Underage Paintball
As much as I love paintball, I'm still not sure at what age I'm going to introduce it to my son. Since he's still just learning to walk, I have some time, but sometimes I wonder what the proper age is. Paintball is a very safe sport, but it requires a certain level of maturity and responsibility - probably more than a typical six-year old has. Most professional fields have a minimum age to play of 10 or 12 years, though some fields require you to be 18 to play. I think that the 10-year age limit is good, though 18 seems to be excessive.
As I've spent time at fields, I have seen many young teenagers that don't always demonstrate a sufficient maturity to play paintball, but at the same time I've seen some pretty dumb adults, too. On the other hand, I've know some 8-year olds who I would definitely trust with a paintball gun. I guess that determining an appropriate age at which to introduce the sport just depends on the individual and the level of parental involvement. I would feel comfortable playing with a 10-year old but I wouldn't let a group of them play by themselves.
The hard part about deciding an acceptable time to introduce kids to the sport is that most kids want a set age to look forward to. Just like a driver's license, some kids are ready at 16 and some are not but they all can get their license. Somehow I will just have to figure out for my own family what that magical paintball age is. For each family, though, it just might be different.
Comments
I know exactly what you mean, it is a very difficult question. My daughter is now 8 yrs old and loves the idea of playing paintball, I say ‘loves the idea’ as she has never actually played.
I organise paintball games in the UK and I let her spectate with goggles on from a safe distance with a supervising grandparent, they were also behind the netting so were perfectly safe. I’d told her to keep her goggles on ‘no matter what’ but was dissapointed to find out after the game that she had spotted a paintball on the ground and lifted her goggles in order to pick it up. That to me says that she is too young to play just yet. I will keep testing her without her actually knowing it is a test until such a time as she can prove she’s old enough to act in a reasonable manner i.e. keep the goggles on!
I do plan on starting her training soon so she can get lots of practice for when she hopefully takes to the field for real, but that will be on a closed field with just us two there.
I work on a paintball field too and our minimum age is 11, but I have seen 14yr olds that can barely carry the marker let alone shoot it and 16yr olds that I wouldn’t trust to breathe without prompting. I think the idea of an age restriction is therefore only useful as a guide and responsible site owners/operators should make an informed decision on the competency of each player individually.
Take Lee’s advice as read. I’ve played with him and he is a good & knowledgeable guy.
Here in the UK the age for paintball is realy governed by the insurance of a site. I believe that I have read in a UK magazine of a site that has a dedicated youngsters team below the normal age of play. But they are obvously regulars and play at their level.
A thing to aid the matter is the use of the chin strap. I struggle with it myself sometimes if I use it – but that could be the same as safety jars – adults struggle and kids open with ease!
My nephew (14 if I’m thinking right) has been playing for a fair bit and has appeared at 4 big games (Flashpoint & NvS for the last 2 years) I have no worries with him. He only lifted his goggle once but that was when approaching the gun port / exit and a marshall shouted ‘hopper off’ as he approached the gun port which is a site rule, so the marshall treated it as a quiet mention and a part apology as opposed to the site policy of a shouted telling off on first offence.
It is a matter of the individual there are many adults who do not have the common sense to keep their mask on, and I have seen numerous arguments back from such idiots.
Ya, it really depends on the maturity level of each child. I have a son who is 13 who’s been playing since he was 11. I have another who’s turning 10 soon who I think would do great on the field but because he plays around too much and can’t control his urges to horseplay–I will not allow him to. The sad thing though, is that there are even adults who play around too much and think their silly, immature ways are funny–I think they ruin the sport. It’s all fun and games until someone ends up seriously hurt. Those kind of guys don’t belong out on the field.