Sportsmanship, would this change anything?

[Cell]

I've been thinking alot lately about what it would take to bring me back to the field to play again and more often, and a common concept came to me.

Sportsmanship.

Now when I sit and think about it, its generally not even being offered a chance. I think 2 out of the last 20 tournaments I and my team have participated in have even had a trophy for sportsmanship.

Where I play and who I play for, we understand that the Sportsmanship award is the single most important award there is, and why is it not being promoted, or am I just not seeing it.

Well long story short, What would result of a tourny that gave a significantly better reward to the most sporting team?

Would it matter? Does the reward matter? Would teams play or act differently? Would it be disregarded? CAN it be disregarded? Can it make change? Do you want change?

Think about this, promote this, it WILL change games, it will change a tourny experience, Ive seen it. What have you seen?

[Zeroack]

I hope it matters. I know to some, especially the guyz I play with that it matters alot. Were older and not as fast, but were still pretty good. Were not gonna jump in someone's face if they decide to wipe or insult us as we or them walk off the field. We will always say "nice game" at the finish, regardless of the score. To me it matters a ton.

Zero

[pepple84]

i think it *should* matter, but after much experience it doesn't. i've seen teams wipe, cheat, and just plain ***** about games. (this coming from reffing experience) i got into this sport to have fun, and it seems that a lot of newer people have gotten into it to "win." i like the idea of a higher reward for sportsmanship but i don't see it being a high priority on most teams lists. if a nice proposal was given for a sportsmanship award, i'd definitely push it for my field.

[MedicDVG]

Sadly I fear that the sportsmanship you speak of is not found in the tournament scene of today. I to have seen the wiping, bonus balls, etc during tournament play, and sadly when the subject is broached it is now considered "part of the game." It is hard to defeat the attitude that if you don't cheat (or as it is sometimes called -- pushing the envelope) then you won't win; and the win is everything.

[TnDeathInc]

hell the dvds of the pros even emulate it, thats why i have went solely to rec and sceanrio play. Sportsmanship

[bryceeden]

Yes, it does help alot. In my tourneys that I run the reffs pick the best team sportsmanship wize. This team gets the biggest trophy of the event. Also most of my prizes are given as a door prize style drawing where everyone gets a ticket and I have a drawing for alot of cool stuff. Sportsmanship however gets some new Spyders. So:
First Place gets a big trophy
Second gets a slightly smaller trophy
Third gets a small trophy
Sportsmanship gets a really big trophy and new markers.
That encorages everyone to behave really well, the only winners who get free stuff for cash for winning are at the tourney I put on in the county fair and the ones who win the overall circuit.

People who have travelled to my tourneys and competed in others generally say mine are the most fun they've ever played in. My strict overshooting rules, good refs, and sportsmanship awards seem to enspire a tourney environment like no other.

[Mechanic79]

If anyone plays, they are responsible for sportsmanship. We must lead by example of playing fun/fair. We can't stop playing/influencing the sport because a few childish acts are being played out. It may be an uphill battle but one worth pursuing to maintain a balance in this sport.

Play hard, play responsible. People will tend to create their own persona, good or bad. It will ripple throughout the fields.

[xmagman]

I've been playing in tournaments for a few years now. I have seen some really bad examples of sportsmanship but I've also seen some really good ones. There are bad apples in every crowd.

[Maniac Mechanic]

SPPL woodsball tourneys , offer a sportsmanship award equal to the 1st place award (IIRC) . I've never been , but i've heard there are as many ref's as players

[Ninjeff]

The "winning is everything" attitude is what has killed it. And that attitude is promoted EVERY PLACE in the paintball industry.
Though this is a SPORT and not a game per se' the attitude has gotten out of hand.

I like to win. I feel bad when i DONT win. But not because the "winning is everything" mentality that is so abundant now a days. I just take losing as a reminder that there is ALWAYS a bigger fish. ALWAYS someone better, more you can learn, a way to shoot better, think faster, (not shoot faster and think better either) and generally improve my game. Hell, i DONT want to be the best...then what fun would it be? I dont want to be unstoppable....whats the point? I enjoy learning about the game, ways to get better. All losing is to me is a reminder that there is work to be done.

Winning is the reward for that work.

Above all though, when playing any sport, or in ANY of my life activities (motorcycle, paintball, video games, and music) ive learned the most rewarding thing is to see OTHER people rewarded for their hard work also.
I would rather be the guy at the field that makes people say "I want to play with that guy, i hear he is cool" than have them say "i hear that guy plays to win"

I did the tourney thing, i did the competitive circuit, and now, after getting back into paintball ive learned that all that stuff doesnt REALLY matter. I have nothing to prove. I just want to get better, but above all, i want other players to have fun. I want the new kids to feel like they really had a good time and learned something from me,maybe its a better snapshot, or a new tech tip, or just respect for the sport, and the old people to feel young again and remember what adrenalin feels like, the rush. I want the disallusioned vets to remember why we played in the first place. I want my enthusiam to be contagious.

Unfourtunately if you open any magazine, or watch any podcast, or any DVD and listen to any pro player you get nothing but how "dedicated" they are to paintball, but they show thier dedication but claiming that winning is the only thing, and that losing makes them feel like dirt. That if the didnt win thier particular match than they are "failures" and that paintball isnt fun for them if they arent winning all the time.
And hey, maybe to make it in the big bad world of pro paintball, this type of attitude is needed. Maybe thats why i have zero desire to compete anymore. But when thats the only voice you here as a young player i would imagine you begin to beleive that winning is everything, and that you arent worthy if your not dominating the opposing team absolutely. Perhaps that why tons of money is spent on gear, and over shooting occurs, and the whipes and yelling and bending of the rules. Maybe thats why people get so bent when things dont go their way. Its not, "hey man, that guy has a wicked snap shot....i should ask him for help" its "man, that dude had to have played on...i KNOW i hit him...he was shooting hot anyway, and the damned ref wasnt paying attention" etc etc.

Hey, i was that guy at one time. Thats why i left the game. It wasnt fun, it wasnt anything but work and stress. And after getting a bit older, and coming back to it years later i have learned that my enjoyment of the sport isnt derived from tourney domination, it comes from enjoying the FUN of it all. It comes from learning the best way to snap shoot from the crazy old man with the pump, or a better game plan from the seasoned vet. It comes from seeing new players with rentals take some weird strategy and blast the cocky teen with a $1000 paint flicker in the gogs because they thought outside the box.
It comes from knowing that i dont have to winwinwin at everything no matter the cost to prove im a good paintball player.

And strangely, ive noticed i'm now better than i ever was back then.

[MedicDVG]

Well said..

And I guess I stand corrected. If you gave out a sportsmanship prize that was equal or greater then the first place prize, I am sure that would at least get people thinking about being more honest.

But frankly, I think that sportsmanship is something that develops EVERY TIME YOU PLAY.. be it rec, outlaw, or professional tourney. We need more integrity from player, field owner, promoter, and pb manufacturer.

[bryceeden]

Well said..

And I guess I stand corrected. If you gave out a sportsmanship prize that was equal or greater then the first place prize, I am sure that would at least get people thinking about being more honest.

But frankly, I think that sportsmanship is something that develops EVERY TIME YOU PLAY.. be it rec, outlaw, or professional tourney. We need more integrity from player, field owner, promoter, and pb manufacturer.

This is true.

[Cell]

Im enjoying the feedback. I understand you cant just label a prize and decide thats what people will fight for, but it will make people think, as did this post.


But frankly, I think that sportsmanship is something that develops EVERY TIME YOU PLAY.. be it rec, outlaw, or professional tourney. We need more integrity from player, field owner, promoter, and pb manufacturer.

I agree, but I'd like to point out many of these areas (promoter, pb manufacturer, player) have more often then not, in the turny world, fallen to other aspects of the game other then sportsmanship.

To Ninjeff...

Very well said I agree with you but i also remember Enjoyign alot about turny ball that seems to be lost now.I just reallly would like to know what it would take to make Turny ball more fun again. Because I too have played all sorts of paintball, and I love working on my pop skills. That is not just practice to me, its teh whole sport of it, its fun and a rush, but I too loved playing Turnyball and Id love to enjoy it again.

[Ninjeff]

I see what you're going for now.
And to be honest, i dont know how to make regular tourneys more fun. What i DO know is that some of the most fun ive ever had (competitively) was playing VL200 style. meaning, you can use ANY gun you want, style, make, type etc.....the only catch is, you HAVE to use a VL200. No motorized hoppers allowed.

Just an idea.

A sportsmanship award is a good idea, and one i agree seems lost in the current scene.