This has been bothering me today. See, I went to go play, and I had what could best be described as a "Bad" day. Guns didn't work. Paint broke in my barrels a lot. You know, all the "Bad Karma" stuff that tells you that you shoulda stayed in bed. But I kept on. Why? I was already up and I'm too darn stubborn to go back to bed once I'm at the field. Stubborn or stupid, I'm not certain.
But that's not really the problem here. The problem is that in the last few times I've played, I've seen almost an acceptance of things that REALLY offend me. Today it was on steroids. But let me address one of those things.
Refs. I never thought I'd have to say this, but it's necessary. If you're reffing, please do not do the following :
Do not cuss at customers. We find it offensive
Do not cuss at 10-13 year old customers. That's just plain wrong.
Do not throw your ref shield into the ground while cussing at the customers.
Do not casually cuss amongst yourselves when you're refilling tanks or getting player's paint.
Do not assume that you are a diety. You are not.
Do not assume we are there to amuse you, or to fund your shiny electro-whatever you have in lay-away in the shop.
Do not treat a recreational, walk on game as a tournament. And if you're going to do it anyway, then you better be prepared to react to situations in kind. Like when someone calls "Paintcheck", please be kind enough to check the player for paint : not just stand there looking like a cow eating grass.
And while I'm at it, please do the following :
DO learn how to CORRECTLY use a hand-held chrony. If you use it improperly, you will get false readings. And please dont' act astonished when somoene who knows HOW to use one properly shows you.
DO learn how to CORRECTLY chronograph other paintguns than the one you have in the pro shop on layaway.
DO interact with the playing customers as people, at least a little. I like to see where my money is going. And personally, I find it reassuring when the refs actually ask me "How are you doing?" or "Having a good day?" It shows me they actually want us to have fun.
DO take care of the fields between games, especially when your indoor surface can shift like dirt or sand. Kicking it back to high traffic areas is not a bad idea.
Now why do I put all that in there? In the last few outings I played, I watched what I would consider less-than-competent refs do their 'job'. And what it consisted of was, at best, a ref standing on each side of the field watching passively and yelling "He's out." at random intervals. At worst, the referee staff cussing at players for stepping out of a non-existant "Start box" and breaking rules that were never told to us in orientation or pre-game instructions.
And what gets me is that the players actually sat and took the abuse! There was a distinct feeling of "Oh, we're sorry! Please don't beat us with the rubber hose again!" I was more than a little miffed at being treated like I did something wrong because the ref is having a bad time OR becasue a new player who didn't kow better did somehting they found offensive. Gosh, pardon me. I thought I was, indirectly, supporting you, your team, and your own paintball habit. And you're going to call me a what, exactally? If you can't handle the pressure of squeeging rentals or telling that new guy to put his goggles on for the fifth time, don't ref. Or at least don't take it out on the customers, ok?
Look, if you're reffing a game for players who dropped over $120 to be there and breathe the air, you better make their experience worth at least $120. I'm not saying you should roll over, bow, scrape, and otherwise be servants here, but you can be a little courteous, and not treat people like cattle or convicts. Is that too much to ask? Rec-ball is entertainment, please treat it as such.
And the players, you have some power in this too. If a ref is abusive to you or your group, leave. You don't have to put up with paying someone to give you grief. Would you pay someone to rub your hamburger in thier armpit? NO! Why should you have to take bad or abusive reffing? It's your money, the least you can do it spend it wisely.
There's more to this. But for now, this will do. I'll wait 'till later to write the other things that are really bugging me.
-Tyger
But that's not really the problem here. The problem is that in the last few times I've played, I've seen almost an acceptance of things that REALLY offend me. Today it was on steroids. But let me address one of those things.
Refs. I never thought I'd have to say this, but it's necessary. If you're reffing, please do not do the following :
Do not cuss at customers. We find it offensive
Do not cuss at 10-13 year old customers. That's just plain wrong.
Do not throw your ref shield into the ground while cussing at the customers.
Do not casually cuss amongst yourselves when you're refilling tanks or getting player's paint.
Do not assume that you are a diety. You are not.
Do not assume we are there to amuse you, or to fund your shiny electro-whatever you have in lay-away in the shop.
Do not treat a recreational, walk on game as a tournament. And if you're going to do it anyway, then you better be prepared to react to situations in kind. Like when someone calls "Paintcheck", please be kind enough to check the player for paint : not just stand there looking like a cow eating grass.
And while I'm at it, please do the following :
DO learn how to CORRECTLY use a hand-held chrony. If you use it improperly, you will get false readings. And please dont' act astonished when somoene who knows HOW to use one properly shows you.
DO learn how to CORRECTLY chronograph other paintguns than the one you have in the pro shop on layaway.
DO interact with the playing customers as people, at least a little. I like to see where my money is going. And personally, I find it reassuring when the refs actually ask me "How are you doing?" or "Having a good day?" It shows me they actually want us to have fun.
DO take care of the fields between games, especially when your indoor surface can shift like dirt or sand. Kicking it back to high traffic areas is not a bad idea.
Now why do I put all that in there? In the last few outings I played, I watched what I would consider less-than-competent refs do their 'job'. And what it consisted of was, at best, a ref standing on each side of the field watching passively and yelling "He's out." at random intervals. At worst, the referee staff cussing at players for stepping out of a non-existant "Start box" and breaking rules that were never told to us in orientation or pre-game instructions.
And what gets me is that the players actually sat and took the abuse! There was a distinct feeling of "Oh, we're sorry! Please don't beat us with the rubber hose again!" I was more than a little miffed at being treated like I did something wrong because the ref is having a bad time OR becasue a new player who didn't kow better did somehting they found offensive. Gosh, pardon me. I thought I was, indirectly, supporting you, your team, and your own paintball habit. And you're going to call me a what, exactally? If you can't handle the pressure of squeeging rentals or telling that new guy to put his goggles on for the fifth time, don't ref. Or at least don't take it out on the customers, ok?
Look, if you're reffing a game for players who dropped over $120 to be there and breathe the air, you better make their experience worth at least $120. I'm not saying you should roll over, bow, scrape, and otherwise be servants here, but you can be a little courteous, and not treat people like cattle or convicts. Is that too much to ask? Rec-ball is entertainment, please treat it as such.
And the players, you have some power in this too. If a ref is abusive to you or your group, leave. You don't have to put up with paying someone to give you grief. Would you pay someone to rub your hamburger in thier armpit? NO! Why should you have to take bad or abusive reffing? It's your money, the least you can do it spend it wisely.
There's more to this. But for now, this will do. I'll wait 'till later to write the other things that are really bugging me.
-Tyger
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