Recrutement drive on campus
 

Hey guys,

Since the year I've been involved, I've always wanted to host an information séance about airsoft at my cegep (kinda like university for you non-Quebec folks). Now, I've weighed the pros and the cons of this activity, and would like to have your opinion on the subject. If the community is against such an action, I'll forget it.

The rules for this thread:
1. Please be polite and remember that I'm asking for your opinion. If you really don't think it is a good idea, explain yourself politetly, please.
2. Vote damn it!

Cegep Édouard-Montpetit

The cegep holds about 6500 students, with about 4000 inside at any given time. Minors represent 20% of the population, give or take 5%. I have the actual numbers at my desk, but I'm home right now.

Student's union should not be a problem (they usually are against any military/para-military-ish looking things) as I am involved with them (I'm technically a vice-president because of my title, but I'm really the accountant). There should be no student protest, hell, most of the people I know (and I know a lot of people at that school) would be interested to visit.

The administration shouldn't be a problem, as I actually managed to convince them to host a game inside the school (during the night) but I decided against because the the costs involved.

The séance itself would be held in a private room, probably a large class or auditorium away from the main arteries of the school to avoid having too many random onlookers. The event would be publicized, but there would be no guns in said publicity. Guns would be displayed but kept under a certain guard during the event.

I'm asking this as I've been asked a couple of times now if it were possible to start an airsoft student club, and I've noticed more and more people talking about it. I'm known as an "active" (okay, I try and go to the Action Commando games as often as I can, but it's been a few months, so I'm more of a chairsofter per se) player and suprisingly many people have asked me about the sport.

All in all, I'm sure that we'd find plenty of good people ready to get involved if they knew this sport existed, but I'm wondering, do we really want the exposure this would bring to the sport.

That is what I'd like to discuss. Is it wise to go public like this, or is word of mouth a safer, though less effective, method?

Further more, I'd like to hear from local players, anyone willing to help if I decide on going forward with this?

Let me know!

One on One
 

Tough question....

Airsoft on campus might fly now, but you have to look downstream a little and try to imagine what the backlash would be from your administration staff if there was an "incedent" (use your imagination). They might blow away all your hard work with a simple vote.

I think bringing people into the sport is always good. Even as an experiment, a public recruiting drive might be interesting.

In some ways having to spend a few hundred dollars (few thousand?!?!?) to get started in this sport is a bit of a qualifier in itself. You need a basic level of commitment to make that investment. Then, as the addiction...*achem*..commitment grows, the player develops.

Real "recruiting" happens on the feild, during play, when the person feels the rush and likes it enough to keep playing. Usually one on one with their "sponsor"..

Jeeze...this is starting to sound like AA!

I vote YES, but tentatively based on the approach, and what exectly is said at the info-session..

a "cattle call" style information session prolly would not be in the best interests of the sport. I subscribe to the school of thought that the best way to get quality players into airsoft is word of mouth. Most people on course with me now know that I play airsoft - but unless I think they would be a standup individual within the community I tend to not make it sound very interesting... Seems to work.

Cudos for wanting to get more people around you involved though.

Since I've already drove a car in the college (and not through it :wink: ), spilled 5 tons of shreaded paper as an april fools gag (with the help of the security guards of all people) and once kidnapped a director as a student carnival strike (okay, more like willingly ducktapped), and never having heard a peep would give me cause to pause and ask myself if they would even flinch even if I strolled around the college with what apears to be automatic weapons.

Then I'd remember that they've entrusted me with about half a milion dollars to administrate annually for the student union, that there are an insane amount of staff members that owe me personnal favors and that I'm on a first name basis with the senior staff.

These people know me. And they know that I run a tight show. I ran (and still help a lot) the weekly drinking binges held on every thursday in the student café, and I have an almost spotless report with no arrests and only one ambulance call in a year. That is nearly unheared of locally.

The point is, I know I can get this thing off the ground without a problem, but should I?

I've though about it, I'd probably settle for one of our audithoriums. Agora style seating for about 80, with a lot of space at the bottom. I'd run a 10-15 minute slideshow on a loop as people who saw the video would come down and chat. I'd like no more than 100ish people attending to insure that I can talk to most and give out the correct info.

This is not me talking behind a table in the cafeteria while the students come up, glance at the table and leave. I really want to take the time to educate people properly.

Must... infect... more... faster... :rolleyes:

Thanks for the cudos. If this gets shot down, I'll probably host a monthly "invite-only" info night at my college, but in a more discreet manner.

I just think the local scene here could use 50 new faces, if they are serious enough.

I voted No because I don't see what would be good we would have in return.

We would gain more players but that is not always a good thing.

Airsoft is known mostly by mouth to mouth and from "a guys who have a friend that play". It's the best thing to stay underground and develop in a somewhat controled fashion.

On the other hand, Im not totally against the idea. But in the cégep... Might not be the best place to seek new players or support.

well as black throne said this could have a mojar back lash. more then i am sure u want to have. i like the idea but i am sure there are going to be in the crowd that think u r some army reject and could that u are trying to get ppl to join a anti-government movement. not good. plus there are going to be soccer moms walking around as they are going back to school and hear about this and go now that is someting i should get banned in que or canada. so i think that u should be really careful on what u should say.

i voted no cause there is no 50/50 vote plus cause i can see the good and the uber bad in this idea.

Well, I kinda like the idea, but I don't want to fuck up, so I'll submit to the community's will as promissed if I get shot down.

However, holding "invite-only" evening meetings inside the school (so I get to rent just about any class or room for free. sue me :lol: ) might be my backup plan. Interested Fox? ;)

I might be interested to help you on this if you plan is well built and if you get the OK from the comunity.

IMO, this cession should be 18+ only.

I voted no, I wouldent like the sudden flow of new players posting on this site and such, or guys just buying airsoft guns because the guns look cool so they could show it off to friends.

ill tell you what. I would like them buying all the used but unwanted sig552's laying around ehehe clear out the buy'n'sell.

I am a university student and the only problem that I see is the high cost of starting Airsoft and the small bank accounts of most university students. Unless you can find a place that has a lot of rental AEG's you could have a problem with people starting and staying. I also agree with the other people that word of mouth would be the best way to go about it at first. See how many Airsoft players are already at the school.

I'll post a final rebuttal, then I'll let the numbers decide. Please continue to post comments, we've had a lot of good points brought up.

1. The administration will ok this. Trust me. I'm on the proverbial board of directors of the college. You wouldn't believe half the crap I've managed to pull off so far.
2. Soccer moms et al will not witness the event. It would be located in a discreet venue, in a time slot of less than two hours.
3. I'd be tempted to allow minors in, simply because most of them would be 17, going on 18 in a mere few months. But then again, I don't care much for them either.
4. This would be on the larger scale, true, but not mass-market. Like I said, max 100 participants, but the more I think about it, the more I'd be confortable with 30-40.
5. As for the sudden flow of potential idiots, I plan on giving them a good primer, so the more obvious questions will have been taken care off before hand. Though I can't guarantee they'll all behave on ASC, of course.

I leave it in your hands now. If you are opposed to the idea though, and your reasons haven't been brought up in the thread, please post a brief something, will you? :wink:

that is another problem we have locally. With the fall of the SATT, I'm not sure what is available locally as rentals. I'd be willing to find financing or even finance myself a small rental fleet, but I'd rather not since I'm not technical savvy enough yet to maintain abused AEGs.

The larger the player base gets the more likely you get cheaters. If you have lots of cheaters you will have a harder time weeding them out.

I dont think the sport of airsoft needs to 'explode' on to the scene or what have you.

Look at paintball.
Do you REALLY want a bunch of cheating 12 yearolds running around ruining what was once a great sport?

Word of mouth is always better as you can direct the 'word' to the people YOU know would handle the sport maturely and responsably, with a recruitment drive EVERYONE would now be aware of the game including the 50% you,we, airsoft DOESNT want.

I don't think a public announcement would really server your purpose well, but making an effort starting a word of mouth campaign could pay off. If you have facilities to host meetings, show and tell (and age verification on the spot), you could probably get a good number of interesting players.

Advertising publically is more likely to net you CS style players, although at least at a college you're dealing with an older group. I still voted yes, because realistically players who cheat and don't get along with the community, usually find themselves on the outside looking in, but it can still be a real headache.

If you focus on the milsim, tactical, and competition aspects, rather than just that guns look cool, you'll also get different types of players...

Hey man, well i'm all for getting new airsofter in the scene, but......guns in a "school". All it takes is one person who doesn't know whats going on to see a gun and think there is another collumbine going down. But then again I don't know what your plan is for the advertising so i guess if it is done right one could avoid those "persons" from getting all upity. Soooo, if you have all your angles covered i'd say go for it, but if there are things your unshure of keep it on the downlow and start small. Good luck with whatever you decide to do

I vote yes.

I'll leave the poll open 'till the end of the week and will propose something else if this fails.

Keep on voting!

its interesting how alot of people feel that airsoft should be an "underground sport" and that the general public should not be aware of it. personaly i feel the opposit. i feel that the more people who know about it the better, one when incedents do happen and the media blows shit all out of praportion less people will get all worked up. also i couldent hurt to have more players. word of mouth is good but in all honousty how many new players come along every year. nationwide many a couple hundred. also i think that a recruiting drive or public information setion would not be a bad idea. obviously make sure the admins and all the people from you school know what is going on dont just show up one day and walk around campus. the faculty might not care but the cops would be there verry quickly. also i wouldent walk around to much with my guns set a booth up. i vote a verry cautious yes. if done properly it could be a verry good thing. if not a swat team is iminent. and not the airsoft kind

Before the cops show up, the security has to call them up. Before they call them up, and it's a matter of student unrest, they usually come to me. If they see that I'm in charge of what ever unrest there is, they usually hang around for a minute or two, we have a good laugh and then they leave.

However, if a student calls the cops directly, I know that it can lead to trouble. And the end of the last semester, I had to deal with eight squad cars and two squads of anti-riot police because an idiot called the police saying there was a riot during the semester's last party. The riot was actually my security staff escorting a rather coked up and unrully "anarchist" (I won't even go into that debate) outside of school property, and a bunch of his friends took offence. Thing is, he broke another student's leg (my aformentionned only ambulance call in a year), so he had to be taken down with some force, unfortunatly. Meh, he wasn't even bleeding.

Point is, I know full well the potential problems, and I'm even considering inviting the local police to have a look.

From the law standpoint, I don't see any problems.

This could take place in a sealed room with all the windows filled with random posters, and the doors locked after everyone is in.

The more I think about it, the more the idea apeal to me.
On let's say 100 people attending, maybe 30 would come to an introductory game and on that number, maybe 10 people would buy gear.

The intro speach could be the informative and theoric part, than a "noob day" could be done somewhere.

[shameless plug] At Zone27 we have a couple rentals and a big ass field avelaible[/shameless plug] :wink:

Now that I'll remember!

Locking the doors would probably be against fire regulations. At least locking them so people from the inside can't get out would be.

I really don't know about that. I'm on York at the moment, and there are a few 'softers in the school from what i've heard. I've talked to a few of my very good friends about the sport, what it's about, the community, etc. Most of my friends are very much like myself: left-wing, pro peace, pro love and kisses, but at the same time, some of us see the merit in having a good old fashioned fun time. Airsoft, its team-building atmosphere, and tactical action is really something that a lot of my friends are interested in getting into.

I'm down for the private meeting amongst individuals of high character, but let's not turn away others because they're simply "left wing" or "pro love"

left wing doesn't necessarily equate to anti-airsoft or anti-gun, we just stand for the responsible use and acquisition of said items.

my vote is yes in respect to the private invitation-only information session.

No, but the "left" you see in higher places of learning is usually some obscure hallucination of a political view lost in some heavy drug use.

However, the left is usually against such sports as ours, but I'm aware of exceptions such as you, though I can't really tell if or how much left-wing you are.

Yeah, whatever happenned to that UofT indoor range?

If I remember correctly, a person or persons in a supervisory position "borrowed" a weapon from the range and took it home, not with any malicious intent, but just being a complete and utter moron.

ive vote no, i don't think it's gonna be payful, airsoft need a kind of "innitiation" to understand, feel and live with the rule. That's not paintball, honnor is something you can get with work. That work is the searching on internet, the discution, been the only noob in the group, etc.
Its like a shop work, when there is only one noob, he will learn fast and good, thy he will be kicked out, but if you take 20 noob, then a new mentality will be developped, witch can or cannot be good, i mean by that that there is an inconscious work out there that affect the action, the interaction, the need of rule, etc.
Airsoft is to me something with an innitiation, and that's is done one by one or at least a little group(1 to 3). And not at this cegep, one of the biggest of the Quebec.
most of the people out there that will want to see this will be 17 anyway.

for people that dont understand pretty well what cegep is, its a school between college and university, it have been created to prepare the educationnal system of the Québec in the mid 60 for the baby boomers
this school is useless and should be removed, seem we are too dumb to do it then.
so PAAAYYYYYY!!!!!!

Ain't *that* the truth.

I think we just need to get a few more lefties in who know how to have some fun, as opposed to just bashing the left as a whole. It's good to see that at least *SOMEONE* knows the difference between a pussy and a socially-sound way of thought.

Well, I never said the it was a good idea, but... :mrgreen:

I voted No. I just think having lots of players isnt a big deal. I like the people I play with now. We are not in trouble as a community, and we dont NEED people or we will fade away.

We need more players, but I don't think things like that are the right idea. People should be recruited individually, and they should be people the recruiter knows well and can trust to be mature enough. Even some people over 20 will do something immature, such as shooting squirrels out of his window or something dumb like that... even though most people at the university may be mature, there are always some bad ones that will take an interest in the guns and the game, but still do something stupid.

Just my 2 cents, I didn't vote.

Nate

I may be in the wrong place trying to voice my opinion but... I personally feel that the Airsoft sport should be kept as low profile as possible. Many of my friends purchased those CT springers and 'they' do stupid things with them (I just sit back and laugh). To be totally honest, even at age 18 people there are many who are not mature enough to handle themselves. I vote No. We need more players but we need more mature players until Airsoft is legalized in canada. Once it is legal... by all means invite the idiots as they provide target practice :D

That is exacly why this "meeting" would be good. Teach the values and the way of thinking of the comunity even before they have held a weapon in their hands. Than, those theories get consolidated in the "noob day" camp.
After that, they can purchase their gear knowing exacly in what they are embarking.

Preaching by example is the best thing we can do for the new commers. And yes, airsoft could use new players. Hand picket, sorted and purified new players. That meeting would be phase 1 of the endoctrinement process.
(I know this last sentence sound weird :wink: )

most of the people on ASC came across airsoft by searching for somthing else or from a friend. that is the best way to bring new players in to airsoft. if we bring in a huge number of players at once there are going to bring in bad apples that can bring more bad press and i am sure we dont need more bad press. cause if one gets got being a dumb ass then he tells where he heard of this then it gets to surebet then it comes back to ASC then we are all scewed.

by the time they get guns, the "oh shit look! they have uber cools gunz!" phase will be passed and they will be well versed in the art of staying low profile.

Anyway, on 100 people we may meet, less than 10 will actually buy guns.

Je suis contre Ã* 100%. Le airsoft n'a pas besoin de publicité. Le airsoft doit être en mesure d'absorber les nouveaux. En petite quantité c'est Ã* dire un ou deux Ã* la fois ça va mais pas en grosse quantité. Le airsoft n'est pas un sport commercial et ce n'est surtout pas donner Ã* tous de le pratiquer.

Il y a quelques mois, un certain Vortex Ã* passer une annonce Ã* Musique Plus pour une game qu'il voulait organiser. Est-ce que je dois te dire que la réaction de la commauté fut très dure Ã* son endroit et que pour X raison la game fut annulée.

Le airsoft ça se fait connaître par le bouche Ã* oreille en prenant bien soins de cibler les personnes Ã* qui on en parle.

Où penses-tu que les gens vont acheter leur AEG? Nous avons déjÃ* assez de problème Ã* faire rentrer nos produits sans trop éveiller l'attention des douaniers alors pourquoi courir après le trouble. Où vas-tu dire Ã* tes petits copains qu'ils vont pouvoir pratiquer ce sport?

En passant Surebet, je viens de voir la date de ton inscription sur ASC. Tu dis jouer depuis 1 an. Je connais beaucoup de joueurs au Québec mais Ã* date, je ne pense pas t'avoir déjÃ* rencontré? Poser cette question comme tu le fais en ce moment me démontre que tu n'a rien compris de ce qu'est le airsoft. À moins que je me trompe, tu ne dois pas avoir une très grande expérience dans le airsoft alors comment pourrais-tu en parler ou encore comment pourrais-tu expliquer Ã* quelqu'un ce qu'est vraiment le airsoft?

VoilÃ* c'est mon avis....

Mon vote est non!

No, forget you ever had that idea in Quebec. The reason dates back several years and involves the QPP. Too long to write about, and I'm old enough to remember the consequences.

Go to games and meet folks that way. Just dont make a presentation in a school/college unless you want to meet the police.

I voted no, sorry to shoot the idea down but I would rather see the sport grown the way it is then have it full of cheating 12 year olds with mommys hard earned money plunked into a hopped up AEG. my two cents.:(

i say no, jus because i only tell ppl about n bring them in the sport because i believe them to be resonsible.

Thats is a retarded comment.


Graylock, I'd like to know more about the QPP. If you ever feel like talking about the old time :wink:

I'm gonna have to say no. If it ain't broke don't fix it. As things are right now, the people coming into the sport are more or less filtered. The last thing we need is a big publicity bonanza and some idiot with too much money in his wallet thinking it would be cool to run around campus with a beretta.

I would say go for it. If you wish to start up a Club and have permission from the school to, go right ahead. A long while back the University of Calgary had an airsoft club (UCAC) and thats basically how airsoft in Calgary got started. It has since disbanded due to members graduating but they planted the seed for the rest of us.
As long as you've got full permission and the drive to run and lead things I would heartily approve of your recruitment drive.

As for keeping Airsoft "Underground" I think everyone needs to get over that. There is no reason for us to be all hush hush anymore.

HAHA! o god,, so true, lol!

I agree in principal with this comment, and with the information session. I'm a new player, and would consider myself left in my views. A lot of my friends sort of raised an eye brow when I mentioned I had purchased fully auto gun clones that shot BB's for mass cash, until they shot them and had fun. I think the most common question everyone I've talked to has is: Is this legal? I wonder if police would care to attend or make their comment at such a meeting as you've suggested. We aren't subversive, perhaps legitimizing this sport in the eyes of the authorities and general public will cement its future and distinguish the responsible clubs from the dolts that buy dime store glocks and tuck them in their pants and stroll down malls trying to impress thier low-life cohorts.

Shot down! Lock the thread please, I'll try something else at another time.

Thanks for all your replies!

I always see this as the reason why idea's like this crop up from time to time like the public has an obligation to be exposed to our sport/community. Sorry - Joe Public isn't welcome in my kitchen, and certainly not in my community.

It's bullshit - we do nothing/very little to try and ensure we KEEP the existing players around - it's always this whining that we need more players. No - we don't. We need to keep the existing one's keen with being a part of things, and wanting to hang around instead of populating the buy and sell - something that seems to be getting the most traffic in the sport. Fancy that?

...and a I said, since the idea has been turned down by the community, it won't happen. I thought this had been locked... oh well! :wink:

No need to lock it, it hasn't turned into a flame fest.

And while the community doesn't wish Airsoft 101 to be taught at your campus, I don't see why you can't have a club. Many universities have shooting clubs, and if you ran it like that there shouldn't be a problem. Low key and not in peoples faces.

I have a few thoughts on this matter and I voted yes.

From what I have read from everyones reponses that have said no. You guys have pretty much said that you don't want irresponsible people to handle airsoft guns or even participate in this activity. Also, some people refered that if "airsoft" wasn't underground and was common like paintball you would get alot of 12 year olds running around just like paintballers.

I personally feel that if you set certain expectations about airsoft. Only the responsible and interested ones will participate in airsoft. The reason why I said this is because if you set the expectations that any dishonest or irresponsible person that comes out to an event will not be tolerated and will probably not ever be invited back. If they are irresponsible they will probably not drop 1g on an aeg and equipment to come out and act like a dink then not be invited back. Yes, someone may buy an aeg then go act like an outside of the airsoft community, however this action doesnt reflect on the airsoft community just on the fact that if you give an irresponsible person the power to injure or seriously harm someone it will probably happen. That is why so many people die from drunk drivers, however you dont see everyone banned from driving an automobile.
I think we should educate people about airsoft, set the expectations high and accept no less and let them decide whether or not it is for them. I think an info session would be great to do this.

JordanR, I have to agree with you. I am new to the site and sport. But I can see parrallels with the real steel community too. Yes, you have filter out trouble makers in the hopes of avoiding potential issues. But ppl do need to keep an open mind about attracting new players. If someone wants to be a prick and do something stupid, they will. No forum or banning will help that. You can't police everybody.

That said, I do believe there's a better place than a CEGEP to hold these events. I like the idea of information sessions, but schools are usually jumpy with anything to do with guns.

My 2 cents.

Monty

I voted yes
because I enjoy new people and I dont assume that everyone out there is trouble.

I say go for it


and it would give me more people to shoot....always a shortage of those.