Why Paintball Sucks

Some people ruin it for all, but there are solutions.
Paintball sucks. Why does paintball suck? The players. Yep, that’s right, usually it’s the people you’re out on the field with every weekend, or maybe it’s the guy that just showed up for his first time, or the seasoned tournament player that stopped by to check out the field. Everyone at some time or another has run into the number one reason paintball sucks, people.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could play a day and not worry about someone cheating? Wouldn’t it be geat if you could go a whole day without hearing an argument, or see a near-fight break out? Wouldn’t it be geat if you could leave your equipment unattended and not worry about some of it magically getting up and walking away, never to be found? Wouldn’t it be geat if you could play the game without worrying that someone is going to light you up for the pure joy of hurting someone else? Wouldn’t it be great if you could go the whole day without hearing a complaint, or a whine? Wouldn’t it be geat if you could have fun, enjoy the day, and leave the field with a lot of good stories, and not a single bad one?

What’s the problem? I don’t really know. You have the normal 10% of humanity that shouldn’t be allowed around other people, but that’s not just it. Is it the influx of so many new people? I don’t think so, because experience doesn’t mean a person is going to be any nicer or more honest. Is it tournament players? I don’t think so, I’ve seen recreational players that curse, fight, cheat, lie, and are just a lot more trash then a lot of tournament players I’ve met.

I think it’s our willingness to accept the bad so openly, just so we can play the game. We want to play so badly that we will tolerate otherwise unacceptable behavior just to play. When people start to finally stand up and put a stop to it, will be the end of it. How?

The best thing you can do for the sport is do your best to use common courtesy on the paintball field. Teach the new kids how to play, let them try out that tricked out autococker, play fairly, don’t fight if you don’t like something, don’t light someone up if you can avoid it, and generally, just try to pass on good attitude.