I know this probably belongs in Deep Blue, but A) I don't have the password, and B) I felt the populous (spellcheck it later, I'm tired) of people were out here, and I want YOUR opinions!!
Many a-time have I considered going to my school principal and asking for permission to start an official club for paintball, but I've run into problems and it's still just a THOUGHT!! First, who would we play? I live in the Houston area, where not too many tournys frequent, and where the track bus driver is so lazy the team often goes back with the other school because he gets bored and goes home himself, plus, I doubt we'd get enough funding to pay for trips and everything we'd need, even if we did sell chocolate or something. At least not enough to buy skimpy outfits for cheerleaders.
Another problem (the main one) is that too many people associate the use of paint markers with fire arms. If you've seen me post before (yes, an amazing THIRTEEN times), I always type "'gun" or "marker" or whatnot, to avoid this politically incorrect blunder. Thus, associating paintball markers with firearms suddenly makes people think that the school is training killers; students armed with guns, and the school is supporting it. The cheerleaders are just the last straw.
So, most people would go on some holy crusade and stop the "evil" principal from "forcing" these "innocent children" into such a "barbaric" sport. Then I'd probably have to do the whole thing over again with my new principal. Not my idea of fun.
It's partially the association with firearms that's stunting the groth of this sport as well, I believe, but that's another post all together (tune in tomorrow, folks!) and parents want to protect their children, and guns seem to be the main culprit to them. I can't really blame them for it, but I think they should learn more about a sport before smashing it and the dreams of their children in said sport. Continuing...
I'd like to think that 10, maybe 15 years from now, paintball would be an accepted sport in schools. The other xtreme sports are gaining popularity, and my school has expressed intrest in building a skating team, and major companies now sponsor skaters and skating events. Paintball reminds me of an early version of skating. While it does not have the "do it anywhere" value that skating has (when was the last time you saw a "No biking, skating, or paintball on the side-walk, please." {hmm, slogan?}), it still draws with it's constant adrenaline rush and skills required to play. Skills required, such as teamwork, safety, and bravery (to an extent), are needed in many things in day to day life, and make an improvement in a person's overall character as a long term effect.
Many people don't like the injury factor. If you get hurt in the sport (by projectiles shot out of a gun-shaped object, no less) it's bad enough. The gun part makes it a WHOLE lot worse, but many people jump to the conclusion the game is based on placing injuries on the other team, when it just isn't so. In fact, if you get shot out (nice phrase for public relations, eh?), it's your own personal error or a fluke in the game.
However, some people feel this way. They go out of their way to avoid asking someone to take the hit, play unfairly, or over-clock their guns to shoot faster. People like this are news to the media. The "true" sport of paintball, it'd probably say. Someone claiming "accidents happen in all sports" would suddenly say "accidents happen". But, again, this isn't about the media... yet (can you see I'm making plans here, folks?). One accident in a high school sport, such as a broken leg is bad enough. It's not local news, it happens all the time. A kid dies in football practice (two times in my state, one weekend) and they've gotta allow them to have three water breaks instead of two during practice. A kid loses an eye in an experimental sport such as this - of course it's big. Of course the club will get shut down, most likely, the board never to take it upon themselves to consider the situation again, and have (FORCE) the person who started the club (namely me) make a public apology, which would then be splatter across every publication that cared, and bring up countless more times when another club attempted to arise.
Unless people get the TRUTH about paintball out to those who can get it out to those who DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT (let me put it this way: You ---> Local News ---> National News (think piece story, teen life story, etc) ---> local people ---> (by word of mouth now) other people ---= KNOWLEDGE of sport widely known... acceptance by most follows.) so that they can find out what it really means to those who play, how it works, and over all, what it does.
Anyways... I'm quite tired, and my eye hurts, so I'm going to go to bed so I can get up early and yell at my alarm clock. Night night.
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68 Classic w/Powerfeed
Smart Parts Magic Box Installed on A.I.R.
Green Small Bore All American 12"
KAPP Air Through Grip & Drop Foward
67ci 3000psi Chubby Nitro
9volt VL
AGD user for life
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