Mentorship of New Players

[Jayne Finch]

figured id put it up here. im doing a noob day

http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthr...48#post1041648

[m102404]

Here's two events that are open to anyone. Read links for details...post with any questions.

CQB - Aug 31st

CQB - Sept 27th

[SINN]

the LZ is also hosting a welcome to airsoft day too...the end of august i believe...its in the ontario game section.

[deep in the bush]

Originally Posted by chronic

Steve, way to go.
I am a noob. I need help. Generally, most people on ASC have been very helpful, most people in person have also been very nice.

However, I had to learn things the hard way and I spent alot of money on crap.

This is a great idea. It may not be for everyone, experienced or otherwise.

If I can help man...just ask ok?

I think it'd be great if people learned the way we did back in the "pre-internet days". Go to a fucking game, observe, learn, repeat.

[13Fido13]

Originally Posted by MadMorbius

Go to a fucking game, observe, learn, repeat.

It's all well and good pair guys up. But it all falls on the noob to want to learn. They need to have the restraint to take the time and learn and understand what's going on in the sport. We can beat this horse till it's a bloody pulp, it falls on the individual.

One of the biggest problems with people is that they are afraid to be yelled at and made fun of. Which we all know was fairly common on ASC.

Go out to games, learn, and take it easy. There's plenty of time in life to take it easy for the first few games.

Just my 2 cents.

[Brian McIlmoyle]

Originally Posted by MadMorbius

I think it'd be great if people learned the way we did back in the "pre-internet days". Go to a fucking game, observe, learn, repeat.

The players coming up don't know of a "pre internet age" I have e-mail accounts older than some players.... ( for that matter I have socks older than some players )

making personal connections... face to face is pretty much a lost art.

This community exists much more virtually than physically.

It is now very possible for someone to show up at a game fully kitted , gun purchased gear purchased .... having never met another person.

The issues are not so much that the players have changed .. they have.. but that the community has not changed to adapt to the extant social and material conditions.

[chronic]

Originally Posted by 13Fido13

One of the biggest problems with people is that they are afraid to be yelled at and made fun of. Which we all know was fairly common on ASC.

I think you have it backwards.

Not everyone is from the same background and will have thick skin and take jokes the same way.

Now here is my rant.

I am new to the community and I have met some very nice people.

However, there seems to be a culture of "asslike behavior" that a few ASC members have. And they probably think its cool. But its not. Try it off the forum, face to face with a stranger and see what happens. Try it in your place of work and see what happens.. Try it when ordering food at a resturant and see what happens..

It doesn't hurt to be a nice guy, and despite what you may think, its not cool to be a dick especially to someone you have never met.

Being an ass isnt cool, it just means you are an ass.

...end of rant.


Steve, I apologize for hijacking the thread. I already have PMs in my inbox with someone offering to be my mentor. You have started a good thing..

I agree with the mentor tag on the user profile. I also think the mentor should get a rating though... similar to trader rating. No sense being a mentor if you are going to be a dick to people and turn them away from the game.

The community hasn't changed; It's ceased to be. We've facilitated that through tolerance of assholes and a "live and let live" attitude towards the spoonfed internet generation.

The internet killed the community as we knew it. If we want it back, we need to make a conscious effort to make it happen.

There is no need to "grow the sport". There's no need to "keep airsoft alive". It was alive and well before the current crop of kids came along.

Mentoring is fine. The first thing to do if you're going to mentor someone is to BAN THEM FROM ASC. Force them to come out and learn.

Originally Posted by chronic

However, there seems to be a culture of "asslike behavior" that a few ASC members have. And they probably think its cool. But its not. Try it off the forum, face to face with a stranger and see what happens. Try it in your place of work and see what happens.. Try it when ordering food at a resturant and see what happens..

It doesn't hurt to be a nice guy, and despite what you may think, its not cool to be a dick especially to someone you have never met.

Being an ass isnt cool, it just means you are an ass.

...end of rant.

And that right there is the crux of the problem. I'll teach anyone anything they want to know. In person.

[Rock 'N' Roll Outlaw]

Well the problem is this kind of thing already happens. A new person who joins the community and shows the effort of trying to learn will gladly be shown the ropes. Its how everyone else is at the level they are at. Start going to games, make connections with people who will answer your questions and eventually you will find yourself a participating member of your community. Whether or not people wanna take the structured road of mentor/apprentice is up to those individuals but from what Ive seen, and done myself, this already happens just not in the structured sense for the mentor/apprenticeship "program" kinda thing. The only make or break for this to happen is the attitude of the new person. Show the proper attitude and you will quickly find yourself being the one giving new people advice. Show a piss poor attitude and you wont find yourself getting very far.