Find yourself in this situation?

[punkncat]

I came to a point several years ago, but I suppose its taken me this long to realize what was really bothering me about my "game". I am an exceptional open play baller, but what I would consider a mediocre "tourney level" player. This puts me in a funny position. There are VERY few people that truly offer me a challenge when I play a walk on game. When I get in a scrimmage(on team practice days) though, my rough edges are my downfall. I enjoy the attitude and fun factor in the open play, but need a level of play that exceeds that. I am not saying I am superman or anything. All players can be hit, but if you have played for many years against good ballers, well a certain amount of it rubs off so to speak.

Here is where the problem comes in. Any players that show promise in open play are almost immediatly recruited by a number of teams that play out of the local fields. So anyone that could offer me some game is picked up and before long surpasses my ability.
I have been and continue to be a part in several of the teams here in the area. They all enjoy playing with or against me in scrimmages and I have been invited to join a few of them full time or even as part of an event. I am commonly invited to team practice just because I offer good resistance to play against. But as I continue to play against teams that are becoming well oiled machines and I am just picking up players and getting stomped on...well its gets disheartening. Makes me think that my skill level is deteriorating. In actuality the teams I am playing are continuing to get better working together while my skills and the players I can pick up remain rough and unpolished.

So what ends up happening is that all the good players get picked up, move on, and generally most drop out rather than falling back into open play. And I seem to be stuck either killing noobs all day, which is very unsatisfying, or being cannon fodder to teams which is both good and bad.

The reason I will not go full out is that for one I am not so willing to work the way its required to actually compete at that higher level. It takes a good deal of time and money to gain the skills needed, and much of it doesn't involve actually playing, but running drills and shooting paint at nothing. I am almost middle aged, have a family and other responsibilies that require more of me and just can't devote that to the sport.
The other aspect is more a question of ethics. I decided long ago that I would rather lose with honor than to win by bending rules or playing a grey area. There are very few quality players that can actually maintain that level of integrity, train that hard, just to lose to cheaters time after time.

So here I find myself slowly spiraling out of intrest for a game that I love so much. Caught between the lack of challenge in the common player, and getting beaten again and again by more refined ones.

sigh

[/end rant]

[warpig13]

you could always play in a couple scenarios....they always offer up a challenge.

[geekwarrior]

i am sort of in the same situation.....I dont often play at actual fields, but play outlaw in a field set up on someones property. Alot of the people that play there dont play much, so it's fun but not real challenging. The guy I used to play with doesnt play as much, and when he does, he plays with his friends on a private field. He and his dad, and his brother were the ones that offered a challenge at the feild I play at. So now I'm left mopping up the noobs. Every once in awhile a few decent players show up were I play, but lately its been more noobs than anything. When I do go to actual pay to play places, I do alright, and have lots of fun, but I dont have enough friends in the sport anymore, and I hate paying to play the walkons. I'm not trying to say I'm really good, I'm just have been playing awhile, and the people I have been playing with lately dont play much.

So if there is anyone in Souther CA Riverside area who's up for a combination of rec/speedball, let me know.

[punkncat]

you could always play in a couple scenarios....they always offer up a challenge.

I really enjoy woodsball and the scenario aspect. I am lucky enough to be a part of a well established group of players with an exceptional "rouge" field to play. The problem here is that woodsball is limited to a few months a year(for me) due to heat, growth and most particularly the bees and poison vines that come with the warm weather.
Playing a few times a year is not enough to satisfy the jones.

[SpitFire1299]

Form your own team out of a bunch of people with equal skill level. Then you can all build up together. :)

[Team VeNoM]

Come to Chilliocthe Paintball Pits and play me :)....honestly tho if youe ever in the Area stop by if im not reffing im playing, i could use a good challenge

[quasimorte]

pump. go pump for a few rounds and see if the thrill comes back a little. it might help get rid of some of your rough edges. and noobs can become a bit more challenging when you can't keep them in a bunker as easily.

[punkncat]

Come to Chilliocthe Paintball Pits and play me :)....honestly tho if youe ever in the Area stop by if im not reffing im playing, i could use a good challenge

I know man, this post comes off so arrogant, like I am just some paintball god or something...right?

No really, I am not so awesome, nor do I think so. I am however quite experianced. I feel myself, like many others, are kind of disheartened at the lack of quality play at the good but not serious level.

So many good players feel like they have to make the leap into tourney ball just cause it seems like the next logical thing to do. That level of play carries a whole different involvement, and many aspects that for me weren't what I play paintball for. I like the level of determination and skill, but when there is truly something on the line other than a good time it tends to bring out bad things in people. So after they get a good taste of that feel like getting out. ....and for whatever other reasons could be involved as well. The point is there are few places for people at that level to get a good game on anymore.

[REDRT]

I've dished it out and I've had it handed right back at me rec/tournament both in the last 12 years. I've played with some super rec players and tournament players alike. Some bad ones just the same. My choice of play is more so the tournment atmosphere these days. More challenging for me most of the time I feel. When I can that is. :rolleyes: If wasn't for AOers to play with every so often I'd most likely wouldn't play anymore or very rarely. No matter what level/style of play I choose to do, for me it just doesn't seem fun unless the rest of the guys are also shooting mags. So this year I've vowed what ever event I might be playing, if my team isn't sporting mags I'm just not playing. That is my current situation. The times I have played this year have been the absolute best, Maybe even ever! :wow:

[SlartyBartFast]

Well, the reason you get rolled by the experienced teams is simple: Team Work.

That's where you're losing out. As a lone wolf, you can compete one-on-one but onec a well formed team comes along you're done for.

Best I can think is get a group that will always scrimmage together and always mix the teams up.

Even then, you'll find the winning combinations will be when players who work as a team are joined up.

[going_home]

I am within a few months of being able to get senior discounts at mickey D's.
I decided some time ago that my only interest in paintball was to have fun.
I'm not a bit interested in tournaments. Or getting the "I am God" attitude
of the "children" that are top of their field in tourney paintball.
Heavy metal, and rap, just give me headaches.
(that was a right hook to the jaw to the background music (noise) on paintball videos)

I started out playing on private property, woodsball with a large group of friends
years ago. None of them even play anymore. I started going to fields.
Speedball became old to me after playing it a while, the fun factor wasnt there.
I can hold my own, but I started looking at woods again, most of the local
fields have pretty good woods fields and are fun to play.
Win or lose on speedball, the games over in 5 minutes or less.
Then you spend 10 to 15 minutes (depending on the line to get air)
filling pods and tanks. But the woods games last 30 minutes easy.
And the fun factor came back to paintball for me.
And I just got a pump gun and I'm going to try that also.

Like the post up above said maybe if you want to compete you should try SPPL.
I have a friend that is on a scenario team and really enjoys the military style play.

http://www.scenariochallenge.com

Hey I tried golf, it was all I could do to stay awake.
I couldnt remember when I was so bored as when I golfed.
So paintball and the adrenaline of it is where the fun is for me.