Honest self-rating of your speedball skills

[Aegis]

I have not seen this posted before, so here goes: How do you rate yourself as a speedball player?

Do you show your stuff and have people beg you to join their team? Do you find a bunker and hide? Do you find yourself telling other walk-on players what to do so your side can win? Do you hesitate to play against a team, or figure you might learn something?

[hitech]

I voted hold my own... as that's where I feel I am. I've not played but a few days of speedball, so I'm not very experenced. However, my first time playing speedball I played with the advanced group at Santa Clara Fairgrounds and did okay. I even got complemented on a couple of moves. :D

[quik]

I can hold my own usually, but need to improve in so many areas. I usually always end up getting it in the face, OH YEAH BABY.

[Automaggin2]

I sometimes play walk on tourney players and hold my own. When i play rec ball hyperball and speedball there seems to be alot of bunkering going on.

[laxster08]

i voted as an impact on walk on rec b.c i usually tool when we play rec ball..even just with classic mag...i'm gonna dump about 400 bucks into my mag and hopefully be on a tourny team b/c i'm pretty confidence i cna be good

[GT]

depends on my team.

I am not a very good key player, and few people truly are in rec situations. IF there are a few guys I am confident with I do alot better.

I am alright..

[magking1971]

Well because I can't vote on this board I will say I suck, but others say I am pretty good.
I really don't care as long as I am having fun doing it.:D

[bryceeden]

By my self I am one of the worst speedballers ever, but with a good back man(giving me info) I am usually good for 3-4 eliminations per game in 7 man(rookie)

[member#10,261]

when I get the chance to play its usualy with a group with lesser skill than me

thus I can not improve

I can hold my own...but if you throw me in with a team that practices once a week...you would see that I lag in comparison

[845]

I said i am a rookie/novice.... because I have been playing tournies for 2 years now and speedball is the only thing i play.

[bratch]

I consider myself somewhat advanced but a wee bit behind in some aspects. I have been playing forever so I have a pretty good concept on staying tight, fields etc. However I have just started playing again for the first time in 18 months so my shot is a wee bit off. Plus never getting truley adjusted to one gun has hurt some.

I have played with and against some pretty good players. Just played a tourny with a guy off of the team that won one of the ametuer divisions at 99 Cup. I haved played against/with many of the BE All Stars current and past. And against some of the people from the Texas Storm and Havok teams. While never breaking games open against these guys I have done decent and didn't make a fool of myself.

[abarnhar]

Tourneys creep me out for some reason. I play a lot more relaxed when I'm just doing some rec. I can hold my own, but it ain't pretty.

[Wes Janson]

I've never really gone up against truly serious opposition, but I can usually make quite an impact in walkon play at the local field. In a close range shootout, I'm not likely to win because my ROF isn't very high and that isn't what I do best. My strength comes from my signature: doing crazy-assed things like running up the side and flanking. In one walkon woodsball game I nailed five people within 3-4 minutes-every single one in the dead center of their back. My absolute worst fear is getting into a position where I'm taking very heavy fire, have no breaks in the fire to shoot back, and am at close range. I can only recall one or two times that ever went well for me, and I try to avoid those situations..

[Python14]

I generally hang out with tourney players, and when we play, I can definitely take care of myself.

And I'll be honest, and try not to sound arrogant, but I'm good when I need to be. If I feel the situation requires certain action, I will act on it and 9 times out of 10 I'm right and it works.

I can also control groups of recballers. If we are playing someone that I know and I need players either to distract them or two keep them tight, all I have to do is say "Do it" and it happens...ya know?

But for the most part, I can hold my own just fine in most situations. I just keep my cool and realize it's a game.

[Aegis]

Excellent replies - Sounds like honest evals. For myself, I feel very comfortable walking out against any group other than a pre-formed team. By that I mean I am not intimidated, and ready to give and get. Might not win, but who knows. If I am playing with a group of guys that have a few games under our belt, and know each other's style (Like the Mighty AO NORCAL regulars) I feel pretty good - unless we are up against a group that plays regularly as a teamnsome form of competition. Then we have a long row to hoe.

The funny thing I notice is that if you took one guy off of 5 different rookie/novice teams and fielded them without any prior playing time together, they would be diminished quite a bit from their normal level of play. Their individual skills will still stand out, but you don't see a team coming at you. That is why I don't let the fact that they LOOK like a pro bother me too much. I am much more worried about groups that play together and do it well.

[FortySix&2]

I play serious tourny ball, and like other said, not to sound arrogant, but I know I'm pretty good for my level and time playing (6 months).

I'm lucky to play for a team (factory team for local field) I get lots a play time at practilly no cost (minus all the time we help, they have no employees, all help from teams). We get coached by the best teams in the state and a few guys from Texas Storm and Cypress hang out a lot. We get awesome tips and sometimes they join in and help w/ our practices.

[Aegis]

Originally posted by quik
I can hold my own usually, but need to improve in so many areas. I usually always end up getting it in the face, OH YEAH BABY.

Getting it in the face might mean that you are playing tight but staying out a bit more than you should.

In speedball, I get gogged, or hit in the knuckles. Out of our entire day on Sunday I got hit in the body twice - by the same guy when he bunkered me. Ouch. Gogged once, by my own kid, and the rest were on the hands.

If I get hit anywhere else, I think that is a part of my big ol bod that should not have been accessible to the opposition.

[jayloo]

I feel as though I have a long way to go and numerous areas to improve on. However because of my peers comments I rate myself as a rookie worthy player.

[tony3]

I usually play with the adavanced groups at my field and am one of the better players out there, I'm definitely the most aggressive. My patients really suck though. I have really gotten better shooting out the left side which I could never do before. I definitely hope to be on a national level rookie/novice team soon enough.

[LittlePaintballBoy]

I can play in the advanced and hold my own, not do outstanding but I can get people out. I do make quite an impact when I have to play with beginners though:p lol

[laxkid]

I would say I hold my own I play speed ball every other week so to the people at my field I would say I am a good player I am average speed ball my team plays in a tourney every month or so and we take an ok place in the rankings

[Aegis]

I have to admit that Littlepaintballboy has the best "out of paint" game I have seen in a while. He played for an hour this weekend on one hopper at the end of the day, and by the last few games he was still playing up front and shooting at people just to keep their heads down - not a paintball to be found. With a clear hopper this takes some guts.

It was pretty funny to watch everyone duck when he opened up with his Matrix and shot air all over the field.

[Lethargic]

Kinda hard to tell sometimes. I play with and against NPPL am players and teams, so I guess if I ever played walk-ons I'd do pretty well. I tend to have very good games, or get shot alot. I can do one or the other, with nothing in between. This weekend, for example, I got shot off the break multiple times (I play deep, deep, front) However, the times i made it past the 50, I would get 2-3 people out per game. So I would rank myself pretty high on your scale, but definely one of the worst amoung the guys ( and girls!) I play with/against.

[Carbon]

I guess i can hold my own, Im always looking forward to the next challenge. On occasion i'll make an impact, mostly in an effort to prove something to myself. Its funny, when i get to thinkin im good, someone or something will always humble me. Im very critical of my mistakes.

[Miscue]

I can beat almost all of the 10 year olds on a good day. That's right... I'm Baaad.

[Steelrat]

Well, I seem to be trying to play mid and front, though my 6'3" 240 lb frame is ill-suited to that type of play. I just think its more exciting, and I feel like I am contributing more to the game. Unfortunately, I seem to get tunnel vision sometimes, like concentrating on advancing on the guy in front of me, while not noticing the guy to my side that ends up nailing me. And when facing a skilled opponent in a close-range snap-shoot fight, I usually lose, due to a goggle or finger hit. But I do well at medium range fights, mostly due to a fairly good ROF, and I am aggressive enough to advance quickly, which sometimes pays off. Overall id rank myself as an average player. I just need to learn how to play tighter, snapshoot better, and maintain better situational awareness.

[Kaiser Bob]

I voted rookie/novice level because all my playing is generally tournament or practice for tournament play. Played a few rookie tournaments, and represented AO in 7man novice at the IAO. AFTICA Baby!!! woot! Also if you catch me on the field in a folding chair watch out, you might get pwned! :D

[Curly]

I am a tournament player. Thus its what I voted for. I play for a Sponsored team out of San Francisco that will be playing much of the Nppl Circuit next year as rookie or novice. I see myself as a decent player. I am constantly improving. The only way to get better, in my mind, is to play those better then you. Thus we end up playing against players from Kapp Factory (now Avalanche), Mommas boys, Sc Ironmen, Dynasty and Oakland Assasains every weekend. Playing against this players and teams has helped us to work much better together and also helped build my own individual skills.

I used to be purely a back player, but I know have started playing mid, and in some cases front. Last weekend we practiced against a pan am rookie team and I was shooting their faces off from the 50 laydowns all day. I guess it really depends on how lazy I am feeling. :)

[SpecialBlend2786]

I'm alright i guess. I'm getting alot better at snap-shooting, and i guess i'm kinda learning as i go. I've been playing with the more advanced groups lately, and i've been getting alot better.

[athomas]

I enjoy walking on against established teams, especially if they have never seen me play. I usually have an immediate impact in the game for my team. If I do get shot, its usually a grazed paintball that busts on the deflection off my hopper or mask. That being said, I have also been the victim of a few bunkerings with multiple shots to the back and side.:(

Adrenalin flows through my veins if my team is down a few players and I am one of the remaining. I always feel I can win, even against all odds.

There are fields in our area that cater to open team practices, so we can go practice with other teams even if you don't have a team yourself. Usually they are setup with airball type fields and the competition is great.

[Gabriel]

I am fast and have good communication, which my old team loved. I can snap shoot pretty good and pull off 2 or 3 shot strings at 16,17 BPS... but have never held that longer than three balls. I need to work on that, hehehe...

[ShooterJM]

Well to get a true assesment I should have bsoloman critique me.

But I think I can hold my own as a front, so-so as mid, pretty crappy as back.

Hopefully I'll get better this season though! :D

[Hexis]

I tend to make in impact (in rec games) after I'm warmed up, or I get lucky. My orginized (a term I use loosly) team is doing ok in our winter indoor league.

[Torbo]

i said rookie/novice......ive been playing tourneys for about 6 months and i am on a succesfull and respected 3 man team.

[bunkermaster10]

I'm on a very well known team here In Germany. I play very agressive to my oppionents and give them no slack. I had to earn my respect playing over here since most guys are older then me (I'm 17 and my teammates are all mid 25-30s). I like to think of my self is a good team player.:D

[SyntaxError]

I play amateur level ball, I routinely play with very good Am and Pro teams, and can more than hold my own against them. I've heard some cracks about my age (I'm 15 turning 16) but I definately have the respect of most of my region's players cuz they know I can ball, and I've played for several very good New Jersey and New York teams. I'm just gonna keep workin on the skills and make it up there, hopefully be a big name player eventually.

[MayAMonkeyBeYourPinata]

Generally when playing a walk on game in the advanced/tourney player group, I can make an immediate impact, and sometimes open up an entire game, by making a strong move to the other teams 40 to 30. I am definitly one of the most aggresive players.

When playing against a team of rookie/novice players with just other random people I can occasionaly win, but generally I hold my own.

[RtDaNiMaL]

i can hoild my own.. i guess i had a few bunkers not much to scream about though

[Evil1]

When I play I'm really good or really bad. Some days I'm eliminating half the other team on the break and good for 2 or 3 bodies per game or on other days I'm getting laced up 2 or 3 times a day by some fat kid with a rental gun.

[Kaiser Bob]

Originally posted by AGDFlash
When I play I'm really good or really bad. Some days I'm eliminating half the other team on the break and good for 2 or 3 bodies per game or on other days I'm getting laced up 2 or 3 times a day by some fat kid with a rental gun.

Oh that was you? My bad, I should have said hi to ya... ;)