Sportsmanship

[Crime Dog]

I had an interesting experience the last time I went to my local field. I got there a bit late, and there was already a game going on. Some girl and her guy friend came trudging of the field, whining and crying about their team "not moving up and being aggressive." I just sort of listened, not saying anything.

Soon enough, some 12 and 13 year olds came off the field, from the same time. This girl that had been complaining immediately starts in on them, berating them about how they weren't doing anything but sitting on their butts. Real loud. Real obnoxious like. I just sorta shook my head and kept getting ready. Of course, these poor kids tried defending themselves...they were fairly new players. I remember something specific the girl said, "This is a TEAM sport, you're not just out there to 'get your kills.'!"

Well, the next game, here's what happens...I end up on her team. I had snuck up the tape on the right, and came in behind a guy and made him surrender. They had no other people guarding their left flank, and the fort was in my sight. I started belly crawling through high weeds towards the fort, when all of a sudden...*splat*, a nice hard shot to the back of my head. I stand up and call myself out, and when I turn around, lo and behold, it's the girl that had been loudmouthing about "not just about getting kills" just previously. I told her, "please check the armband before you start shooting. I'm on your team, and I had this side flanked all by myself. Now they know we're here." I walked off the field, a bit perturbed at the whole situation.

Some notes on sportsmanship, especially for the advanced players...

For cryin' out loud, go easy on the newbies. Yes, they're scared. Yes, they don't move up much. Yes, they don't play like a veteran like yourself that likes to shoot your mouth off. Go easy on them. Please quit your showboating and bragging and belittling. Stop your cussing and your cursing. Calm your tempers, and just...HAVE FUN. This sport is about fun. Heck, if you lose, you lose. Give positive reinforcement before you give suggestions on how new players can improve. It'll go further than being a loudmouth.

Another sportsman-like thing to do. Congratulate the player that has tagged you out (if you know who it was.) When I'm tagged, I always shout out something like, "Nice shot!" or "Hey, that was a great firefight! Good job!" So I got tagged out by someone with a rental. Big deal! *shrugs* I'm having fun.

Another sportsman-like thing to do: Stop the arguing about the whole "sniper" thing. I'm reading all these posts, and the attitudes that are being flung around, and it's really turning me off to the sport. And I LOVE this sport! Imagine what the rantings are doing to those that are trying to find out about paintball... Again...one of the most sportsman-like things to do is to stay humble, and just have fun. Encourage each other. No one is impressed with a loudmouth that acts like they know it all. For those of you that are young yet (younger teens), please take these suggestions to heart. Your cussing and bragging doesn't impress others. It doesn't show much maturity.

Go out and have fun.
Keep it clean
Don't wipe.
Encourage your teammates, AND your opponents.
Promote the sport, and be a sportsman!:)

[pr0kch0p]

moved to stories . . .only if i was a moderator :(

[Crime Dog]

The point wasn't to tell a story. The story I gave was only an illustration of non-sportsmanlike conduct. The point of that post was sportsmanship in paintball...not to tell a story. I hope that wasn't lost in the post...

:confuse:

[pr0kch0p]

oh ok, i am kinda lazy so i only read the first part :D

yeah, i usually do play with a lot of newbies. i can understand that they dont move much because they dont really understand the game. but sometimes if they trust you and look up to you they will listen to you which is pretty cool. and then they will actually do what you tell them too. but dont yell at them becasue that scares them even more. only cuss at them when they shoot you in the back when you are about to bunker your little brother ****(&****_&@*$&@*$(&@($(****(&*_***(*@809 :pissed: :pissed:

[Crime Dog]

*chuckles* See my latest post on cussing. Cussing doesn't do anything. Again, bad example of sportsmanship. I got shot in the back (remember my story) by an "experienced" player. Cussing at them would have been bad form. Yes, I was frustrated, but cussing at her wouldn't have done anything constructive...only create bad feelings.

[Mephistopheles]

I know exactly what you're talking about with the newbies. They are almost all scared on their first game. Or I've seen in my experience as a ref.

Myself, I always help them. I give them advice during the games when I see them sitting and not doing anything. Like how to shoot, where to move and how to move, et cetera. Because that is what they need, guidance. They don't need somebody yelling at them saying "do this and this and this" like a drill Sergant giving orders. Because if you do, they will forget what you say... and not move either way. On the field, guide them when on their team.

And yes, that IS the most important part, is to have fun. With some small tournaments, scenarios, big games, recball.... et cetera. However, fun and sportsmanship seem to fly out of the window when playing larger tournaments. Mostly because of the money issue... but this is a whole other topic.

And that whole sniper issue... that is why I made that stupid thread. To hopefully inform some people to put an end to this childish debate. But I guess it isn't happening with the type of people reading it, you can tell by the responses and how stubborn people are to accept anything beyond what they believe to be right.

However, again on sportsmanship, I always portray this in the best light as possible. Whenever I am marked... even if I don't see anybody around me, I still tear off my arm-tag and call myself out. I hate it when people wipe or just ignore the hit. It's as if they feel they're above everybody else, that if they're hit that it was a fluke. That they're too good to be hit, so they wipe it off with their holier-than-thou-ness and continue to play. And there's nothing you can do, really. Because people that do that don't even care about the sport, and that really urks me. I help defend this great sport the best I can through letters, petitions, helping people at stores and fields, as a referee, whatever. And to see these people doing such an act...

[Silent Knight]

Good sportsmanship is a very big issue! I hope all of you guys here have that attribute on the paintball field! Especially if your sponsored, or represent an organization within paintball. Not only does your attitude reflect on you as a person, but it also reflects on your team, along with your sponsors. Besides nobody wants to play with a butthead player!

Help out the newbies! Without them the sport can't grow!

[Crime Dog]

Glad to see the positive responses here!:D

[Magadeth]

btt, because I think it is still needed.;)

[stobooy01]

I couldn't agree more !
Sportsmanship is very important to the game.
I ALWAYS make sure I congratulate the people on the other team if they win. Make sure I shake peoples hands and say "nice shot" or something like that.
Nothing makes me want to bunker people more than the guys (and its always guys) w/ the tricked out Angels who walk onto the rec ball field & act like they're doing someone a favor by playing.
Arrogant, annoying, showboating players not only ruin the game by yelling at the newbies but look somewhat pathetic (there is more to life than paintball).