2006/2007 University Paintball League

[Steve Hancock]

...our american football team dont even compete in BUSA events...

There aren't any BUSA American football events at the moment. I've no idea why.

I looked into this. They don't have BUSA recognition for want of trying. The problem is, when the uni American football clubs set up the University American football league they didn't plan ahead sufficiently. I've been trying to ensure that we set things up so that we can comply with BUSA from the start, but this wasn't done with American football. They allowed joint teams from Universities in the same town/city. As this is against busa rules they can't be recognised, and because the teams are already established they don't want to split.

This illustrates why I am keen to follow busa rules from the start.

 

[Ginja]

Busa

right i do understand the reasoning behind the rules and such to comply with BUSA but as we have now established that American football do not play in BUSA leagues yet recieve massive ammounts of funding what benifits would we recieve from being BUSA recognised. Obviously the uni would be more keen to give us cash as we would earn them points, but how have american football got away with the god knows how many k a year they get?

 

[Steve Hancock]

...what benifits would we recieve from being BUSA recognised?

It would vary from university to university, as they don’t all use the same funding criteria and policies. This is the same with American football clubs who don’t all receive vast sums. Some universities do fund their American football teams well. Where this is the case it is because their club tend to be fairly large, have good participation, and although the league is not BUSA accredited; it is large and well run. However despite all of this, some universities don’t support their American football teams so well. In many cases this is because of the lack of BUSA accreditation. So there are clubs who would greatly benefit from BUSA accreditation. Plus, the well funded clubs could get even more, and it certainly wouldn’t reduce their funding.

Looking at how this applies to paintball: Just like the American football clubs, BUSA accreditation will be a factor in most universities’ funding allocations to varying extents. Yes, some clubs might still get good funding without BUSA - so they may only benefit slightly, but they certainly wouldn't get less funding because of it. Then there are the clubs who’s universities consider BUSA to be a much more important criterion. These clubs would gain immensely from BUSA accreditation.

Also, we are different to American football. They are already widely recognised as a sport, which gives them status within the universities and enables them to get good funding despite lacking BUSA. However paintball doesn’t yet have this recognition and many people (potentially including those who determine funding) might just discount us as 'playing soldiers'. As a result paintball needs BUSA accreditation a lot more than American football, because it would counter the false perceptions about paintball and give it recognition as a sport that American football already has.

 

[Bob]

I've got some reservations about the inter uni league, looking away from the management (which has been top notch thus far ) I (i don't think i'm the only one) am not convinced about the format.

M-7

Coaching - this is going to lead to problems IMHO, pro teams (see robbos thread titled "low life scum" about counter coaching) have been having problems with this and it will just cause problems for us. Is coaching realy needed? + it will give an unfair advantage to the home team as they can field a larger number of bodies around the game.

In the rules you fielded:

http://www.millennium-series.com/images/pdf/m7_champ_league.pdf

It says that
"5 players on field per team.
. Maximum 7 players per game.
. Maximum 9 players on the roaster."

5 players on the field per per team and 7 per game? can bodies be changed around on a time out? Also larger teams such as yourselves can field more bodies so having fresh players on the field. This again presents an advantage over teams that do not have the numbers.

Ramping, this has already been talked about. personaly i don't mind with the argumant for ramping saying that it would help even the field between new and more experienced team. However the format will not especialy with the points i have mentioned earlier.

The leauge is capped at 9 teams with approx 12 teams showing for the inter uni just past. With a growing number of teams this does not benfit the expanding of paintball at Uni.

Another point, the M-7 is designed for more games per team to be had. But means that you will play for approx 90 mins (in 45 min segments) over the day still leaving alot of lying around time inbetween. During the 45 mins of play there will be frantic turnarounds for gassing up & reloading but a 5 or siz man team will be left trailing but the side that can field more bodies (or who has a well trained pod bitch).

Rereading this it is very negative but i feel that these points should be addressed and that the league should be availble to all the Unis & be fun in an competative environment.

Using an M-7 format may look like a good idea to forward paintball but i think it will just open up problems else where. With the up coming year being the first for the tourney it is highly likely that there will be teething problems. Using a more complex format is just going to make things worse.

I think running a standard capture the flag tourney (in the style of UKM) would be alot easier with more fun to be had over the M-7. Benefit newer teams with non ramping markers and allowing teams to shine.

Input and feedback would be great & i'll try and elaborate on any points that people don't understand (i swear there is method in my madness).

Bob - AUPS

 

[AUPaintSoc]

I also have some misgivings about the league which (as of yet) havent been answered properly.

As before, Steve you graduate in a months time. Which leaves us in a bit of a hole because your style of management (like mine, so Im not putting it down! ) revolves very much around you organising, you contacting, you putting the time in. Feel free to correct me if Im wrong, if theres a team working away in the background! This is all well and good if you're going to stick around, but with you leaving it opens everything up to people who dont know your contacts, dont know all the tiny (but significant) details, and arent quite as much 'in the zone' as regards thinking about the present and future of the league.

I think it would be a simple process to fill in these blanks, but what I dont know is how you're going to go about doing this. Im all for one person everybody is happy with doing everything, but what I dont agree with is control of the league being given over to those people hosting the legs (as you suggested).
I sent you this email a couple of days ago and you answered most of the points. As the information is relevant Ill put up the questions left unanswered for anybody to think about.

League:
* Whos organising it? Like who is in charge (after you leave), who
handles cash, who books etc. I want to know who I give my money too, Im
sure you understand.
* Is there something in place in case we have issues with the way the
league is ran, i.e. do we have any say at all?
* Can we help organise things in any way?
* Is it purely students helping out of the good of their hearts? I cant
see that working all the time, as far as I know only you have shown any
inclination to get off their ass to help further paintball (more than their
own society). Why is that going to change now?
* I presume we can get a complete breakdown of fees etc?
* Could we agree for sure on the format/rules etc. Could everybody be
made aware of these.


Championship:
* Again, whos organising it, the same people?
* Format/rules, same as the league?
* How many teams can each Uni enter?

These are the most basic of things that we should all know, but it seems that we dont. With less than 5 months until the first leg theres not a whole lot of time to sort these things out. I agree with what you say about 'committees confusing things', but to some extent its the best (and fairest) way to run things.

I have to say I partially agree with what Bob says in the last post. It does seem like we're trying to emulate bigger and better leagues with what (as Im sure everyone will admit) are small, often beginner teams. Xball (and its variants) lends itself to larger rosters than would be needed for standard CTF, and this may present difficulties to (including us) teams who cannot (for example) arrange transport for more than a car-load.

I dont know what the general consensus on things is, my guess is that people are relying on you for information Steve and that if you say something people are happy to accept that. Which to a certain extent I am as well, Im more than confident that you are the right man to organise this, Im just not confident in what happens when you leave.

Rereading this seems like I'm ranting a bit at you Steve, please dont take it as such, Im sure you would understand and ask the same questions if it was the other way around...

 

[Ginja]

got to agree with the dude about the side line coaching and ramping.

Side line coaching

If you move to a great position and their backs didnt see you then they need better backs, not some dude at the side who just shouts that you have moved.

In my opinion only people playing should be shouting, spectators you cant hear anyway but some dude standing on the edge of the field you can pick up on.

Ramping

your talking about introducing it in order to level out the skill, why not just get people to aim! In the long run it will cost so much more if we have ramping and remove limited paint, as i think a few people are forgetting we are students so most cant afford to shoot out stupid amounts of paint a day.

 

[AUPaintSoc]

Ramping

your talking about introducing it in order to level out the skill, why not just get people to aim! In the long run it will cost so much more if we have ramping and remove limited paint, as i think a few people are forgetting we are students so most cant afford to shoot out stupid amounts of paint a day.

Lol who would forget we are students? Its being run by students!!

To be honest I think this argument isnt valid.. Remember how much we're paying for the league? It comes to about £10-£15 per head per match. Im sure we can buy a box or two of paint and still pay less or similar to any other UK league.
I would always argue against limited paint, as this doesnt offer any real benefits apart from cost and access for beginner teams. As the league isnt aimed at complete beginners I dont think anybody (I know AU certainly wouldnt) would really be happy using limited paint. While I would argue that we should focus on people new to the sport, it should also be acceptable for players who have been around for a while as well. I want to feel that I'm playing in a league of similar standard to any other UK league, rather than feel like to improve I'd be better off playing in a different league. The Inter-Uni league is aimed at exactly the same standard as any UK Masters or NSPL league, the Championship is aimed at the same standard but also a lower division aimed at KOTH standard. Thats how I read whats been proposed.

Also, ramping doesnt remove the need to aim, it removes the need to move your fingers really fast . A skill every person should have....

 

[Edd Hobday]

Ramping

your talking about introducing it in order to level out the skill, why not just get people to aim! In the long run it will cost so much more if we have ramping and remove limited paint, as i think a few people are forgetting we are students so most cant afford to shoot out stupid amounts of paint a day.

You got any proof of that? From experience when the PA switched to ramping, our consumption of paint pretty much didn't change. I'm neither for or against ramping, just wanted to correct you on that one.

Coaching - this is going to lead to problems IMHO, pro teams (see robbos thread titled "low life scum" about counter coaching) have been having problems with this and it will just cause problems for us. Is coaching realy needed? + it will give an unfair advantage to the home team as they can field a larger number of bodies around the game.

Again back to the PA. They've been using sideline coaching for over a season now without any problems, and trust me having lots of bodies round the field just confused matters. You just want one person to listen to.

Counter coaching aside how do you see it causing problem for the teams involved? Were there any at the Inter uni just gone?

 

[Emo~kid]

Were there any at the Inter uni just gone?

Yes.

They took the piss.

Way too helpful to some and not at all to others, meaning some teams had an advatage

 

[pJervis]

were you pikey by any chance emo kid ?