How do you get your Girlfriend to play paintball?

[jenarelJAM]

Tried the search, no luck...

Okay, so I've got a girlfriend who's very into sports. Used to play competitive soccer, goes to all the school football games, her family is completely pro-sports 24/7. She doesn't play soccer anymore, but coached an under 10's girls soccer team. Anyways, she knows paintball is my sport, and really want to be a part of it, but is hesitant about actually playing... I think she's afraid of the welts. And I've been completely honest with her. I've told her it's statistically safer than bowling. I've also linked her to pictures of different kinds of welts, saying, this is the kind you see on a regular day, this is the kind you almost never see, but *sometimes* it happens. I'm not going to lie to her.

So... my question for all you AO'ers is, how do you get your girlfriend to play paintball?

Chest protector I think is a good idea... I'll look into that. Needed? Better ideas? It is winter/fall, and she gets cold easy, so she'll be wearing a sweatshirt too probably.

Also, I have a second marker. I'd let her use my setup, borrow a tank/hopper/mask from a friend, and the first time, I'd cover the costs, so take that out of the equation...

[CKY_Alliance]

If some of your gear is better/more comfy then your extra/borrowed gear..let her use the more comfy and better performing stuff...

If you happen to play Xball..or if you play speedball and they allow sideline coaching you could start her off by just goin to the field and coaching you.

Go to some near by woods and play some 1 vs. 1, get a small group of friends to play, make sure the first time is with people of her expierence.

If she is a active person and into sports then i dont see why she wouldnt try it other then a little pain.Have you asked her yet?

[phizz]

I would say if you do manage to get her out, make sure your markers are turned down to aroudn 230-250 fps not the 300fps thats legal, that way it won't hurt as much. Nothing like pain and welts to deter someone from a sport.

[d4m4don3]

Chest protector, elbow pads, knee pads, under armor, bounce cap and a neck protector? Try and minimize the surface area that she's afraid she'll get hit with. Make sure it isn't too hot the first time you take her out so she doesn't die of heat exhaustion because of all that protection. Good luck, :D

[Caboose]

I've heard that fencing armor for the "upper chest area" works much better than any paintball chest protector because they don't usually cover "everything".

[Lenny]

To get mine to play, a few of my friends and I "BobEvans'd" her (our code word for friendly forced kidnapping :D ). Once we got there, I just shoved a mask on her, gave her a gun and carried her over my shoulder to the field. Literally.

She ended up lighting me up pretty bad. I knew I shouldn't have given her the Shocker...

Try that. Just don't give her a fast gun. Really, don't.

[master_alexander]

haha. i just ask, tell them it doesent hurt and lets go.

so far its worked twice, other times money was a problem (im not rich enough to pay for her and me :( ) but we find a way.

she got pretty pissed when she found out that it hurt a little bit.

[Molls]

Tried the search, no luck...

Okay, so I've got a girlfriend who's very into sports. Used to play competitive soccer, goes to all the school football games, her family is completely pro-sports 24/7. She doesn't play soccer anymore, but coached an under 10's girls soccer team. Anyways, she knows paintball is my sport, and really want to be a part of it, but is hesitant about actually playing... I think she's afraid of the welts. And I've been completely honest with her. I've told her it's statistically safer than bowling. I've also linked her to pictures of different kinds of welts, saying, this is the kind you see on a regular day, this is the kind you almost never see, but *sometimes* it happens. I'm not going to lie to her.

So... my question for all you AO'ers is, how do you get your girlfriend to play paintball?

Chest protector I think is a good idea... I'll look into that. Needed? Better ideas? It is winter/fall, and she gets cold easy, so she'll be wearing a sweatshirt too probably.

Also, I have a second marker. I'd let her use my setup, borrow a tank/hopper/mask from a friend, and the first time, I'd cover the costs, so take that out of the equation...



As a girl myself I would try to tell her that it just feels like a towel whip. It stings for a few seconds but when you are really into the game you hardly notice the pain, just the fact that you got hit. I would think that if she is really competitive then shes not afrid to get out there and really get into it. The more into it i got the less it hurt and after about the 3rd one I didn't really notice anymore. Plus the more i got hit the more i waned to go hit someone else haha. If worse comes to worse let her hit you a few times. I'm sure that would help :D

Ya its gonna leave a welt but they go away eventually. I bruise really really easy and had a few marks a month later but most of them were gone within 2 or 3 days. With it being in the winter she will have more padding which will help and also the welts wont be visable like mine. (I played in the summer and had some nasty bruises on my legs which looked very cute at the pool lol). So maybe her first time in the winter isn't a bad idea. This way she can get her feet wet and not really worry about walking around looking like someone beat the crap out of her. Also with the chest protector. I just wore the most padded bra i had and then a sports bra over that and didn't have any problems, plus it wasn't too constricting.

If she has any questions or wants to talk to me just let me know. Anything to get more girls out playin!!!

[Lenny]

...Anything to get more girls out playin!!!
Yeah, we need more women in the sport. It sucks only having guys to look at all the time...



:ninja:

[MoeMag]

All I had to do was invite her... and tell her she could bring her little brother too. :D

[dahoeb]

i just promise that there'll be free punch and pie at the field. that one ALWAYS works. ;)

[jenarelJAM]

As a girl myself I would try to tell her that it just feels like a towel whip. It stings for a few seconds but when you are really into the game you hardly notice the pain, just the fact that you got hit. I would think that if she is really competitive then shes not afrid to get out there and really get into it. The more into it i got the less it hurt and after about the 3rd one I didn't really notice anymore. Plus the more i got hit the more i waned to go hit someone else haha. If worse comes to worse let her hit you a few times. I'm sure that would help :D

Ya its gonna leave a welt but they go away eventually. I bruise really really easy and had a few marks a month later but most of them were gone within 2 or 3 days. With it being in the winter she will have more padding which will help and also the welts wont be visable like mine. (I played in the summer and had some nasty bruises on my legs which looked very cute at the pool lol). So maybe her first time in the winter isn't a bad idea. This way she can get her feet wet and not really worry about walking around looking like someone beat the crap out of her. Also with the chest protector. I just wore the most padded bra i had and then a sports bra over that and didn't have any problems, plus it wasn't too constricting.

If she has any questions or wants to talk to me just let me know. Anything to get more girls out playin!!!
Thanks Molls. Actually, I'm going to print out your reply and show it to her tomorrow in school :P

Lol, yes I've asked her. She says she wants to come and "watch"... but since there's really no place to watch from...also, I'd feel really bad with her sitting in the staging area all day...

I've got it mostly planned out.
There's a place I used to work at, woodsball, also where I played my first time. It's pretty low-key, really good for the first time. It's getting colder(though no snow here) so I'm not worried about it being too hot...

I mentioned that I'd cover the costs, but #1, I get free admit next time I go, #2, I have some paint lying around, and she can share the case I buy, and #3, I'll be able to borrow gear from friends(as favors), so she can use all mine. I'll give her the good stuff and take the bad stuff myself.

And to those who think I should just get her there(kidnap, or tell her it doesn't hurt), sorry, but I'm not going to do that to her. I'm not going to lie to her, I'm not going to force her to play. I'm really looking for a way to convince her that it'll be really fun. And I'm <i>definately</i> not going to ruin our relationship over this. If she really doesn't want to try it, she won't have to.

[PumpMag]

So... my question for all you AO'ers is, how do you get your girlfriend to play paintball?

...

That's easy........Just ask her to invite all her girlfriends to come play too....

Seriously, to put her at ease the best way would to invite as much friends as possible, preferably a private game, maybe co-workers, family, etc. This way everyone has a good time, since they know each other and not having to go up against heavily seasoned walk-ons with electro fast gear. :)

[pennywise]

To get mine to play, a few of my friends and I "BobEvans'd" her
Ha ha ha--Bob Evans!

Really good drop biscuits...yum... :headbang:

[Molls]

That's easy........Just ask her to invite all her girlfriends to come play too....

Seriously, to put her at ease the best way would to invite as much friends as possible, preferably a private game, maybe co-workers, family, etc. This way everyone has a good time, since they know each other and not having to go up against heavily seasoned walk-ons with electro fast gear. :)



the first time I played was during a D-Day and it sucked and was good at the same time. Because there were so many people there I didn't want to look like the woosy girl which made me go out and do it. I just wanted to show the guys that i wouldn't go running off the field as soon as it started. But on the other hand it would have been nice to have been able to go out with a lot less people before hand. Also once you have all that gear on you can't really tell whos who so if shes worried about getting targeted because shes a girl tell her just to wear what everyone else is and she will blend in better.. I would say having her bring a friend might be a good idea that way she will not be the only noobie!!!

[flyboy]

Telling her she would get to shoot you ought to do it. :D

[Warwitch]

Telling her she would get to shoot you ought to do it. :D


QFT!! Actually it didnt take much for mine to fall in love with the sport. She was in competitive sports in college too and very athletic. I asked if she wanted to come watch us play one day and she said "I dont want to watch, I want to play!!" I got her all her own gear within the first couple of months and now she really gets bummed if she dosent get to play with us. And you know what they say... The couple that plays together, stays together :rolleyes:

[Lenny]

Ha ha ha--Bob Evans!

Really good drop biscuits...yum... :headbang:
Agreed! :headbang:

[Draken]

QFT!! Actually it didnt take much for mine to fall in love with the sport. She was in competitive sports in college too and very athletic. I asked if she wanted to come watch us play one day and she said "I dont want to watch, I want to play!!" I got her all her own gear within the first couple of months and now she really gets bummed if she dosent get to play with us. And you know what they say... The couple that plays together, stays together :rolleyes:

Sounds kinda like mine :rofl:

I got back into the sport in 05 and she found out that I was going to go paintballing with a coworker of mine. She wanted to go, but I told her I wanted to check out the field first because of speedball kiddies (where I play has none of that!) so the next weekend we pick her up a gameface vexor starter kit with mask, marker, hopper and Co2 and I take her with me...she falls in love and now gets mad when I go out to play when she doesn't have time to...

but her marker progression in 1 year was from the vexor to a 98c to a superbolt mini cocker that I tricked out for her that runs great...and now when we aren't on the same team, I really have to watch out for her cause she has become a decent player now :shooting:

[Xenocide]

I got a small group of friends together, mostly newbs, and went to a local indoor place on a sunday so we could play by ourselves. I bought a couple casses of paint and got everyone confortable and on the feild. I went on a colder day so people could layer up and still be comfy. (indoor place was an industrial complex, cold in the winter)

Everyone played and everyone had lots of fun. And thats the important point. It's damn fun, and it's an experience everyone should try at least once. If it's not their thing, cool, but I havent brought a new person to play paintball and not had them ask to play again. Not one.

I am a big fan of increasing the number of women in this sport. Every time I have the women in the group have been by far the tougher and agresive after the first game.

I think your most of the way there anyways, and if she needs that extra push, tell her she gets to shoot you ;)

Good luck

[Hexis]

I think your most of the way there anyways, and if she needs that extra push, tell her she gets to shoot you ;)

That worked on my (at the time) girlfriend. Now she's my wife and one the rare occasion will go play.

The part that Xeno is not sharing is that he scares most women away from anything he attends.

[Warwitch]

Sounds kinda like mine :rofl:

I got back into the sport in 05 and she found out that I was going to go paintballing with a coworker of mine. She wanted to go, but I told her I wanted to check out the field first because of speedball kiddies (where I play has none of that!) so the next weekend we pick her up a gameface vexor starter kit with mask, marker, hopper and Co2 and I take her with me...she falls in love and now gets mad when I go out to play when she doesn't have time to...

but her marker progression in 1 year was from the vexor to a 98c to a superbolt mini cocker that I tricked out for her that runs great...and now when we aren't on the same team, I really have to watch out for her cause she has become a decent player now :shooting:


Yeah, I was doing really well at work at the time and went all out on her gear. Shes so spoiled! Her first marker was/is a totally custom Viking, Proto Axis mask and the whole friggin Dye gear line :rolleyes: But its all worth it at the end of the day!

This was her first day..in my shirt of course :headbang: The kids were terrified!
http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/7076/playdayjv4.jpg

[jenarelJAM]

Yeah, I've told her she gets to shoot me, she doesn't want to. I told her she could come over and just shoot me once in the backyard...

[Hexis]

Yeah, I've told her she gets to shoot me, she doesn't want to. I told her she could come over and just shoot me once in the backyard...

You need to mess up. Forget an important date or something. Then she will want to shoot you.

[jenarelJAM]

Lol, that'll take too long... Our 2m isn't until the 29th... and on dec 1st, I'm already going, but it's indoor speedball, on a field I've never been to. Definately not where I'd take her the first time.

And nah...I'd rather not. More likely if she wanted to get back at me, she'd do it some other way.

[FARMER00]

my girlfriend is the best she likes to come out with us for paintball

[Danimal82]

Tell her it doesn't hurt as much as the time that you got overly enthusiastic and hit the back door.

or you can blindfold her and tell her that you are going to look at engagement rings

[CKY_Alliance]

Tell her it doesn't hurt as much as the time that you got overly enthusiastic and hit the back door.
or you can blindfold her and tell her that you are going to look at engagement rings


hahaha..thats good stuff.

[lather]

Simple-- make sure you play with friends who are richer and better looking than you.

[jenarelJAM]

Simple-- make sure you play with friends who are richer and better looking than you.
And that helps me how?...

[Danimal82]

I think it really just depends on the girl. You might be able to bribe, drug, or drag her to the field, but is it going to be worth it if she's hiding in the back and not having a good time. My fiance gets nasty out there. Sometimes she is beating me to the front. She has a great time playing and likes to get aggressive. In return I have a great time. If you are totally set on getting her out there, try to get a pump only game going. Over shooting turns girls off to the sport quickly. Also, try get as many girls to play as possible. Girls can get pretty competetive amongst the clouds of estrogen. :shooting:

[sixtoes1313]

yea, if she truely doesnt even want to try it i wouldn't force her. Atleast tell her to try it once. After all, you gota try everything in life atleast once! more than likely she'll love it. Mine really wants to play because she knows i love it. However shes affraid of the pain..but we all were at one point werent we? I got her to go with us last week however she got sick that morning and had to leave once she got there. Right now i picked up a spyder xtra, tank,hopper, and flexforce mask for $40 for her to play with. HOwever im worried about her getting it in the face with that mask. Its almost too flexy. Good luck. Just tell her if she doesnt like it you wont ever make her go back! Friends of hers going will also be a big help.

[jenarelJAM]

That's exactly my position. I don't want to force her, but I also know that if she goes and tries it, she'll love it. I don't really want to bring other people, I was thinking it would be easier if we went just her and me the first time(and other random people at the field) so that if she didn't like it, we could just leave.

[Toll]

My girlfriend and I play every now and then. Shes a bit timid still, and didn't play for a very long time after she shot herself in the forearm pointblank (I still don't get how it happened) but I picked up a few things :

1) Girls love to dress up. I don't get it, but letting them primp and personalize (depending on your particular girl) may help the chances of her playing. Mine refuses to wear paintball pants because she finds them ugly.

2) They like pretty things. If you have a gun they find pretty, they will be more likely to shoot it. The little lady refuses to shoot my mag/matrix/viking because they are "ugly". I showed her how to sweetspot the trix so she has less objections.

3) If you can get away with it, get yourself and a few of her close friends and take off to the field. The closer environment means when she does get shot out she will laugh about it more so than if it was a bunch of people she didn't know. By the same logic she will probably be more aggressive than if it were strangers. If you want to put the interest up a notch, you might be able to get different fill colours for her paint. That way she can gloat.



Sam managed to stay a good 20 feet behind me when it was walk on day. She was up trying to bunker a couple of my friends she hates when it was just the 10 of us and she damn well made it known on the walk back that it was her that got them. Basically it's just an area of comfort. Guys like paintball because you are shooting eachother with guns...as guys we tend to <3 war related stuff...Women aren't on that same side of the spectrum. You just have to get them used to the idea.

[Loco_AEXY]

Getting my wife to go the first time (it was long before we were married) did take a little convincing but in the end she loved it and is now more agressive on the field than I am most of the time. I have heard women have higher pain thresholds, it is just a matter of getting them past that first hit.

I don't know how possible this is, but the first time I took her out to the field we arrived really early because my buddy had a brand new marker to setup. We were sitting there talking to one of the refs and she mentioend it was her first time out and she was a ltitle nervous and so he asked if we wanted to head out, just the two of us (and him), and play a 1 on 1 game to get her feet wet. So we went out and I shot a few close by her but made sure to let her get the first "kill". She was so excited that when the in the next game I quickly ran up and got her in the side she was more upset at me winning than actually being shot.

It really helped to get her over that first hit anxiety in a safe setting. I also find that if you can get a small group of friends together, that is usually a much more inviting place for someone who is new to the sport than joining a bunch of walk ons. Just my 2 cents...

[PumpPlayer]

You guys are missing something, I think.

JAM claims that he's been dating this girl for a little less than 2 months.



Here's what you do, JAM:
Ask her -ONCE- if she wants to play. If the answer is "No." then the discussion is closed.


She knows you play and she knows that the option is open. Don't make it an issue. Don't feel bad about leaving her for the weekend to go play either. She knows she's allowed to come along. Oh, and understand that shooting each other with paint just isn't something that's particularly appealing to most people.

[ransomMAG]

when i asked my girl friend to try paintballing with me, i let her use my matrix and told her that it doesn't hurt as much if you wear bagy clothing. also to asure myself that she wouldn't back out i also invited one of her friends so she didn't feel that she was the only girl going with, and some of my friends that i know she wanted to get back at from the jokes they play on her at school and believe me, she made sure she got her revenge.

[jenarelJAM]

You guys are missing something, I think.

JAM claims that he's been dating this girl for a little less than 2 months.



Here's what you do, JAM:
Ask her -ONCE- if she wants to play. If the answer is "No." then the discussion is closed.


She knows you play and she knows that the option is open. Don't make it an issue. Don't feel bad about leaving her for the weekend to go play either. She knows she's allowed to come along. Oh, and understand that shooting each other with paint just isn't something that's particularly appealing to most people.
Thank you

[Warwitch]

1:Tell her it doesn't hurt as much as the time that you got overly enthusiastic and hit the back door.

or
2: you can blindfold her and tell her that you are going to look at engagement rings

1: Which might initiate a random act of violence in itself....because she rembers :cry:

or
2: Her disappointment when she finds out you have duped her may again iniatiate an act of bloody violence! :mad:

[Molls]

I have to agree with the two month thing. I wouldn't push to hard. What i found the most helpful when i went the first time was the guy i went with was very understanding and didn't use the big words that i didn't understand. there is nothing worse then someone trying to explain things when you have no idea what they are talking about. im not saying that he was by my side the hole time but i don't think that he was balls to the walls either. Seemed like he took it just a little easier the day that i went. I think that it would have been totally different if he was out of control and played hard that day. And dont get mad. if she goes and is a little hesistant let her get confortable by herself. you may need to push her... but dont push too much!

[slateman]

Tell her its like hockey with guns :D

[buzzboy]

What we found effective(has worked a couple times) was when the girls were at the field their guys took off their uniforms and just game them to the girls and said, "PLAY". Of course though that only lasts a couple games. We so far haven't gotten anybody to play for more than a couple games.

[neppo1345]

What i found the most helpful when i went the first time was the guy i went with was very understanding and didn't use the big words that i didn't understand. there is nothing worse then someone trying to explain things when you have no idea what they are talking about. im not saying that he was by my side the hole time but i don't think that he was balls to the walls either.

Well yeah, I mean someone had to be there to grab your gun, spin you around and say "the bad guys are over there" ;)

[FlawleZ]

I was lucky to have my ex interested in playing with me. She only really played that one day but she did have fun. I think she did it moreso to do something with me instead of actually dieing to play paintball.

[Aslan]

So... my question for all you AO'ers is, how do you get your girlfriend to play paintball?

...

Why would you want her to?

Oh...wait...let me read your thread again...

...she's into sports...okay, makes more sense I guess...oh, there it is. "Dating for two months." That means either you want to show her off to your paintball friends or can't stand to be away from her for more than 6 hours at a time (or both). Both urges will wear off over time.

Don't get me wrong, I guess it would be cool to have a significant other that shares the same interests...but does she really need to share ALL of the same interests? You say you know she'd love it...how do you know? Because she played soccer? I've run into very, very few females that have enjoyed paintball. No "hidden meaning" in that comment, just a very reproducable observation. Why it is like that....I neither know nor care to rattle the cages of the sleeping PC giant by speculating. :ninja:

[Warwitch]

[QUOTE=Aslan]That means either you want to show her off to your paintball friends or can't stand to be away from her for more than 6 hours at a time (or both). Both urges will wear off over time. QUOTE]


Yeah, Id be careful about showing off your girl to a pack of wild, hormone crazed ballers. You might end up going home alone pimp :cry:

[Glickman]

just remind her you will be on the other side of her gun...

[Aslan]

Yeah, Id be careful about showing off your girl to a pack of wild, hormone crazed ballers. You might end up going home alone pimp :cry:

Exactly! :clap: Why not stop there...bring her with you to a Star Trek convention, a strip club, and prison. All 3 will get her the same type of response... :wow: :wow: :wow:

I attended a big game last summer and there had to be over 1000 players. I counted maybe 1 girl to every 40 guys...and half of them weren't playing, they were just sitting at the table with them. But the funny thing was there were probably 3 cute ones of normal age and all the guys stared at them. I sort of felt bad about it because if I were a girl, I wouldn't want a bunch of dirty, sweaty, goofy dudes gauking at me. But then I thought, if the tables were reversed, and I was one of very few men at a girl paintball outing...and all the girls were staring at me (and not in the way they normally stare at me :eek: ); I'd like it! :dance:

[Miscue]

Don't try... if she's interested, she'll ask about it.

[RRfireblade]

I woman does only one of 2 things , what ' she ' wants to do and what she thinks you ' don't ' want her to want to do. ;)


Or both. :ninja:


You want to get her to play ? Tell her you don't want her to , it's your time for you and your friends and that girls don't do well at paintball anyway.

[Cameo]

very very simple answer to this one...

tell her that there are 150 guys to everyone 1 female.. :dance: :dance: :dance:

[Aslan]

I woman does only one of 2 things , what ' she ' wants to do and what she thinks you ' don't ' want her to want to do. ;)


Or both. :ninja:


You want to get her to play ? Tell her you don't want her to , it's your time for you and your friends and that girls don't do well at paintball anyway.

:spit_take

Excellent take.

Tell her girls aren't very good at paintball due to their inherent inferiority when it comes to athletics. If she's competitive, like you say, she might try to prove you wrong. :shooting:

...downside of that strategy, she might slap you, curse at you, and break up with you. Probably not worth it at this point.

I had a friend that always used to try to get his girlfriend to play paintball with us. At first she tried to be cool and play, and she sort of acted like she was having fun. But you could tell she really didn't want to be there. I think the dealbreaker was the last time she went she go hit in the hand and it broke the skin...so she cried about that a little. Then, for a reason I still can't understand, my buddy shot her in the bu^t 2-3 times when they were on the same team...just joking around. Well, she didn't think that was very funny and that led to a longer cry session and was the last time she played. So if you do convince her to play, save the "joking around" stuff until you're sure she'll take it as "horsing around" and not you being a complete jerk. And if you are going to shoot her in the bu^t from 15 feet away, make sure that your gun isn't shooting hot.

[paintballfiend]

Paintballers have girlfriends? :wow:

[Aslan]

Paintballers have girlfriends? :wow:

Good Point. :rofl:

[rabidchihauhau]

fireblade - it a bit different for married men.

and quite easy, actually.

Give her a choice - sex or paintball - and next thing you know, they're buying a 2k marker...

[Warwitch]

fireblade - it a bit different for married men.

and quite easy, actually.

Give her a choice - sex or paintball - and next thing you know, they're buying a 2k marker...


New pb format.....seX-Ball :headbang:

[ProblemKinder]

New pb format.....seX-Ball :headbang:

haha! that's funny :clap:

hey my ex fience broke her arm playing soccer once. I've never heard of anyone breaking their arm in paintball...sounds safer to me :cool: