Quote:
Originally Posted by lurkingknight
I've played with a lot of underaged players locally, mostly 15-17. I don't have a problem with any of them. They play hard and well with good sportsmanship and good conduct. There is an agreement with field owners that someone is responsible for the minor in some aspect, a ride home, a person who can contact the parents (if not the field owner themselves) and the parents are never too far away.
We had a kid... I think 14 get a tooth shot out. All the adults were calling no duff, sky is falling, etc... kid's only response was "I just want to go respawn" Even his parents weren't all that concerned when they were called. They showed up, they asked him if he wanted to keep playing or not, he was on the fence and looked to their guidance on what he should do. I think they ended up just going to the dentist and that was that. We saw him on the field again a few weeks later.
I have to agree though <12 is probably a bit young to be unsupervised.
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I've seen kids that would make great airsoft players, and this argument has been had a thousand times on ASC. However important; maturity, sportsmanship, skill level, and attitude, are not deciding factors wether or not someone should be put in a position where they are firing projectiles at others, and having them shot back. Unless you're of legal age to take responsibilty for yourself, I really hope that the kids and their legal guardians understand all the dangers, hazards, and potential physical threats of the sport, the field they play on, the equipment, and the other players; otherwise, they have put their child needlessly at risk. Most parents I've met a clueless about these things when they sign the waiver. There are a few players I know who's kids play as well. I suppose it's fair to think that they'll understand the dangers. Oddly enough, most experienced players I know would not fathom allowing their kids to play until they are at least sixteen - eighteen. Weird eh?
The important thing is safety; not the legal protection of the airsoft site, or how much of it's cash flow comes from the clueless parents who bring their kids there.