Today we’d like to introduce you to Central Ohio Independent League.
Hi Jim, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The Central Ohio Independent League (C.O.I.L.) was established in 2018 by Kurt Hildebrand, Thomas ‘Sam’ Wolf, Josh Boggs, and RJ Reitmire. They founded the league to provide a vital alternative to existing options, driven by a vision for fair, affordable, accessible, and competitive martial arts tournaments in the Central Ohio region. From the start, C.O.I.L. was built with a strong focus on community involvement, aiming to give back to organizations and individuals most in need.
Embracing an “open tournament” philosophy, C.O.I.L. welcomed martial artists of all styles and from all locations, fostering an inclusive competitive environment. Even while the world navigated the struggles of COVID-19, C.O.I.L. persevered, ensuring its community had tournaments to return to.
A pivotal moment arrived in October 2022 when Jim Masker approached Kurt Hildebrand with an idea to modernize the league’s operations. Up to that point, all scoring, registration, and record-keeping were manually done on paper—a system that had become a data management nightmare. With Jim’s expertise and the collaboration of Kurt, RJ, and Sam, along with the additions of Robert Burton, Rob Vincent, and Josh Adams, they successfully launched a full season using a new, computer-based system. Approaching the challenge from the viewpoint of a martial arts parent, Jim created the new digital backbone for tournament day operations and revamped the league’s marketing. This modernization allowed C.O.I.L. to achieve a milestone: for the first time, they could accurately track results throughout the year and officially acknowledge Season Grand Champions.
The league solidified its structure with Kurt Hildebrand named the Commissioner and the Board of Directors formed by the six original “Pillar Schools”:
Scodova Combatives Martial Arts (Delaware, OH)- Stephanie Mampe
Reaction Force Martial Arts (Marion, OH)- RJ Reitmire
WolfPak Martial Arts (Mt Gilead, OH)-Thomas ‘Sam’ Wolf
Mansfield Karate Shotokan (Mansfield, OH)- Robert Burton
Mid-Ohio Golden Dragons (Crestline, OH)- Rob Vincent
Bucyrus Karate Club (Bucyrus, OH)- Josh Adams
Jim Masker took on the role of Director of Operations.
C.O.I.L. concluded its second full season in June 2025, issuing Grand Champion awards once again. With tournaments now regularly hosting 90+ competitors, the league is one of the fastest-growing forces in Ohio Martial Arts. This success is matched by its philanthropic impact: C.O.I.L. has donated over $5,000 to both local and national-level charities. With a strong community foundation and commitment to excellence, C.O.I.L. will continue to be a beacon of strength and perseverance in the martial arts community.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The odds were stacked against us from day one. While every startup sports league faces growing pains, C.O.I.L. confronted a perfect storm of challenges that would have crushed a lesser organization. Beyond the typical battles with funding and marketing, we weathered a global pandemic that threatened to shut us down before we truly began. Then came the monumental task of dragging our entire operation from paper records into the digital age—a transformation that demanded thousands of unpaid hours from people who already had full-time jobs and families waiting at home.
At the heart of our survival story stand four extraordinary individuals: Kurt Hildebrand, Jim Masker, Ethan Lirtzman, and Chris LeBlanc. As C.O.I.L.’s administrative backbone, these volunteers have collectively poured over 5,000 hours into this organization over the past three years—not for paychecks or recognition, but for the singular belief that young athletes deserve a premier platform to test themselves. Every database entry, rule revision and pre-dawn problem-solving session represents their unwavering commitment to excellence.
COVID-19 nearly knocked us out for good. As a combat sport built on close contact, we faced obstacles that non-contact sports could barely imagine. We navigated the maze of masking requirements, liability waivers, and social distancing protocols while the pandemic tore communities apart along ideological lines. Convincing parents to let their children compete in a sport where participants literally punch each other in the face seemed impossible in that climate, but we refused to quit.
The volunteer challenge remains our daily David-versus-Goliath battle. Every single person who makes our events possible—from judges and table workers to concessionaires and school heads—does it for free. In the revolving-door world of youth sports and competitive martial arts, we constantly fight to recruit, train, and retain the dedicated volunteers who manage our ringside operations and officiate our competitions. Furthermore, our open-platform approach attracts diverse crowds, which is our strength, but it also means bridging the gap between different martial arts disciplines, each with their own traditions and expectations, and uniting them under one collaborative system.
Against all odds, we’re not just standing—we’re thriving. Every obstacle we’ve faced has been transformed into an opportunity because of one simple truth: our entire organization is powered by people who believe that giving their time, energy, and expertise to better the lives of young athletes and their families is worth every sacrifice.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Central Ohio Independent League delivers professional-quality events for amateur youth competitors. Our attention to detail is evident—from the custom banners hanging over every ring to the experienced staff running the operation and the schools that make it all possible.
Our financial model is straightforward: we split every dollar three ways. One-third covers our operational costs. One-third goes directly to the host school for their expenses. And one-third is donated to a charity chosen by that school. Our events have raised money for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, diabetes research, the Fisher House, the American Cancer Society, and others.
perate out of the Central Ohio YMCA. Our staff has jumped into freezing lakes for Special Olympics fundraisers and placed flags on veterans’ graves in the summer heat. When there’s a chance to serve our community, we don’t just take it—we run with it.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
We’ve learned that none of this works without leaning on each other—whether that means solving problems together, sharing the physical load, or just keeping each other going when things get tough. Teamwork truly makes the dream work.
Pricing:
- Tournament prices begin as low as $25 for all 9 events in a tournament day.
- We offer season passes for competitors and spectators
- Volunteers receive up to two discounted registrations and a free lunch
Contact Info:
- Website: www.coilma.org
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/coilma
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@C.O.I.L._MA
- Other: https://brushfire.com/coilma
