I just wanted to say that you're videos are improving. Like I mentioned before, content is king and I definitely think you hit the nail on the head with this one.
As far as paintball lessons go, I think it's definitely possible to do. Think pro clinic for walk ons... this is how you hold your gun, this is how you snap, this is how you should make your moves, etc. I never thought of it until now, but most fields I have been to do a typical safety briefing and then let people loose on the field. There is nearly no training involved with how it should be played - but perhaps that is part of what makes paintball so much fun.
As far as paintball lessons go, I think it's definitely possible to do. Think pro clinic for walk ons... this is how you hold your gun, this is how you snap, this is how you should make your moves, etc.
When I was getting into speedball, there happened to be an Infamous clinic going on at my local field just around the same time and I feel like that was really helpful in fixing bad playing habits quickly. Clinics should really be run more often, they definitely do a lot to contribute to bringing new players up.
think about why paintball doesn't make the x-games and isn't highly televised. To someone who is just watching it on TV, lets be honest, it will be boring. Paintball isn't as action packed as watching someone do a trick on ramps every 2 seconds, the viewer will be watching a team shoot at each other for awhile and while there will be some nice images like bunkering, etc. it still won't hold the greater population's attention.
There needs to be a crazy new action packed format for paintball to make it on the x-games IMO.
But to the video, yea pro clinics are usually run very poorly, and lessons at fields would be amazing, especially if it is advertised on the field's website. Maybe they can do something like mention it is your first time playing and you get a free lesson with an experienced person guiding you and teaching you how to play for awhile or whatever
__________________
NJ Wolfpack
|Battle Creek Paintball| Meadowlands Paintball| Dye Paintball|
Ton's of great points in here. I don't think we should be attacking each other, this video is for the better of the sport. I believe that these lessons would in turn help people that have never played continue to play, and those that are new but have played continue to play and advance. This is about manufacturing pro players from the first time they play, it's about bringing new blood into the sport to help it grow into the action sport that it is. It would bring more revenue and more media attention like it did 2004-2007 if you remember the wave of new players.
Uhh skateboarding IS a sport and theres contests every where my dude. Ive skated all my life, It doesn't NEED lessons, but you can find them at any legit park. And the difference between skateboarding and paintball is that you can skate anywhere at any time, where paintball is at a field on weekends.
I agree 100% on this and think its a great idea. Teach kids safety, how to use all the equipment, the rules to the game, and then the fundamentals. Also, my own personal opinion is to push tournament paintball as much as possible. I mean woodsball is good to have and all, but if you want the sport to get on TV and be taken seriously we need to move it out of the woods and on to regulated fields, and teach them THAT game. I mean think about it, a parent coming to a field and his son wants to learn to shoot around in the woods? pay money for that? I dont think so. But if they see a regulated field with air bunkers, a 50, out of bounds, referees, start box, penalties, now were talking more of a sport and it will intrigue.
I play PSP, and will tell you that the general skill level isn't even that high. Now I was lucky to be taught 1 on 1 by one greatest player i know and can tell you there is so much that I've been blind to in this sport and will say that this sport has so much room to grow and that will only happen with players becoming educated about real paintball from the get go.
* People are scared to play tourney ball because it looks intimidating, i see it all the time at my field from the rec ballers who watch us practice.
I hope the best for you, and I hope i see this at every field.
think about why paintball doesn't make the x-games and isn't highly televised. To someone who is just watching it on TV, lets be honest, it will be boring. Paintball isn't as action packed as watching someone do a trick on ramps every 2 seconds, the viewer will be watching a team shoot at each other for awhile and while there will be some nice images like bunkering, etc. it still won't hold the greater population's attention.
There needs to be a crazy new action packed format for paintball to make it on the x-games IMO.
But to the video, yea pro clinics are usually run very poorly, and lessons at fields would be amazing, especially if it is advertised on the field's website. Maybe they can do something like mention it is your first time playing and you get a free lesson with an experienced person guiding you and teaching you how to play for awhile or whatever
On this note, I show my friends tournament paintball all the time and they just dont know whats going on, but they say it looks really cool. Even when I play a video like this:
No one is educated on what a snake and its advantages, why to bunker people, etc. that I have shown, but it sure looks fun and really cool.
Uhh skateboarding IS a sport and theres contests every where my dude. Ive skated all my life, It doesn't NEED lessons, but you can find them at any legit park. And the difference between skateboarding and paintball is that you can skate anywhere at any time, where paintball is at a field on weekends.
I agree 100% on this and think its a great idea. Teach kids safety, how to use all the equipment, the rules to the game, and then the fundamentals. Also, my own personal opinion is to push tournament paintball as much as possible. I mean woodsball is good to have and all, but if you want the sport to get on TV and be taken seriously we need to move it out of the woods and on to regulated fields, and teach them THAT game. I mean think about it, a parent coming to a field and his son wants to learn to shoot around in the woods? pay money for that? I dont think so. But if they see a regulated field with air bunkers, a 50, out of bounds, referees, start box, penalties, now were talking more of a sport and it will intrigue.
I play PSP, and will tell you that the general skill level isn't even that high. Now I was lucky to be taught 1 on 1 by one greatest player i know and can tell you there is so much that I've been blind to in this sport and will say that this sport has so much room to grow and that will only happen with players becoming educated about real paintball from the get go.
* People are scared to play tourney ball because it looks intimidating, i see it all the time at my field from the rec ballers who watch us practice.
I hope the best for you, and I hope i see this at every field.
I wish there was a like button for this because I totally agree.
Uhh skateboarding IS a sport and theres contests every where my dude. Ive skated all my life, It doesn't NEED lessons, but you can find them at any legit park. And the difference between skateboarding and paintball is that you can skate anywhere at any time, where paintball is at a field on weekends.
the difference is that the objective of skateboarding is not limited to beating an opponent.. I've been in more photography contests than skating contests, photography requires physical exertion of the body, are you going to call photography a sport?
like photography, skateboarding is an art form.. it is expressive of a skaters style, and requires no practice or referees.
the difference is that the objective of skateboarding is not limited to beating an opponent.. I've been in more photography contests than skating contests, photography requires physical exertion of the body, are you going to call photography a sport?
like photography, skateboarding is an art form.. it is expressive of a skaters style, and requires no practice or referees.
No practice? Uhuh, you keep telling yourself.
Also, the problem I see with lessons in a speedsball setting is that a coach, like in the video, might give their position away. I would hate to have a guy hanging on my back giving away my position.
__________________
The greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
Win like you were used to it, lose as if you enjoyed it for a change.
Well one large difference is snowboarding is an individual sport and paintball is a team sport. There are not many 1 on 1 ice hockey lessons, or many for any team sport. Its hard to teach a game that relies so heavily on the participation of others. Next, how would these lessons be taught? Will 1 instructor take 1 player out to the field for some lessons, therefore eliminating that field for use for the general players at the field? How would you run a lesson when there is no standard venue of play? Would it be on a 7 man field? 5 man? X-ball? Cbxl, NPPL, PSP etc? What about woods ball?
My thoughts are to look at other team sports and how they are coached for young kids being introduced to the sport. Take "pee-wee" soccer for example. The players are split up into teams of equal numbers. Lessons may consist of a team practice with just one (or two teams) for 30 minutes. Then the next 30 minutes is spent scrimmaging the second team in a game situation. Alternatively, there could be one or two week night practices with a Saturday morning game. This same concept is used in basketball, (flag) football, tee-ball, etc.
If you are concerned abou this cutting into fields being used by other customers, I doubt it would. Fields could use their slowest week night as the scheduled practice night. Also, time on Saturdays would be very minimal. Depending on the number of teams, it could be done in a couple of hours at most and not go past noon. Just like in other sports, parents of young players will have a lot to do on Saturdays and will not typically want to spend all day at the field. This could start at 8:00 am and be over before lunch. However, if the players choose to continue playing after their practice, they could always join in with the rec players.
Back to your questions, I would not think 1-on-1 lessons would be a mainstay of paintball, just like they are not in soccer, basketball, football, or baseball. The venue of play would not neccessarily matter because at this point, the players are learning safety, working on individual skills, and the very basics of team play. Younger players would be able to play on scaled down fields with a couple of bunkers. If you think about soccer again, no youth or their parent is going to complain because the child is not playing on a professional sized field. Also, they would not be concerned with the specific rules for PSP verus NPPL play but more so with general rules and gameplay.
Hats off to the OP. Very insightful video. I think the point is that paintball would benefit from being introduced to younger players (and indirectly to their parents) through a structured environment. Lessons, practices, or regular clinics could be the way to provide this.
So many good points. One of the things though that you sorta have to keep in mind when you think about how popular snowboarding is that it happens during the winter. There isnt that much other to do if you want to go out with your family, where as in the summer or when it's warm out there are plenty of other things to do. Paintball needs to appeal to the family or something like that i guess. You see that when a family goes out to the mountain they do it to have quality time together, paintball does it too but more so for the males and not the women. If there was some way to bring more women into the sport i definitely think you would see a huge popularity increase... just my two cents..
I think the lessons are a great idea and they dont need to be 1 on 1 you dont even need a pro to teach. Once you made a curiculum a well rouded player can teach. 2 you dont have enough fields? well make it happen a small area with a couple of bunkers made of anything would work, for example i learn how to snap behind a fridge. 3 Basics means basic you can even teach the diference between a low end marker and a high end. I think is realy easy to do and kids would love it why because they wont be intimidated anymore and they will strive to get better and get new gear to achieve higher competition levels.
As of what to teach safety(marker,gogles,rules)and basic movements in any field, i think that would do it. Anyone can keep ading to what to teach.
Maybe first lesson is really cheap or free with a rental and optional? includes safety instruction and how to operate/clean/fill the guns etc. Calling it lesson 1 is sort of a way to jump start the program and also takes the intimidation factor out of being a noob. Presenting it in a way where you are 'teaching' and offering help will go a long way compared to a rules speech at 8am.
Actual lessons you could do like groups of 3-5 and have the instructor stand back like 20 feet and command the game/know the field, all while keeping an eye out and giving basic tips
Advanced lessons would be solo and more expensive, but could give a one on one perspective to it. If you could get a kid into a basic skill set of snapping, communicating and movement they would be alot more comfortable to continue on with things
-Safety first
-Basic gun handleing and maintenance
-Teamwork and communication/listening
-Basic movement/gun skill (just help out as you see obvious mistakes)
-Solo lessons to push the player a little bit more and round off basic skills
Another key to this would be that, in say.. the 4 weeks max you have the kids, you start to fit them in with the regulars and help them make friends on the field.
Yes its a slight short term revenue but, the long term goal here is creating a new customer that wants to come every week and sharpen their skills
Thats exactly what we did at our resort. Thank you for reminding me. I mean, if you want people to be your customer, shouldn't you entice them with a good intro price!
__________________
Online Parent Paintball and Lessons Guide - Paintball's Family Home
