So i had a great experiance this weekend at the local field where me and my buddies are regulars.
There was a kid there, couldnt have been more than 13 years old. If that. Skinny as a rail and decked out in real tree camo, a tippmann mask and a 98c. this kid had played before, i could tell. He wasnt the best, but one things for sure he had more "get up and go" and passion for the sport than most adults. He was a nice enough kid, very polite and well mannered. One of those kids you want to encourage just so you can see the older more egotistical players get rocked by this kid in budget gear and real tree camo.
Anyway, we were playing hyperball and he decided to take "snake 2" and set up shop to get some guys cross field. Suprised by his knowlege of the game i said i would be right behind him to give him support. He seemed jazzed and asked me about my marker while we were waiting for the other team. I told him it was an emag, from AGD. he said it was the awesome-est looking gun he'd ever seen. "thanks little dude" i said, and the ref called for players to get ready. It was 6 on 6.
BOOM this kids shoots off like someone saw the ice cream truck and gets in the snake before i even get to my bunker. he buckles down and starts plinking shots at the other side. Looking over i noticed 2 guys moving to his mirror and one in the back "can". The 3 other players on the opposing team were at the middle 50, and the first 2 left cans. I run over and slide into the snake to cover. im ripping of shots like the paint was free, and suddenly
BLAP! tagged right in the goggles. I get rocked by the guy in the back of the snake. I wasnt expecting it ( i shoudl have been)..."GOOD SHOT! IM OUT!!!" i yelled at the opposing player, and walked off the field having gotten no one. So, there i stood in the back watching the game unfold when i realize the kid hadnt fired a shot in quite some time. He starts hollering for a ref. Apparently he was out of CO2 and couldnt get his empty tank off the gun to put on his spare. (the kid had a spare 9oz CO2 tank in his pouches. he came ready..lol) The ref couldnt hear him over the game on the left side. So i yelled to teh kid to see what was up.
he informed me of his plight, and i knew there was only one thing i could do.
I dumped another pod into my emag and raced out onto the field, sliding up to the kid. "take this" i said and offered him my Emag.
"Really?" he asked.
"of course dude, just be careful it has a......"
SPLATSPLATSPLAT! (into the bunker)
"touchy trigger"
he laughed and said "i guess so"
I gave him a quick whats what of how to use it, and by this time we had attracted alot of attention from the other side who was now pouring rounds onto us like we owed them money.
"have fun man!" I said and raced out of the bunker, grabbing his gun on the way.
As i stood behind the tape, wondering if he would be able to do anything with his new found toy, and amazing thing happened.
This kid jumped up, and started ripping paint onto the other side. I mean, he was REALLY going at it. Lucky for the kid he was only about 5 ft tall, if that, and proved a hard target, even while standing. SPLAT! he gets one guy down, and ducks behind cover, accidently putting a few more shots into his own bunker again. I chuckled, touchy trigger, hope he doesnt shoot himself...
The kid stands back up, and shoots one more shot, and nails the back can player square in the face. One shot, one kill. Rock and roll, I thought.
He stands back up and puts 5-6 more down range, eliminating ANOTHER opposing player. I couldnt help it and i started cheering, clapping and telling the kid what an awesome job he is doing.
"Did i get him??" he yells
"HECK YEA YOU DID KID!! AWESOME JOB!!!" i yelled back
The kid stood back up and started ripping paint into another opposing players bunker. I mean this kid was just rocking away at that emag. It was then that i heard the coolest thing id hear all day
"OOOOOOWEEEEEE!!!!! I GOTTA GET ME ONE OF THESE!!!! THIS IS AWWWWEEEESOOOOOOMMMEEE!!!!!!!!" Was all i heard from the kid. His voice cracking from excitement, or puberty, not sure which.
As the game ended (we won, all thanks to that crazy kid) he walked up to me and handed me the Emag back. And said, "hey thanks mister!" (eeek kids are calling me "mister"lol)
I gave him a high five and said he plays better with it than i do.
He quickly ran off to his friends to wow them with his new accomplishments. Complete with the biggest smile i think ive ever seen on a kid that small.
Later on he asked me where he could get one of those. I told him. And said that next time he is down to play at the field, i would happily lend him my gun for as many games as he liked.
the whole situation just reminded me of when i started playing. The older guys used to let damn near anyone use thier gear just to use it. I dont see that kind of mentality much anymore. Which is sad. The only thing i hope is that the kid does come back and play again. Give him a few years and he would be rocking faces all over Illinois. And not only that, he was polite, well mannered and just an all around cool kid. he can play on my team any day.
There was a kid there, couldnt have been more than 13 years old. If that. Skinny as a rail and decked out in real tree camo, a tippmann mask and a 98c. this kid had played before, i could tell. He wasnt the best, but one things for sure he had more "get up and go" and passion for the sport than most adults. He was a nice enough kid, very polite and well mannered. One of those kids you want to encourage just so you can see the older more egotistical players get rocked by this kid in budget gear and real tree camo.
Anyway, we were playing hyperball and he decided to take "snake 2" and set up shop to get some guys cross field. Suprised by his knowlege of the game i said i would be right behind him to give him support. He seemed jazzed and asked me about my marker while we were waiting for the other team. I told him it was an emag, from AGD. he said it was the awesome-est looking gun he'd ever seen. "thanks little dude" i said, and the ref called for players to get ready. It was 6 on 6.
BOOM this kids shoots off like someone saw the ice cream truck and gets in the snake before i even get to my bunker. he buckles down and starts plinking shots at the other side. Looking over i noticed 2 guys moving to his mirror and one in the back "can". The 3 other players on the opposing team were at the middle 50, and the first 2 left cans. I run over and slide into the snake to cover. im ripping of shots like the paint was free, and suddenly
BLAP! tagged right in the goggles. I get rocked by the guy in the back of the snake. I wasnt expecting it ( i shoudl have been)..."GOOD SHOT! IM OUT!!!" i yelled at the opposing player, and walked off the field having gotten no one. So, there i stood in the back watching the game unfold when i realize the kid hadnt fired a shot in quite some time. He starts hollering for a ref. Apparently he was out of CO2 and couldnt get his empty tank off the gun to put on his spare. (the kid had a spare 9oz CO2 tank in his pouches. he came ready..lol) The ref couldnt hear him over the game on the left side. So i yelled to teh kid to see what was up.
he informed me of his plight, and i knew there was only one thing i could do.
I dumped another pod into my emag and raced out onto the field, sliding up to the kid. "take this" i said and offered him my Emag.
"Really?" he asked.
"of course dude, just be careful it has a......"
SPLATSPLATSPLAT! (into the bunker)
"touchy trigger"
he laughed and said "i guess so"
I gave him a quick whats what of how to use it, and by this time we had attracted alot of attention from the other side who was now pouring rounds onto us like we owed them money.
"have fun man!" I said and raced out of the bunker, grabbing his gun on the way.
As i stood behind the tape, wondering if he would be able to do anything with his new found toy, and amazing thing happened.
This kid jumped up, and started ripping paint onto the other side. I mean, he was REALLY going at it. Lucky for the kid he was only about 5 ft tall, if that, and proved a hard target, even while standing. SPLAT! he gets one guy down, and ducks behind cover, accidently putting a few more shots into his own bunker again. I chuckled, touchy trigger, hope he doesnt shoot himself...
The kid stands back up, and shoots one more shot, and nails the back can player square in the face. One shot, one kill. Rock and roll, I thought.
He stands back up and puts 5-6 more down range, eliminating ANOTHER opposing player. I couldnt help it and i started cheering, clapping and telling the kid what an awesome job he is doing.
"Did i get him??" he yells
"HECK YEA YOU DID KID!! AWESOME JOB!!!" i yelled back
The kid stood back up and started ripping paint into another opposing players bunker. I mean this kid was just rocking away at that emag. It was then that i heard the coolest thing id hear all day
"OOOOOOWEEEEEE!!!!! I GOTTA GET ME ONE OF THESE!!!! THIS IS AWWWWEEEESOOOOOOMMMEEE!!!!!!!!" Was all i heard from the kid. His voice cracking from excitement, or puberty, not sure which.
As the game ended (we won, all thanks to that crazy kid) he walked up to me and handed me the Emag back. And said, "hey thanks mister!" (eeek kids are calling me "mister"lol)
I gave him a high five and said he plays better with it than i do.
He quickly ran off to his friends to wow them with his new accomplishments. Complete with the biggest smile i think ive ever seen on a kid that small.
Later on he asked me where he could get one of those. I told him. And said that next time he is down to play at the field, i would happily lend him my gun for as many games as he liked.
the whole situation just reminded me of when i started playing. The older guys used to let damn near anyone use thier gear just to use it. I dont see that kind of mentality much anymore. Which is sad. The only thing i hope is that the kid does come back and play again. Give him a few years and he would be rocking faces all over Illinois. And not only that, he was polite, well mannered and just an all around cool kid. he can play on my team any day.
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