The North Pole

The Art of Airsoft: Why Get into Airsoft?

2008-08-01T19:34:00.000-07:00

There are some friends of mine who have been requesting me to blog here my previous posts in FilAirsoft regarding the "art" of airsoft. To give in to their requests, I will write down my thoughts on this from time to time.

To start off...

I urge my fellow airsofters to think carefully about what they are getting themselves into. Most newbies are fascinated with the idea of reliving their childhood pastime of "baril-barilan." Others consider airsoft as a stress reliever. There's really nothing wrong with these reasons.

What's wrong is the way we play the game.

My recollections of "baril-barilan" were those of intense action pockmarked by verbal accusations of "ang daya mo!" (you cheated!) or "kanina ka pa nabaril" (you've already been hit), and the inevitable "ayawan na!" (game over!). And maybe a fistfight or two when arguments really heat up to a thousand degrees.

You see where I'm going with this? Our childish behavior then is very much excusable because we were children then. But bringing such childishness into airsoft now that we are adults is simply stupid.

I've come across some people who use airsoft to relieve their everyday stress -- by shooting other people. Well, okay, so airsoft is a game where we shoot people with these little plastic balls. Fine. However, such players like to dish out pain while playing.

The thing is, they see nothing wrong about hitting others with their strong guns at close range. They would even tell me, "Why not? They should also hit me at close range, I don't mind." Another common statement is, "If people don't like to feel pain, then they shouldn't play airsoft."

Hello? It's not about feeling pain. It's about giving pain.

Just like in any contact sport, there is an amount of pain to be expected. But there is a limit, and to cross that limit is to be indecent and unkind. In basketball, we call that "foul." In boxing we call that "hitting below the belt." And in airsoft we call that... umm... errh... Teka, what do we call this in airsoft?

One more thing about stress relief. I was shocked by the number of people who relieve their stress in airsoft by whining. They whine about supposed cheaters in the field, about the strong guns of other players, about the close-range hit they got, about the marshals, about the gamesite iteself. They go on whining and whining and whining...

My gosh, these people can whine longer than the Energizer bunny at full battery charge!

We really should reconsider why we got into airsoft. And to you who want to get into this sport, think again.

Because this is one expensive sport, and it will be a shame to "invest" your money and time and effort into something that you will not enjoy.

Just think about it.

Winds of Change

2008-07-06T01:57:00.000-07:00

2005 saw the advent of China airsoft guns... and the Filipino airsoft community was never the same again.

We have all heard that the world is ever changing. But is change always for the better?

I do not know. What I do know is that change is inevitable, and we need to prepare for the future by shaping the present. And one of the things that we have to do is to remind the younger generations of what it means to be an airsofter.

We show by example, not just by discussion. We practice what we preach.

Trust, honesty and integrity. These traits have been revered and honored since the dawn of history. These traits have been immortalized by the epics surrounding the Knights of the Round Table. These traits are the foundations of airsoft.

The world may be changing, but the essence of airsoft is a hard rock that stands the test of time.

I was told that people will never change. I say that people will always change - once they see a better way.

Do you think Filipino airsoft has a bright future ahead?

Airsoft a Violent Sport?

2008-07-03T04:58:00.000-07:00

Ever since I started playing airsoft, a lot of people have been asking me, "Isn't airsoft a violent sport?"

Well, considering that Manny Pacquiao just bashed Diaz's face last Sunday, I'd say airsoft is just one of those ornery, misunderstood sports.

I just don't get it. Here we got boxing, a sport where the Pacman was paid millions of dollars to pound his opponents until their mothers wouldn't recognize them... a sport where poor, ambitious kids are taught the basics of the science of hurting others... a sport where crowds cheer wildly at the sight of blood splattering all over the ring...

And they think airsoft is violent?

Don't you think there are other sports out there that are really violent?