Lack of Tourney Players!!!!

[Trems]

In response to the original question posted, i live in coventry, west mids have been playing tourney for 2 years/'ball for 4 and back when i got into the tourney side i started my own team along with a few mates in the ukm koth and we got better progressing through the divs etc but as i improved my game i found that it was incredibly difficult to actually move on in the paintball world.

I've always wanted to keep playing at a higher level but there just arent the teams/training facilities locally to me, i tried emailing a few local teams, team thats were ok but not great teams but got a poor response.

I eventually got taken on by the elsham eagles which has been great for me as they have good support, thier own facilities and you cant meet a nicer set of guys, however the site is 2hrs 15mins drive from me which is far from ideal and although they have some good players i dont feel like (alike many of the small, domestic teams) is ever going to go anywhere or really help me to excel my game massively from where i am today. (please dont get me wrog tho guys i have absolutley no desire to pack my bags and leave i'm just expressing my feelings)

I would love to play for a really good team, and work towards the goal of first team action in exciting tournies like the mills etc but there just hasnt been the oppertunity or availability nearby...

It just suprises me when top teams fold due to lack of players or complain about lack of players to try out when i'm sure there are plenty of players like myself who would jump at the chance to play at a higher level if the oppertunity was there?

Maybe teams just need to be more public about try-outs and the resultant costs of playing for the team should players be successful, and do more events like eric does, seminars and the like? the other thing of course is do like football teams do and send scouts out to domestic events, there are plenty of guys and gals with potential out there surely?

 

[Twizz ECI]

I have been playing this sport that i LOVE for 20 years this year and i know its not cheap to play and i must have paid about £150,000 to play!!!! when i firs started playing it was 15 man 25 min games and the bill was £110 per tourney so i know how much it costs to play, but its just how much you want to be at the top, but i just think that over the last 10 years the amount ot tourney players is at its lowest!!!

 

[irons69]

twizz i agree with you m8 100 per cent
we are finding it harder and harder to get and keep player,s
and get them to train
it,s getting to the stage m8 where i think sod it all
i am lucky that i can travel abroad and play milliumm event,s
which i much perfur to do so then play in uk
but i am looking at a season ticket to watch football as i get more joy watching my team then i do playing ball at the mo
you and me have been around so long it,s unreal
if i was to go to a team tryout thay would not bother because of my size
but you and i both know i can play ball
i am sure we can have a good natter on the way to manchester

 

[Raffles]

...I would love to play for a really good team, and work towards the goal of first team action in exciting tournies like the mills etc but...

But nothing! If you can't join a really good team - then why not help make the TEAM you are supposed to be part of 'a really good team'?

Instead of sitting on your arse waiting for that call from Robbo or TK - go out and make the effort yourself!

I am just glad you are not on my team - or we would have serious talks about your future after that comment (and I don't think any other team would want you now either).

At least you are part of a team - that let you play along side them - I am sure they will be exstatic to hear your comments now...

If you feel you have gone as far up the ladder as you can with the Eagles - then leave - don't let them hold you back - I am sure they realise what a truly great natural talent you are - and wouldn't want to stand in your way.


Good luck with your new team - whatever you decide to call it...

 

[Trems]

F*ck you raffles, i make MAXIMUM EFFORT with my team, i built the website, maintain and update it, i organise the kit, i travel to elsham at least once/twice a month to train and travel all over place for tournies (none within 1 hour 30's drive) all without a compaint and at personal cost which i am happy to pay...I always help out with raising funds etc too so you can shut your mouth mate. Like i said my team are great and i love playing with them....and trust me when i play for a team i put 100% effort in, who wouldnt be glad to have a full squad of players that can say that?


The point i was trying to make (and obviously didnt make it clear enough for some people) is that many teams, and yes i feel elsham is one of them...havent the drive nor the want to compete at an increacingly high level...

Its not due to player skill or anything like that, most domestic teams consist of various different players with different situations/backgrounds etc in our case we have players who have kids (newborn in one case), guys who have to work weekends sometimes, guys who sometimes follow other hobbies even if it means missing the odd tourney....and of course the finiancial implications of doing international/high level events means some people cant commit....

So basically as a team the eagles are happiest to just stay in domestic events, and this is fine, i love the masters and we may even start the PA next year....

However if it was up to me i'd like to do things like the mills, centurio, euro 5 man etc every now again or even regularly if it was financially viable...some teams get the chance to do all of this regularly and at a high level and my point was if the option was there i'm sure there are plenty of players, particularly like myself who dont have things like kids to worry about, who would jump at the chance to play that level of paintball.

I would never leave the eagles for the sake of saying i play for a pro team, i know it may be hard for you to belive but some people play for the love of the game and the enjoyment of the competition, not just to make thier heads bigger and look cool.

Anyway why am i getting wound up, i've made my point and if you dont like it tough sh*t i didnt ask for a response i just wanted to air an opinion.

 

[Raffles]

 

[HUSH HUSH]

On a serious note, even though these teams fold the players will at some point merge with another team (as in Campaign & Jags). I'm sure that most people will still want to continue to play tourney ball irrespective with which team.

But they wont be playing any Millenniums which is what they will want and so will their new team as the Millennium have now locked their rostas.

That wont help anyone for the next two events.

 

[Heaven]

I blam the lack of local tournaments and the fact that most site's dont promote walk-on days and tournaments to regular customers.

Without doing this how are you expected to bring in new players into the sport.

Many people are returning back to old school paintball due to the fact you dont use as much paint as you do when your playing sup-air.

Our site has just levelled and sport seeded the back field so we can place 4 sup-air fields for a tournament but its finding the funds to buy the sup-air fields we find. So we are looking into holding woodland tournament like the old days untill we get the funds for the new fields.

 

[Raffles]

...Many people are returning back to old school paintball due to the fact you dont use as much paint as you do when your playing sup-air...

Exactly!

Cost is THE most contributing factor. Not so much locations - as you can usually find somewhere to play that's 'nearly' local.

Trouble is - it doesn't encourage the youth side of the sport - like, dare I say it, football academys do.

Shawn Wright-Phillips, David Beckham, Alan Shearer etc etc all came up through the ranks - this is where the new blood is - it has to be encouraged - simple life cycle of anything really.

The sooner the 'adults' realise this the better.

Hopefully, after 25th, there will be something done about it. But until then...

 

[AJ76]

Paintball is expensive full stop!!!

I started playing tourneys when I was 16 ( I am now 29) and had to everything I could to play. I would spend the week cleaning beaches in the day, stacking shelves at night, and the weekends playing Paintball with what I had earned. I lived on Anglesey in North Wales (the nearest site was 80 miles away) and had to travel to Manchester and Northampton to stay with people to play tourneys. The point I am trying to make is I was very young then and you did not meet many other people of my age doing the same thing. It was people of my age now that were playing as they were professional people on good money. I remember the first Meyhem masters I played in 1995, and we were shooting RPS at £95.00 a case!! I shat myself when the team captain asked me for £380.00 just for paint!

I am not trying to drive down memory lane, the point I am trying to make is that if young kids want to play paintball that much, they will do it no matter what it takes. There are a lot of Kids (and this is not directed at anyone on these forums ) that want sh1t handed to them for nothing. It does not work like that.

My nephew Sam (16) plays Paintball (UK Jags) and has done since he was 14, he studies hard at school and his dad (my bother Dale) makes him work his ass off to pay for his paintball. The Kid lives for paintball and will do anything to play it.

Paintball is cheaper now than its every been, so there is far more scope for people to be involved with it. Which brings me to the next part,

Tourneys and sites to play at.

I used to run the temple with Clive. I Actually brought Twizz out because he had enough of it. People bitch and moan at site operators all the time. I got sick of it in the end and sold my share to Clive. Who in turn Shut up shop because people wanted the equivelent of Crystal Palace for training days for £25.00!! Remember it is a business for them. Most of these people will have rental days that earn them a lot more than putting up Sup air fields, so why should they?

I spoke last year with Nick from Skirmish, who said that he was sick to death of tourney players trying to scam him out of a £10.00 green fee to play on the sup air fields!! he said to me that he did not see why he bothered and you have to see the guys point! Nothing is going to come for free NOTHING!!

As I have read on other places on these forums the only people that can solve this is the players. But there are far to many stong minded people in this sport for it to happen.

If the youth cant afford it then why? I did, and had to sacrifice a lot to do it. I misssed two of my GCSE exams to go away to play paintball!! Most of my mates got pi55ed at the weekends and went to parties. Not me I worked my ass off so I could pay for what I loved to do!!


This is not a rant at anyone so please dont start diving on me. Just my opinion.


Alex.