Paintball versus Money

I hate this... I really hate this...I am blogging about this because today, I lost a good player to money. What do I mean by that? "Losing someone to money"... Money... the root of all evil... has cause many disastrous things to happen in our lives. People lost lives, lost families, lost friends...all because of MONEY.

How many paintballers have gone down this path?

- No money so I am unable to play in this tournament
- No money so I am unable to commit for the whole season
- No money so I am unable to play regularly
- No money so I cannot buy paintball gear and sponsored gears no matter how good the offer is
- No money so I am retiring from paintball

You have survived...you still eat, you still sleep, you still play paintball once in a while...

But really, this is pretty sad for paintball. Yes, no doubt, you will need to have dough when it comes to playing paintball but surely with some planning, things will not be that tough. We have all gone down that path knowing that money doesnt grow on trees and you will need to save up for the game, in fact for everything that you do and love. I have gone down the path of not being able to draw money from the ATM simply because there was too little credit left, I have gone down the path where my teammates told me that they are sitting out and not playing in the next tournament. But seriously it is something that you will have to manage and overcome. For a start, playing paintball is not really cheap but surely not expensive to the point where you have to give up completely for something you love.

A professor once told me, it will be so sad to hear from a child that his family is unable to see him through school because they have no money for the child's education. Well, in some ways, I compare this to paintball. From my previous line in education, I have times and times told this to many graduates that if money is a problem for them to further their studies, then it is not a problem.

The solution is simple. Save up, work for it. Giving up is so so loser...

I was once very close to scolding a teammate of mine for his non-committment to paintball when he told me that he doesnt have enough money for paintball. Well, to some extend, I feel for him. But on another hand, I was angry at him for not saving up when he jolly well know that we are going for tournament next month. But what can I do? People have different priorities and paintball is not everything.

But if its a committment, then see it through...plan for it. Dont commit and disrupt the plan when everyone know that they are competing next month. Its like the Boston Celtics saying that they can no longer play in the NBA because they have no money. You just got to find the dough! Its not an excuse, its not a reason, its simply a calling that you know you have to fulfil.

If you are in my shoes and I remarked "I dont have money for tournament or gear" Honestly, what do you expect me to do? Feel sorry? pay for you? help you? lend you money?

Believe me, when I first started playing paintball, I have been through all these... paying people to play in tournament. No way am I going to do that anymore, yes it was tough on my pocket. But its not substainable...

In conclusion: Save up and fulfil your committment. Simple.