Recruiting problems

[Professor Fate]

Do y'all think that I would be allowed to set up flyers at my High School to get a team together around here. And if I am allowed, do you think that it would be a good idea? I know there are people around here that want to play but I am having trouble finding them. Any Ideas?

[Sgt. Horvath]

i dont personally have anything against it, but i bet if your staff knew what airsoft was they would say no... just because of the whole school/guns thing

[sfrHawkins]

well legally you arent allowed setting up flyers unless you have the school's permission. If you just go posting...i think you'd get in a fair amount of trouble, but i highly doubt they will let you set up flyers due to airsoft.

[Chaos008]

Personally I think it'd be a bad idea. Everyone walking by, chances are you'll get a few "OOOHHHHH GUNS!! AND I GET TO SHOOT PEOPLE!!" immature little punks. And for a real team, you are better off working with friends anyhow, people you know. A team takes a lot of work if you want to be more that the typical "We're the elite airsoft Navy Seals Delta detatchment Tango 6 9er, highly trained in all forms of combat."

Just ask a few of your friends, do it in person, get a feel for the individual. Advertising about shooting people could possibly draw in the wrong crowds... immature kids, kids that should have sought help a long time ago... you get the point. Word of mouth, may be slow, but can be a more wise choice.

[ASM]

Don't dillute the community with speedballin patinballers who like the idea of furing full-auto

[MaGgot]

I think it isn't a bad idea. After all, they can't just join. You have to try them to see who you want. Recruit the people who aren’t necessarily G.I., but want to be serious about the sport, with potential and all they need is to be polished, AND can take/give orders without acting immature. Those who act like retards which the other dude was describing, you don’t.

[Deviant]

The best way to approach a "flyer" is to make it appealing without giving away what you are presenting. Dont just come out and say "AIRSOFT IS A COOL GAME WITH WEAPONS THAT LOOK REAL AND YOU CAN FIRE FULL AUTO AND ITS REAL COOL!!" :rolleyes:

Pose appealing questions like..."Tired of sitting in front of the PC playing MILSIM games wishing you were part of the action? Tired of watching cool Armed Forces commercial but dont want to join? Want to try combining them both where YOU are a part of the action? Then contact (YOUR NAME) and get introduced to fun, growing, interactive, MILSIM experiece."

Something along these lines will draw a specific crowd. By appealing to peoples interest and sense of curosity, you are bound to draw a larger crowd. Fron there you will either turn them on or off to the sport but either way, you will have a group to work with. Sometimes being direct isnt the way to go.

Not to mention that you are posting in a public school and do not want to draw alot of attention to the use of guns/etc. This way, those interested will have to contact you on THEIR time and you can set up meetings AFTER SCHOOL so there are no conflcts.:cool: ;)

Its a good idea to start with your friends that you KNOW and can TRUST with playing and playing safely and sportsmanlike. Then you can branch...believe it or not....word of mouth is the best growth agent to this type of gaming. Good luck.

[Night_Stalker]

Honestly, I don't think it's a good idea. I also don't think the school will allow it anyway. Guns+School=not happening.

[bigpepper23]

Just pop the question to your friends. "Do you play airsoft?" If they so no, explain it to them, stuff like that, get them intrested in the game. Who knows, they might be great team material that just hasnt been exposed yet.

[Legend]

In 6th grade, about 4 years ago, I told a 5th grader about airsoft, b/c he glanced at my jungletoy catalog, and wanted to borrow it. He must have showed it to his friend because, the next week someone was showing him an HFC Glock17 in the restroom, no ****... he was suspended for the rest of the year, and had to go to court I think. And airsoft probably could have gotten banned in Mississippi. I think even saying gun in school is bad news, so don't get it banned here in OHio.

My thoughts on this matter

[Code3 From Co.C]

Ya I agree. Educators now-a-days like to keep schools as sterile as possible. I am quite certain that there are many teachers who won't give a crap. However, it is those few teachers who like to raise a stink about everything that you have to be careful around. It is much easier keeping with people you trust or who won't make a big deal about it.

[Professor Fate]

(line from Meet the Parents)
"You said 'bomb' on an airplane"
n e way my friends and I have discussed it and we're just going to keep talking to our friends like you said. Thanks

[notabob]

"n" and "e" are letters and are not words. try to use propper grammar when posting, especially when it is just as convenient as using bad grammar. (just helping you out locutus ;) )

[Night_Stalker]

Originally posted by notabob
"n" and "e" are letters and are not words. try to use propper grammar when posting, especially when it is just as convenient as using bad grammar. (just helping you out locutus ;) )
I agree. Come on people, use correct grammar!

[Spook]

(This is a copy of my post on the MAAPR board from March 19, 2004. I have since submitted it with modifications as an article for 6mm magazine.)

I have spoken to a lot of guys in various places who have been trying to get local players together to form teams and have games. When I started Recon Team PA here in Western PA, I didn't know anyone. I was traveling once a month to WV to play with the Ohio Valley Mountain Brigade. I'm still a proud member of OVMB, still makin' that trip (he says starin' at his CQB gear for this Sunday). In a nutshell, here is how I built RTPA into TRAP, a forty plus member group which plays every weekend in Western PA.

1. I made up posters and put 'em on local supermarket bulletin boards

2. I went to local sporting goods stores where they sell the products of evil (oops, I mean the goo-balls of brightly colored slime) and put up posters. Also...GUN STORES AND GUN SHOWS! I did some of my most effective recruiting at a local gun show.

3. MOST IMPORTANT: I went to every Airsoft board I could find and posted under the Looking for Players/Teams section. I still go back every 2-3 weeks and do a recruiting sweep.

4. I go to PB fields or call them and ask if they know any Airsofters. Sometimes, Airsofters will go to PB fields lookin' for a place to play and the owner or manager will remember them. If you should go to a PB field for that reason, leave your info with the management!

5. MOST IMPORTANT #2: Avoid bad publicity. Don't be wavin' your brand new AK-47 in the front yard and yellin' Allah Akbar at the top of your lungs. Don't be shootin' the neighbor's cat or dog or birds or squirrels. Don't be carryin' the $20 springer you got off the Net in the waistband of your sweatpants tucked up under your hoodie emulatin' the punk-*** hoodlums in the hood. These things are one sure way to ruin the game for all of us.

6. MOST IMPORTANT #3: If at all possible, get some parents involved in the games. Get Dad or Grandpa or even Mom (Anita, I luv ya babe!) behind you, EVEN IF THEY DON'T PLAY. When people see adults involved, they rest a little easier, especially if the adults are people they have known for years.

7. Paintball magazines...yup, that's what I said. Why? Simple, they tell you where the PLAYERS and FIELDS are. Properly perused, a PB magazine does a lot of the legwork for you.

8. Emphasize the good points of Airsoft:
a) no goo
b) realistic guns (not markers)
c) BB cost vs PB cost
d) no sissy uniforms, REAL ones

9. When dealing with PBers, be polite. Don't put them down. Let them handle your weapon if they ask to see. Some guys just love PB and they will never convert and that is the way it is for them. Accept that and move on. You might win a dual sport player.

10. Educate yourself in the things of Airsoft. That way when you get asked a question, you can answer it knowledgably. If ya don't know, don't BS. Just give them a website that you DO know has the answer and leave it at that.

Good hunting.

Spook

[Kendodude]

That was an excellent post Spook! I am currently trying to find players and groups in my area and get people intrested and get them off the street (I got a few of 5 people out of 20 to come with me, it's a start) and come up to the mountains! I searched over and over. asking kids at school personally, trying to get PBers even though they hate me as much as i hate them but would like to make them like airsoft.

It's hard trying to get PBers to come with you because they keep saying "Ah I'll go as long as i can bring my PB GUN!". I'm like... "No..."
And he says "Bah airsoft sucks anyhow! I Beat your airsoft gun!" And I said "I HAD A FREAKING SPAS-12 YOU MINDLESS SACK OF SH*T! IT"S PUMP! YOU WHINED TO GO AGAINST ME!!!" and he said "Airsoft's weak anyway!"
And thus I gave up. Arrogant PBers. Got some intrested, but wanted to have the "pain". ever felt 400FPS bb hit your face (goggles) at 40ft away? it still hurts. not as much as PB CUZ YOU WEAR A MASK! but it hurts. getting hit in the thigh in PB is a b**** though.

And little freshman kids who think they could be a sniper and pick off tons of people and buy a freaking super 9... damn it all.... It'd be hard for them to comprend the power of a AEG.

Good thing I already know alot about airsoft for questions.

But when you find the right people for the job. it's a great feeling. I already got 2 airsoft groups coming to our day long game. and possibly more. you just have to try and be nice to them Paintballers.

wel... not the rich jocks who think they be bad *** with a springer in their underwear. Or them Azns who say i'd snipe yo azz ni**az (I get this alot... the fools)

PLEASE DON"T START GOING OFF ABOUT A PB vs AIRSOFT SUBJECT! THAT WAS NOT THE POINT!!!

[ASM]

man, paintball is the shiznit and will kick the hell outta airsoft anyday. you are all wusses who can't take a pb hit.


Sorry, I had to do it:D

[Spook]

Airsoft Master, your comments were written obviously by someone who doesn't know the substantial differences between the two games. Other than the fact that they involve projectile shooting there really are no serious similarities.

Paintball is about throwing as much paint at a target as possible. Airsoft is about military realism. There are SOME MILSIM paintballers, but they seem to be few and far between. I don't have a problem with paintball. If that is your personal thing, by all means go for it.

The object of my post was for people to learn effective recruiting techniques to bring people into Airsoft, not to debate which game is better. They both have their merits to their adherents.

Bottom line: Either contribute to the subject or stay off the thread.

Thanks,
Spook

[notabob]

spook, i think he was kidding, though i may be wrong...

[ASM]

He's right Spook, just kidding (I don't like paintball myself.) Sorry if it offended you.

[Spook]

Wipes egg from face. No problem. :D Ya got me on that one.

Spook

[CoOk!3 6()|)]

Originally posted by airsoftmaster
He's right Spook, just kidding (I don't like paintball myself.) Sorry if it offended you.

Well, I don't believe you were joking! I think you were being serious! :rolleyes:

With a name like AirsoftMaster, I never would have guessed you were an Airsoft fan. :D

[ASM]

You know, I hate my handle, it makes me sound like an egomaniac. I think I came up with it when I was a 13-yr-old wannabe gangster who actually did think that carrying a springer in my waist was cool. There isn't a way to change your username, is there?

[ASM]

Oh yeah, and Cookie, that signature is way too damn long :D

[Deviant]

AWESOME MOVIE Cook...but nevertheless long, yes.

Airsoftmaster, talk to Locutus about switching your nmae over. He can do it for you....drop him a PM or catch him on AIM.

Just because a screenmae is related to Airsoft doesnt mean that the player actually supports Airsoft 100%. Doesnt mean that the person even plays! Ever heard of the old saying "When in Rome do as the Romans."? Same here....on an Airsoft board, make an Airsoft name.

Curiosity is a STRONG driving force and I know for a fact that MANY avid PBallers are frequent on this board and chat on Airsoft related topics. Nowhere is a law written that a player has to not play PBall because they Airsoft. "By their fruits you will know them" and if a person makes comments, you can judge it as you see it. I dont blame Spook for being defensive. He loves this sport and I think he presented his wording in a kind respectful manner. If more Airsofters would do so instead of flamming because someone said something they didnt like, this board would actually be a good resource as it once used to be.

There is a lesson to be learned here though. This board, due to all the useless posts, flamming, and all around disrespect has led each post to be heavily scrutinized because, IMO, you cant tell ***** from shinola anyone. Intenstions, when posted on black and white are obvious at times, HOWEVER, trying to add emotions to posts is impossible.

[CoOk!3 6()|)]

Word Deviant... have you met my friend sarcasm over here? he's awesome!

[Sgt. Horvath]

Originally posted by CoOk!3 6()|)
Word Deviant... have you met my friend sarcasm over here? he's awesome!

:eek: if this "sarcasm" so so cool, you should have him sign up on the fourms

[Deviant]

1. athwart - adv. opposition to the expected or right.

2. sarcasm - n. insulting or mocking statement or remark.

3. disrespect - v. lack of respect

4. AO - pn. athwarted discussion board full of sarcasm and disrespect.


As you can see the 4 go hand in hand. :D Whatever happened to respect and the willingness to understand someones perspective before reverting to definitions 2 & 3? :confused: We have exchanged resource, communication, discussion, and aid for laziness, disorganization, repitition, and wastefulness. God help us when the next generations of spoiled brats get into Airsoft......they will expect someone to fire their guns for them in the field.:(

(The last sentence was a brilliant use definitions 1-4) :D