making sure new people have a fun time

[djamp1983]

I am getting a bunch of my friends together for a day of paintball. I have been playing for about 9 years and love the sport. however, none of them have ever even picked up a marker before. i really want to make sure they all have a good time. any ideas on how to make sure that happens would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance

[iliveforthis99]

Layout the proper safety rules and whatever other rules you might play with and just play. No serious playing just play for fun and i'm sure it'll be a great time.

[Wolffhardt]

Go to a established field, and make sure you enforce all of the safety rules.. No exceptions.

Play for fun, not hardcore. Be sure you lend some helpful tips to them as they go so they can better understand why they keep getting shot on their elbow or kneecap.

[Yosarian]

if possible I'd get a private group especially if your friends are using rentals it will stop them from bein destroyed by some of the experienced walkons and also you can play the games more to the style that you and your friends wanna play. If you don't have enough guys for that oh well its hard not to have fun playing paintball especially when its with your friends.

the other guys have pretty much covered the safety part but i will restate that saftey is the key to makin it a fun day, as long as nobody goes home with an injury you can be pretty sure everybodys gonna have fun. :)

[Hipster]

Give them as much advice and help as possible. If I take non playing friends we tend to hook them up with an experienced player to help them learn. I get a kick out of helping someone learn a little anyway.
Also - pick the right field, try and find somewhere where there will be lots of others in the same boat...

[*el_sid*]

Try your best to get them equipment that is in good order and stay away from punk pro wannabe's. I'm all for going out on grampa's back 40 playing "renegade" paintball just as long as someone there is smart enough to get other players to keep their masks on.

[HurleyHero67]

- Be sure to play at one of the best fields in your area (one with the best rental guns, bunkers, fields, most organized, referees, etc.), as little things like that can make or break the first trip balling for a newbie.
- Make sure noone is afraid to get hit. If so, have them play front their first game :P
- Make sure newbies don't wear clothes that shouldn't be getting messed up or aren't mobile and wear good balling shoes.
- Bring a cooler filled with ice/drinks/off-topic beverages and plenty of snacks.
- Make sure you bring enough money.
- Check weather beforehand, plan appropriately.
- HAVE FUN.

[Hipster]

Also, give them a specific job to do, rather than aimlessly wandering around. Easy in airball, but in woods, even simply being tasked to hold one flank, and get to a specific bunker can give their game a little more purpose and ensure the nervous ones are more likely to get stuck in...

[brickdoctor]

A true friend would let himself get shot by his buddies , just to make them feel good about themself, so just run in front of them LOL:laugh:

[djamp1983]

thank you everyone for all the great tips. in the area we live, field selection is very limited. we used to have two fields to choose from (both top notch establishments) however they both merged, so we now have one field to choose from. their rentals are not high end markers, but good for beginers. and i love that they use hpa for their rentals instead of having to help new people dislodge a frozen o-ring from inside their marker.