Good Sportsmanship and you!

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Poor sportsmanship is one of the biggest problems on the paintball field today.  But being the happier, more positive person I try to be I'd rather not focus too much on being a poor sport, but rather how to conduct youself with honor and integrity on the paintball field.

Your attitude begins with you.

Getting yourself in the correct mindset about what you are about to do is perhaps the largest part of keeping a good attitude on the field. 

First, ask yourself why you started playing paintball in the first place.  Do you remember the first time you went out?  Good, now remember why you were there.  To have fun.  You saw a sport/hobby that looked cool and exciting...and you were right.  Do you still see the sport that way?  If not then...well...we'll get into that in a bit.

This sport/hobby is fun so long as you keep it that way.  Sure we all want to improve, but at what cost?  In this sport, as in other's I've been in, too many times I see people getting caught up in their competitive nature to be the best and take it too far...so far in fact that the sport becomes a chore and they go to play not for fun, but to prove to everyone they are the best.  There is no problem for them so long as they are the best every time out.  However, as every pro paintball player will tell you sooner or later you will run across someone who is better than you are.  Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next week...but one day that will happen to you.  Then what  happens is the player starts WORKING harder to be better than the guy that beat him and the chore becomes a job, an obsession...and it stops being fun.

When this happens the attitude changes...it becomes colder, meaner, more cut throat...and in some cases, the person will resort to cheating or bending the rules to improve his game.  Maybe he'll wipe, maybe he'll add a ton of bounce to his e-trigger (bounce allows much higher ROF and is usually outlawed, or at least limited, at most fields since it makes the marker fire as though it is almost fully automatic), or maybe it is adding extra padding under his clothes.  Whatever it is the player is now more obsessed with winning than having fun. 

Sooner or later he will burn out because of the pressure and the sport will loose another player. What's worse, is that this player will infect other new players around him and they too will go down the same road he has.  Some more quickly, others will take longer, but the problem will spread...has spread.

Now, I'm sure that most of you have delt with rude, mean, and downright cruel players on your fields.  I'm sure some of you have met cheaters.  In the end, these people are the black mark on our sport no matter what they may think.  When most people talk about how good or bad a field is one of the things they mention is the ratio of cheaters that are there.

So to combat this the first thing you need to do is remind yourself, sometimes more than once per day, that this is just a game and you are out here to have fun.  But in the end don't wipe, don't cheat, and at the end of the day be sure to congratulate those players on the other side that made great moves or shots on you.  But above all else...have fun. 

Tips on good sportsmanship.

Okay, so now you've got the attitude of "I'm here to have fun." in  your head it is time to move on to how to conduct yourself on the field.  Yes, you in the back!?  You say that you don't cheat and what else is there to being a good sport?  Great question!

Playing by the rules is always a start. Taking that a step further is doing what you know is right.  I see a lot of "experianced" players set a bad example by doing things like pulling their masks off on the field.  I shouldn't have to tell anyone here how big of a no-no that is.  The problem isn't so much that his mask is off...he wants to go blind that's his problem...but rather what then injury may do to paintball, the field, and most importantly to other players.  See, a newer player sees a guy do this and they, not really knowing just how bad this is, thinks it is okay to do it too.  This is how you get guys that stand up in the middle of firefight after they've been hit throw up their mask as they start saying dead man.  It's the social idea that "If he does it, I can do it.  If he wipes, I can wipe.  If he wears a bunch of padding, I can wear a bunch of padding."  (As a side note, there have been discussions about this in some Tourney pages that in order to be competitive in tournament play you have to use tactics that most would consider cheating in order to level the playing field since "well they're going to do it and if they do it I'm going to loose.  Since I don't want to loose I'll do it too and then things are even again." )

Beyond this however there is even more you can do. 

• The compliment.  When you're playing and another player either makes a great shot or a great move against you, congratulate him or her.  Why be sore about getting out by a great play?  That opponent deserves to have their moved recognized and if it is recognized by his "target" chances are you're going to be viewed as a very good sport.  Also, you will probably find this contagious and you'll be on the receiving end of these compliments in the near future.  You'll find that playing in a game where both sides recognize the great plays of the other that the games will have a friendlier feel and wind up being even more fun because you don't have as many sore loosers to contined with.
  
  
• Neutral Player. Sometimes there will be arguments on the field.  Normally these are to be resolved by the refs but let's face it, a ref is not always going to be around since there is so much going on around the field anyway.  In times like these step up and declare yourself a neutral.  Walk up and try to aliviate the problem.  Now a little bit of tact here is important as one of these guys may be your teammate while the other is going to be your opponent.  The idea here isn't to call one person wrong and the other right but to settle the argument and get the game back on.  For example, if one of the players was out of bounds and didn't know it and shot the other player out so now they are both calling themselves out you could offer to resolve it by bringing the out of bounds player into the playing field somewhere that he could have gotten to pretty easily without going Out of Bounds and tell the "elminated" player to wipe off the hit and get back where he was when the hit occured and let them start all over again.  Now note, you're not a ref so the parties may look at you like you are insane and not want you to interfere.  This is fine.  Remember you are here trying to resolve conflict, not add to it.  Walk away and find a ref to settle the argument and go back to your game.  However, you'll find that if you make a fair call that most players are willing to listen to reason and take your suggestion.
  
  
• Surrenders and taking the hit.  If you get the drop on someone, give them the opportunity to surrender. Mind you sometimes you yourself may get lit up doing this but such is the price you may pay.  You'll learn how to sneak up on someone and be in a possition not to get lit up when asking for the surrender as you gain experiance.  Just as important is taking the hit when someone sneaks up on  you and asks you to surrender.  While yes, you can shoot the bugger he DID give you the opportunity to avoid the welt so shouldn't you respect that, put on your barrel cover, and walk off the field?  Remember to congratulate him on his move too!
  
  
• Shake it off.  This is perhaps the hardest thing to do on the field.  There will come a time when you will want to argue a ref's decision.  Don't. If he let you plead your case and still ruled a certain way, go with it.  Discuss in private later why he ruled the way he did and why you may have a problem with it.  Remember, keep it civil and calm.  A player with a cool attitude, a cool head, and an even temper will have a much better chance of things going in his favor than one who screams and yells.  Just remember that some days things will go your way and on others they just won't.  If you feel yourself getting angry over a situation, your best bet is to walk away...even if it means taking yourself out of the game.  There will be other games and other days...just remind yourself, this is a game, you're here to have fun, and getting angry at someone or something won't make things any better...but rather just help to ruin your day of fun. 
  
  
• Smile.  Yes, smile.  Smiles are like the common cold, they are contagious.  Your smile, your laugh and your good attitude will inspire those around you.  It's hard to be a jerk to someone who is smiling and laughing.  Even if they get in your face about something calmly awknowledge their anger, smile, appologize or explain (whichever the case may be) and then try to give something positive back to the situation.  Maybe crack a joke or relay a funny story that is similar to the one the upset player is talking about.  It won't always work, but at worst if pulled off correctly the other player will just walk away and drop the subject.  At best, your upbeat attitude will reflect just how much of a jerk he's being and help him realize he needs to lighten up too and the whole situation will be defused.  Think back to the last time you had a really good time on the field and I'm sure you can think of someone that was like this.  Chances are some of the things they did is what made your day so good.
  
  
• Appologize.  If you mess up, appologize.  If you make a mistake and you really should be out...take yourself out.  Stepping up and doing the right thing when your wrong takes a lot of courage...and builds a lot of respect.  Just as negative attitudes and cheating breed negative attitudes and cheaters so too will positive attitudes and fair play cause others to behave the same way. 
  
  
• Helping others. If you see new players having problems, be it with equipment or play, lend them a hand.  Don't be bossy or rude about it but rather introdue yourself and ask them if htey want some help.  If on the field, give them encouragment and try to show them how to play. Some new players have pride that doesn't really open them up for assistance but do your best and don't worry about them if they ask you "Politely" or otherwise to back off.  You offered and at least they know that if they do decided they want help that can come to you.

Have fun.

I cannot stress this enough.  Having fun is the best way of maintaining a good attitude.  Remember, you're out here paying for this and if you're not having a good time, then why are you out there?  A good attitude and having a good time will rub off on those around you and you'll find yourself having even more fun and being invited to even more paintball functions because you are a "cool" player to be around and you always "have fun" and make the game "more enjoyable" when you play.  To me, those are the highest compliments I can be paid in this sport.  Yea, it's nice for someone to say how good of a player you are abilities wise...but to say that you're fun to have around during a game and you make the game even better to play...well...that's a WHOLE lot more important in my book. 

Good luck and remember, it is all about having fun!

- Robotech

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