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,

[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 ). 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

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...

[MoeMag]

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

[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

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 definately not going to ruin our relationship over this. If she really doesn't want to try it, she won't have to.

[PumpMag]

Not that difficult to convince.

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...

[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!!!