Ok this is an open question, mostly to team captains....
Why do we do it, do you ever get to the stage where you think whats the point? I've been Captain of the Clan previously Cameronians for 12 years now, and we as a team are probably one of the longest running teams in the UK. Travelling all over the UK, Europe and one trip to Huntington Beach.
I've seen players come and go, watched great teams around me fold, is there a reason for this, does the Captain at some point get sick of asking his team to play events only to be ignored, which in turn becomes frustrating and eventually he throws the towel in. I remember years ago Blakey (Mark Blakemore) original founder of SAD UK and Midland Masters told me the more you give your players and the more you do for them the more they want, what a true statment. Is it todays society that dictates the new players want everything for nothing, want everything organised for them with as little impact as possible to their daily routines, they want to just turn up, play and leave, while the Captain sorts out entry, hotels, travel, paint and runs around chasing players, not to mention training, sponsors etc. Captains are the unsung heroes of the paintball world, and without them guiding new players and embracing them, giving them their chance would we even have a tournament scene at all?
This year I have played UKM X-Ball lite for the season and played against some great if not brilliant UK teams, some old, some new, some formed from old teams with new players, met old friends and had a brilliant year. But we are now at the end of the season and we look forward to what next year brings, or do we, do we sit and think is it worth it?
This is not a rant about my team, although they frustrate the life out me sometimes we are a close team made up of good friends that have been around for years. This is more a question as to why teams fold.
How many teams do you think have folded in the last say 4 years, can you name teams who have been together for longer than 4 or 5 years? I wonder if paintball teams are a flash in the pan, they form a team, play, then fold, with players with the passion for the sport sticking it out, forming new teams or joining established teams.
How long do you think the average team lasts, and what are the factors that cause the team to fold, are Captains such an important part that when they say enough is enough and leave everyone else in the team falls apart, what are the reasons for this? Is it because the team has become so reliant on one man/woman that they cannot function without them?
So come on guys and gals what do you think? Does paintball as a sport have a short shelf life, do we as players have a short shelf life? But it continues not because there are long standing and established teams and players, but because we again as a sport have a high turnover of players and teams?
Sid
Clan Captain 12 years+
Why do we do it, do you ever get to the stage where you think whats the point? I've been Captain of the Clan previously Cameronians for 12 years now, and we as a team are probably one of the longest running teams in the UK. Travelling all over the UK, Europe and one trip to Huntington Beach.
I've seen players come and go, watched great teams around me fold, is there a reason for this, does the Captain at some point get sick of asking his team to play events only to be ignored, which in turn becomes frustrating and eventually he throws the towel in. I remember years ago Blakey (Mark Blakemore) original founder of SAD UK and Midland Masters told me the more you give your players and the more you do for them the more they want, what a true statment. Is it todays society that dictates the new players want everything for nothing, want everything organised for them with as little impact as possible to their daily routines, they want to just turn up, play and leave, while the Captain sorts out entry, hotels, travel, paint and runs around chasing players, not to mention training, sponsors etc. Captains are the unsung heroes of the paintball world, and without them guiding new players and embracing them, giving them their chance would we even have a tournament scene at all?
This year I have played UKM X-Ball lite for the season and played against some great if not brilliant UK teams, some old, some new, some formed from old teams with new players, met old friends and had a brilliant year. But we are now at the end of the season and we look forward to what next year brings, or do we, do we sit and think is it worth it?
This is not a rant about my team, although they frustrate the life out me sometimes we are a close team made up of good friends that have been around for years. This is more a question as to why teams fold.
How many teams do you think have folded in the last say 4 years, can you name teams who have been together for longer than 4 or 5 years? I wonder if paintball teams are a flash in the pan, they form a team, play, then fold, with players with the passion for the sport sticking it out, forming new teams or joining established teams.
How long do you think the average team lasts, and what are the factors that cause the team to fold, are Captains such an important part that when they say enough is enough and leave everyone else in the team falls apart, what are the reasons for this? Is it because the team has become so reliant on one man/woman that they cannot function without them?
So come on guys and gals what do you think? Does paintball as a sport have a short shelf life, do we as players have a short shelf life? But it continues not because there are long standing and established teams and players, but because we again as a sport have a high turnover of players and teams?
Sid
Clan Captain 12 years+
