Netting
If the complaints had been raised after the January event I would have 100% agreed with you the netting was then 3 metres (area next to the team and trade area) it was wet and muddy (remember the weather) therefore it was probably 2.5mts high and the team who set up the fields placed barricades within a couple of feet of the net , so hits occured it was not satisfactory and we agreed to sort it out.
This time Jon Payne has put in telegraph poles, the netting was 6 metres high in the main areas (I am not talking about the areas around the playing fields were it was 3 mts high) I set the field (with help) and made sure the edge of the field was at least 10/12 feet from the netting. The barricade concerned was at least 15 feet from the net if not more. Yet paintballs still bounced over. Another area of cocern was the corridor between 2 and 6, whilst there was a net showing the entrance to the field, there were goggles on signs in the corridor. Ignored by spectators etc.... as they felt they were in no danger until they passed the "safety sign". Exclusion zones were placed behind the fields to help with safety and one group decided it would be a good camping area. We placed bunting and posts 1 mt from field one's netting to prevent spectators getting close to the nets yet these were taken down by spectators who wanted to get closer to the netting.
I am not sure what the answer is:
Yes we could put 6 mt netting around all fields but the fields where there was 3 mt netting we had no complaints about players being accidentally shot from other fields ( I am sure you will now all start posting to say you were shot) so it appears it is not direct hits it is bouncers.
The answer could be a 50 mt exclusion zone around all fields to prevent stray balls reaching players/spectators/cars etc...If you enter the area you wear a mask ALL the time. Not good for spectators, plus there are not a lot of sites were this exclusion area could not be created. Limit spectators to a certain area away from the corners and potential risk areas.
A possible answer could be to reduce the chrono limit to 280fps or lower (like the indoor) This would help reduce the bouncers over the net as the ball will not be travelling at the same speed when it hits the barricade. It would also reduce some of the horrendous welts I saw this weeked. Increase the distance between the barricades and the netting, on certain fields this could reduce the size of the playing fields.
We are open to suggestion for future events, but the word is this could be the last event at Elsham due to the actions of .... as usual a few players.
Nothing to do with the netting as this is something that needs looking at, nothing to do with the main tournament etc.... but the "players" (I am assuming we want to call them players) who p..ssed in the pool, put bottles in the pool (Luckily they were not broken but imagine if the had been with the kids in the pool) broken tables (I drove over a table leg so I am partly guilty) entered the "lets see how much mess we can leave in the camping area" competition, cra.ped on the floor of the toilets, went in the woods and emptied their hoppers on the "command task structures" in the woods etc........... Jon is considering the future of events at Elsham, but when I left the site at 7.00pm tonight it was "Find another venue for the players to trash"
I was a fantastic event and a big thank you goes out to all involved, from players, marshals, catering, air,ice cream van, firework display, spectators, trade stands, helpers who set it up and took it all down, organisers etc.... , but again the mindless few (and I am sure it is less than 10 "players") spoil it for 350+ sensible people.
Rant over
Steve
