval period also bore swords, axes or maces for hand-to-hand combat, since the lance was often a one-use-per-engagement weapon; assuming the lance survived the initial impact intact, it was (depending on the lance) usually too long, heavy and slow to be effective against opponents in a melee.
SCA armoured combat, or informally heavy combat, is a combat sport developed by the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) in which participants in protective body armour either "act out" mock combats loosely inspired by forms of historical combat practiced in medieval Europe or under supervision, may approximate historically real combat using SCA approved safe weapons under the watch of marshals to maintain safety.
 It is variously considered a combat sport, contact sport, or a form of martial art.
A melee weapon is any weapon used in direct hand-to-hand combat; by contrast with ranged weapons which act at a distance.
 The term "melee" originates in the 1640s from the French word "mêlée ", which refers to hand-to-hand combat, a close quarters battle, a brawl, a confused fight, etc.
 Melee weapons can be broadly divided into three categories:
A guisarme (sometimes gisarme, giserne or bisarme) is a pole weapon used in Europe primarily between 1000–1400.
 Its origin is likely Germanic from Old High German " getīsarn" literally "weeding iron".
 Like many medieval polearms, the exact early form of the weapon is hard to define from literary references, and the identification of surviving weapons can be speculative.
 Two main modern schools of thought exist:
Belegarth Medieval Combat Society is a full contact battle game where foam weapons are used in order to prevent serious physical injury to participants.
 It differs from other battle games and LARPs in that it is entirely combat-oriented that allows hard hitting, shield bashes, and grappling with little emphasis on role playing and has no magic or character classes.
 It is composed of a number of not-for-profit "realms", which compete at regional and national events every year.
 Typically, each realm also holds individual fighting practices several times a week.
 Realms vary in size from just a handful of people to over a hundred fighters.
The International Medieval Combat Federation, (IMCF) is a global historical full contact sport fighting revival movement, in which combatants use historically accurate reproduction medieval and early modern armour and blunted weapons to engage in competitive fights according to authentic historical tournament rules.
 Founded in 2013, the organisation now attracts hundred of fighters from 26 countries at various fighting competitions around the world.
 Most events are open to the public and major competitions are regularly seen by tens of thousands of spectators.
 The league holds dozens of smaller events throughout the year as well as a world championship competition in which national teams, selected from local or regional clubs in their respective countries, assemble at a suitably historical venue to compete.
 These events take the character of a medieval tournament, with historical attractions and exhibits beside the competition, as well as market stalls selling historically-themed foods, goods and souvenirs.
 Competing teams are billeted in reproduction medieval camps and must wear authentic clothing.
 Somewhat unlike the medieval competition, fighting is exclusively on foot, and strict rules are enforced to ensure the safety of competitors and fairness in the competition.
 The fighting can be between individuals or teams of up to 16 fighters per side.
A pugil stick is a heavily padded pole-like training weapon used since the early 1940s by military personnel in training for rifle and bayonet combat.
 The pugil stick is similar to a quarterstaff or Japanese "bo", and may be marked to indicate which end represents the bayonet and which the rifle butt.
 Dr. Armond H. Seidler (1919-2017) of the University of New Mexico invented the Pugil Stick training method during World War II.
 It was initially adopted by the United States Marine Corps, but was later included in United States Army combat training as well.
 Dr. Seidler received an award from the Marine Corps for his invention.
An ancillary weapon is a weapon used for secondary or auxiliary purpose, such as a bayonet, combat knife or an officer's side arm.
 Through until the early 20th century, an officer's side arm was typically a sword or saber, with the inclusion of a revolver between the late 19th century to World War I and since World War II, a semi-automatic handgun.
 Some soldiers such as Special Forces soldiers whose main weapon is a rifle may also carry a pistol as a side arm.
A foam weapon, (also known as a boffer, padded weapon, or latex weapon), is a padded mock weapon used for simulated handheld combat.
 Such weapons are used in simulated battles called battle gaming and in some live action role-playing games (LARPs).