[taffy]

Given some of the age related posts here (and rather than let that thread go off at a tangent..) I'm curious to find out what others think of the "yoof is the future" question.

Please feel free to post your reason('s) once you've voted. Please keep it polite and avoid "am so because" type statements.

[Warrior]

Yes they are the future not only of airsoft but the world. So when I hear a number of whinges "but I am under 18 why can't I.............." my personal opinion is, well you have to wait to do other things legally so have a bit of maturity and realise that you can't do everything when you want.

Yes I have played alongside, in the past (Kipper to name but one) and indeed have within a Team I play in, an under 18 but they were all before the VCRA came into force and we had more restrictions put on us, things change, boundaries move, we as adults (over 18's) have to abide by rule/law changes so why should under 18's be any different. Also the use of pyro by under 18's is also a concern to me (before you decide to flame me please read my last paragraph).

I play at a number of sites and I have to say that some of the under 18's act and play with a lot more maturity than some of the 'adult players', this includes hit taking, general conduct and pyro use. That said there have to be limits and restrictions, it's life, get over it and stay legal.

[Scooby]

Yes. Well eventually, when they're grown up ;) .

I'd agree with the general thrust of Warriors comments as having 10 year olds running about on the skirmish field is something I'd view with extreme concern, not to mention distaste.

That said, I would add that parents introducing older children to the game to encourage their interest when they're mature enough to play sensibly would seem to be a no-brainer requirement if you're going to have airsoft in the future.

18 may be the legal minimum to be able to purchase a RIF, just as it is for alcohol but, despite the best efforts of the The Chief Medical Officer, this doesn't prevent children being introduced to alcohol under the supervision of a responsible adult. I would suggest that a similar attitude for budding airsoft players is wise as, just like alcohol, education is everything. Despite the hype, the overwhelming majority of children with parents who are prepared to invest time in their children as they grow up don't turn out to become drink fuelled anti-social gits hanging around on street corners looking for a can of Kestrel extra strength and a fight.

Age is a legal factor, attitude is a personal one. I'd rather play with those who play correctly, sensibly and fairly regardless of their age.

[Prophet]

Ive got Ive got no problem with minors, some of them are very well behaved, others are little bellends, its the same with adults.

That being said i believe there should be age restrictions with airsoft. I do however have a problem with being told 'AM TEH FUTURE OF AIRSOFT !!!!!' No you arent, my site will get along just fine without you . . .

'WE'RE NOT ALL CHAVS AND HOODIES !!!!!!' Yes you are, get over it ;)

[Beaker]

Yes, children are the future - But as with most things it's a case of when they reach the appropraite age and not before.

For example, children are the future of car sales/driving lessons etc but they still have to wait til they reach that magic age before being able to drive. It doesn't mean that we have to allow children to partake in this activity prior to this.

[Panoptes]

Beaker, on 29 December 2009 - 03:02 PM, said:

...children are the future of car sales/driving lessons etc but they still have to wait til they reach that magic age before being able to drive.

Nail. Head.

[Terminal Boy]

No, they're not the future of airsoft in my opinion. For the record, I'm in my mid 40s and have been skirmishing for a decade on and off.

While I skirmished alongside a number of very able and sportsman like under 18 skirmishers, they probably account for less than 5% of active (regular) skirmishers and hence airsofting will not end or stagnate just because they have to wait until 18 to buy a RIF.

There's enough over 18s coming into airsofting to keep it going and the only people who lose out are people who don't have the patience to wait or retailers that make a mint flogging two-tones to under 18.

[The Reptile House]

During my time I've seen many a yoof 'grow out' of airsoft, like they grow out of something like skateboarding. Drinking happens, love interests happen, university happens etc.

I'd say the future are twenty and thirty somethings with disposable income, who may already have children. Convert them and they will stay with it.

[Angel]

I don't think kids are the future either. Anyone with fingers and eyes can play airsoft within reason, regardless of age or physical ability.

Since the arrival of cheap chinese clones i have noticed an increase in young 'groups' who are from the same school, or cadet unit arriving en-mass. Thats not to say the stick with it, or attend regularly, just that its much more common to see larger groups than it was pre-chinaclones.

[Smoke]

In my personal opinion.... No.

This "future of airsoft" argument is thrown around fairly often with regards to various arguments or discussions. The comparison with driving has already been made, and fits perfectly.

In addition, and this is entirely based on personal experience, (I fully accept I haven't visited every site, or met every under 18 skirmisher...) I have formed the view that they are less likely to take their hit (especially a single shot at range). Which is irritating at best.

In general they seek to join in the banter and atmosphere - but expect to be treated differently when it's directed back towards them, and are prone to throwing their toys out of their pram.

If I'm looking at it from a 100% selfish perspective, I enjoy skirmishing because it gets me away from kids, and into an adult environment where I can relax. But then, that's what this is all about isn't it?

I have absolutely no problem with under 18's skirmishing.... I'd just rather they did it somewhere else :P

Of course I fully appreciate that there are plenty of under 18's that play by the rules, and probably very well indeed, and that my opinion is probably based on getting old and irritable :P

The only thing worse than a group of kids messing about... is when it's a group of adults.

This post has been edited by Smoke: 29 December 2009 - 17:01

[The Reptile House]

Smoke, on 29 December 2009 - 03:55 PM, said:

I enjoy skirmishing because it gets me away from kids, and into an adult environment where I can relax.:P

I'm glad someone said it :)

[Capa]

This has all got a lot of people's opinions flowing which is good.

My nephew (17 years old) has been begging to come for a skirmish for two years now and i said when your older, when your older etc

Funny thing is he has now what i call transported away from the kid and is now actually a young adult (like my self 22 years old).

I think there is a point when you can look at a young person and you can decide upon if there going to get what we get out of

airsoft and i truly think if he came along to a game now he would really enjoy it and really put some tactical approach into the game

and mainly be responsible, a year ago he would of been like "wow i got a gun in my hand lets look down the barrel"

He did buy a two tone gun,,,,,,,,, and i did laugh,,,,,,, and it did BREAK.

I would say if we all knew one person like this then obviously they are some what the future of airsoft

because we all die eventually which mean younger people will still be alive.

But with all this out the way i do prefer playing on sites with an over 18 group because its more realistic and better game play

and when your spending anywhere between £25 for a day or £125 for an event whats more important ?!

[demoncase]

Are young folk the 'future' of airsoft?.... Yes: When they reach 18....Before then: No.

There's more to this than 'under 18s being the future of airsoft'....How many U18s can afford to buy a new AEG or GBB every month?- Less than 5% maybe? And that's without the VCRA in the way: making it 0%.

The future of airsoft relies on regular injections of cash from the players into the sites, retailers and manufacturers....
Like it or not, Adults are more able to do this.
Like it or not, as such, Adults remain the 'future' of airsoft (assuming nothing changes!)

Look, rather, at the console games industry: all the 'big' titles of the last few years have been OVER 18 titles?
Why?
Because the Over 18 demographic has more disposable income and can drop £30+ on a game with more frequency and ease from their higher disposable income than the 'kiddies'...Same applies to airsoft...

For every under 18 'new starter' to the hobby, how many are still playing 3 years later?... At my local site I've seen plenty of fresh-faced lads and lassess appear for a couple of games, then never to be seen again- while us 'old lags' plod on ;)...Really, when you're in your teens then there's LOTS of other pressures and things going on that take your time up....Real, life, things that airsoft takes a big backseat for when your limited disposable income has to be directed to driving lessons etc.....

Fundamentally, though: the Future of UK Airsoft has very little to do with the general drift of the players but historically has been more effected by outside forces: The VCRA and the explosion of cheap, skirmishable, Chinese AEGs for example have had more effect on the UK airsofting scene than anything than we, the players, have....

[Capa]

"How many U18s can afford to buy a new AEG or GBB every month?"

you would be very surprised about the amount of money these kids have

they all got ipods, iphones ,blackberry's ,xbox'x ,ps3 etc etc

airsoft guns are not that expensive in comparison ,,,ORC PCU LV5 on the other hand

[SixtyNiner]

Beaker, on 29 December 2009 - 03:02 PM, said:

Yes, children are the future - But as with most things it's a case of when they reach the appropraite age and not before…

QFT

I think special days for younger players is a good idea, and I'm happy to see younger players accompanied by a RESPONSIBLE guardian at a regular site day.
But groups of school-age kids, with two-tone IFs, who are dropped off at a site and not watched over by someone is a bad, bad idea. It's an airsoft site, not a creche.

[Cracking Day]

Rightio the simple maths

There are 60 million people in the UK

30 Million adults between 18 and 65 yrs of age.

The other 30 million are made up of Children (U18) and OAP's (Over 65)

Now, if we pick a sport like football, most people start at school, develop their skills and progress, by the time they are 35, professionally you've had it but could play on until 50 lets say in some form or another, I am sure there are older people playing but they would be in the minority.

The thing is Airsoft isn't so much as sport as a hobby. It doesn't matter what age you start as it's not so much about fitness or skill but the will to take part.

Now, lets say that there are maybe 30,000 people playing the sport/hobby of airsoft, that means there are NEARLY 30 Million ADULTS between the age of 18 and 65 who have yet to even try it!

A massive un-tapped resource of wage earning people yet to even hear what Airsoft even is!

To say Children are the future of the hobby is just daft, my business keeps growing, who are the new people coming in? yea, one of the 30 million adults who can afford to pay for it!

I'm not saying that Children should not be able to play, their money is as good as anyones but to say my business relies on new children coming is is stupid, this is a hobby not cubs or cadets or some youth football team.

Pubs seem to do alright..............................

[Butler]

Like Cracking Day says.

There are a VAST number of WAGE earning over 18s that have not been tapped into in the airsoft world.

I remember going to a Business Fair where a Airsoft Site pitched up and promoted their Corporate days to all the CEO's and MD's of companies far and wide across the region. The interest in Airsoft was MASSIVE.... With the company promoting "Skirmish" and "Training Days"....

All the gear on display and RIF's for the public to drool over had their stand the most visited, the most popular AND walked away with over 300 business contacts made..... ALL ADULTS.

Would the industry rather have a 15 year old (depending on parents wallet) who has a very restricted budget and limit on where he can play (due to travel and not having car etc etc)

Or

Have a adult who has a disposable income and spends money on RIF's, Gear, Games, Pyro, Ammo, and all the other snizzal that the industry needs to sell to survive.


Of course, kids will want to play.... We get to dress up in gucchi combat gear and look the sh!t while kicking in doors and storming rooms..... But if they really really want to do it.... they will wait. They are the future..... When they grow up and can spend the money on the industry....


Airsoft I feel has grown to a point now where the internal promotion has almost expanded to its limit. Word of mouth and adverts work but there is still a HUGE population of people out there with serious $$$ that once seeing the "Hobby" just fall over themselves in enthusiasm. Airsoft will not die out like paintball has.... Airsoft is constantly evolving with new equipment, looks, sites, etc etc etc etc. So there is something out there to suit everyone.....

Site now just need to but more ingenuity and thought into how to market their business.

This post has been edited by Butler: 29 December 2009 - 23:10

[druid]

future of airsoft ? yes when there 18 , as has all ready been stated in one way or another when there "legal" to vote and drink then they can shoot me , untill then sorry giys (and girls)but i don"t think you should be allowed to own or handle RIF"S . my opinion ;(wich a wise man once stated "is like an asshole" every one has one!) :P

[Armourpiercing]

I started toying with airsoft guns when i was 14/15 & skirmished for the first time just before i was 16.
It stuck with me, not the other way around - i'm hitting 29 next year & i'm still mad on it.

I would not have known about it if it were not for the parents of other children who gave them bb guns (airsoft type - but then just known as bb gun).

I wasn't allowed any type of toy gun AT ALL as a child, hence why i'm probably as pshcotic about airsoft now as i am horror movies... same rule there too.

I liked pogs - that didn't stick.
I liked Video games - didn't stick much after the PS2 phase ended.

Airsoft stuck & stayed & have worked at numerous sites & retailers in some form.

My stepson wanted to try it when we first met - he was 13, pretty tall, bulky & so got along fine, now he's sixteen coming on 17, 6'4" a built like a tank & has played numerous sites with me & had his first day at The Mall a few weeks back.


No cheating, team spirited, took tips from me that i showed him elsewhere & showed others techniques he has tried & tested for himself.

Played better than me in fact... <_<

He wears McKenzie gear, hooded tops & want's a little car with blue wanker lights on it too - but that doesn't change his personality, who he is as a person & what he's about.


Kids are the future of this sport, because we're getting older (physically not mentally).

We ALL get judged by the fucking cry baby "there's war out there & your playing soldiers" tossers for what w do & we know in's un-justified victimisation.
If we were all such bad, violent people surely we'd turn our guns on those who critic our hobby/passion/passtimes?

We don't like being tarred with that brush so why should be tar those persons younger than us who show the same interests when a lot of us started as kids...

Once kids turn 16/17 they start on about getting a car, driving like twats, listening to hip-hop, drinking down the park, mugging old ladies, stabbing their youth workers & having 30 kids - but not all of them - remember that personality has a huge impact, if you convince them they're shit - they just may end up like that.
Teach...
AP.

This post has been edited by Armourpiercing: 31 December 2009 - 16:25

[Beaker]

Armourpiercing, on 31 December 2009 - 03:19 PM, said:

Once kids turn 16/17 they start on about getting a car,

But for the majority they wait until they are old enough to enjoy it legally........just like they should with Airsoft :)

Just because someone is mature for their age doesn't mean they should be allowed to partake in activities beyond their age.

It's not a slur on all under 18's and I'm not tarring them with a particular brush.