Why so many youngins?

[Mr.Shiney]

I recently had the opportunity to play with two persons both under 16. Yes both of their fathers had been on the field with them.

At no time did I feel unsafe or nervous with them on the field.

Both of them showed and excellent effort to keep up to the old farts. I was surprized and amazed how well the handled themselves. They obviously had been taught, and understood normal safe handling.

I would definitely take the field with the "Wonder Twins" again.

[Snipetek]

Janus, I couldn't have said it better myself. It all comes down to liability.

[Dusk]

Is it just me? am i the only one to question some of these stories? i dunno man.

it seems to me that some of the stories posted on here are just to make you look more "mature" to the older age verified guys here, but by doing that your making yourself look less mature to people who spot a false story when they see it. (i can see your fake stories through the back of my hand kiddo's, beware!)

ANYWAYS on-topic: as long as the kids arent being asshats and take the game seriously safety and gameplay wise i have no issue at all. some of the younger guys i've seen are actually more honorable when it comes to hits and such just because they have something to prove to the older guys. some of them though......man.

it should be treated as a come and go basis. kids play right? let em play. if they dont? dont let em play, its not too hard really, and you can usually tell whats gunna happen game 1.

and legally-wise about the store: you're more likely to be charged or blammed for not offering a customer service rather than selling to a parent who then gives it to thier kids. BESIDES the warning/safety labels on most guns boxes or manuals cause any injury not on a field to be at ones own fault. It would be smart however to have a Liability waiver for your field (the one i play at does) that saves the field owner from being blamed/charged/sued if someone gets injured. this way players who play on the field are aware of any risks or injuries that might happen.

just my two-piece take it as you will.

[pestobanana]

Almost every trigger happy dumbass I've seen has either been underage, or broke their gun with a lipo before they could piss me off.

One time my gun was down and I was approaching the firefight with a rubber knife out, my underage teammate freaks out, turns around and gives me a good full auto to the face.

I'm not saying all underage kids are bad, I'm saying there is a much higher proportion of dumbasses that are underage.

[SuperCriollo]

Never had a really bad experience with under aged players. However I've found that really young ones (- 15yo) are as comabat effective as a sack of potatoes...

[Thematthan]

Maybe there should be some kind of test sort of like the hunters saftey course so that kids would learn to be more responsible with airsoft guns

[redzaku]

Originally Posted by Thematthan

Maybe there should be some kind of test sort of like the hunters saftey course so that kids would learn to be more responsible with airsoft guns

why the necropost?

[Danke]

Well because spring break is coming up and he wants an airsoft gun to play with.

[R.I.T.Z]

christmas, march break, summer break.

[ThunderCactus]

Originally Posted by Thematthan

Maybe there should be some kind of test sort of like the hunters saftey course so that kids would learn to be more responsible with airsoft guns

There's cuddy's commandos in winnipeg
They do an EXCELLENT job of keeping everyone safe.
They have safety briefings prior to every game, all the veterans are very helpful and always willing to coach new people, and if you've been around a little bit and show that you're a dumbass they're very quick to throw you out.
Great bunch of people to go play with whether you're over 18 or not

[Bracketman]

Didn't read through all of the posts.. but this actually sounds like a GOOD thing.

Typically, the mainstream media only reports how teenagers hate weapons and have turned into polite little sheep (via the nanny state), but this is actually encouraging -- especially when parents are helping them get into firearm related activities.

[Hectic]

Originally Posted by ThunderCactus

There's cuddy's commandos in winnipeg
They do an EXCELLENT job of keeping everyone safe.
They have safety briefings prior to every game, all the veterans are very helpful and always willing to coach new people, and if you've been around a little bit and show that you're a dumbass they're very quick to throw you out.
Great bunch of people to go play with whether you're over 18 or not

A place in Hamilton called warsoftnation is going to be doing a daycamp type thing this summer for the underaged crowd. Basically getting psrents to sign waivers and leave their kids for the day with a group of adult "instructors" where they will be taught the safety and respect in handling guns (airsoft) and id imaging other skills as far as skirmishing is concerned and eventually leadimg up to skimishing and such (i cant say i thought it was a good idea at first but in hindsight the sooner they learn "the right way" the more likely they are to be responsible with airsoft and the more likely they are to try and discourage their friends form being dumbases as well. And just think by the time they are old enough to play with the "big boys" they will alrdy have a cpl years under their belts and will be heter players because of it.

[TurlteRaph]

Being a father of a 13 year old son who loves Call of Duty and other FPS games, kids need guidance, not rejection. For the long term growth of the sport, we should mentor them and teach the right way of owning firearms. We should give them a place to play and they will stop playing in the neighbourhood. By getting them to play in games with adults, they are going to learn the proper way of handing the guns. They are less likely to do stupid things with them.

I understand that most of us don't want to be babysitters as we want to play the game and be involved. But someone needs to sacrifice and teach them. We shouldn't be almighty about rejecting them. When we reject the kids, the kids are just going to use the gun to shoot his friends in an uncontrolled environment. There is no way treat future customers. We should allow limited kids to attend the games. If we are the mature adults that we claimed we are, kids will learn alot from interacting with us.

I am glad to see that my local field's minimum age is 13, and I would love to bring him when he visits me next.

[ThunderCactus]

Originally Posted by TurlteRaph

Being a father of a 13 year old son who loves Call of Duty and other FPS games, kids need guidance, not rejection.

EXACTLY!
If they don't play with us, they won't learn from us.
And if they can't play with us, they're just going to play elsewhere.
I figure you can't stop them from playing, they might as well do it in a controlled environment!

[Danke]

Originally Posted by TurlteRaph

Being a father of a 13 year old son who loves Call of Duty and other FPS games, kids need guidance, not rejection. For the long term growth of the sport, we should mentor them and teach the right way of owning firearms. We should give them a place to play and they will stop playing in the neighbourhood. By getting them to play in games with adults, they are going to learn the proper way of handing the guns. They are less likely to do stupid things with them.

I understand that most of us don't want to be babysitters as we want to play the game and be involved. But someone needs to sacrifice and teach them. We shouldn't be almighty about rejecting them. When we reject the kids, the kids are just going to use the gun to shoot his friends in an uncontrolled environment. There is no way treat future customers. We should allow limited kids to attend the games. If we are the mature adults that we claimed we are, kids will learn alot from interacting with us.

I am glad to see that my local field's minimum age is 13, and I would love to bring him when he visits me next.

You've never been to a game then where someone has driven their 13 year olds up and dropped them off for the day with a group of strangers they don't know.

Imagine being in a game with hot no holds barred AEGs and all of a sudden a little kid with a clear FAMAS and crossman glasses pops out from behind a tree firing at you, and then produces a couple buddies with springer pistols and scuba masks "because we heard about this on the internet".

You'll find that most groups are more than happy when a trusted player's son joins the group under his care and control. You'll also find games organized by mature players for under age players only so there is no mixing.

Unfortunately what you'll find most often is younger kids who are leveraging "10 years of birthday and Xmas presents" to get an AEG with parents who have no clue what airsoft is and no interest in activly supervising the little darling as he plays guns. That 99% is what's not welcome and no "children are our future" speeches will change that.