So should I ...

[Micah]

Give up my dream of being a front player and become a back guy? I mean I Would love to be one of those skinny back players who's paint weighs as much as I do ... I just 1) couldn't afford to foot the paint bill, 2) can't if my life dependeded on it shoot more than 6 pods in one game ... but is that where it's at if I want to make it to the big time?

I think I'm going to stop playing front for a while and just play middle.

It was recently explained to me that any one can be put up front, but you need a core of back and mid players for a team to be successful.

I don't know where I'm going with this, but I would like to hear any thing anyone has to say about this stuff ...

-Micah

 

[JohnJ]

Micah,

it shouldn't cost you any more to play at the back than at the front.
If your team works on individual paint bills for each player you might as well leave now before the in-fighting starts.
Basically you need all your players concentrating on the game, not on the expense at the end of the day.
Your first step is to ask the team what they need out of you. If the teams loaded with back players one more isn't going to be much use.
If you do start playing at the back your going to feel a lot lighter once those 6 pots have gone - and they will...

JJ

 

[Buddha 3]

JohnJ is right. Paint should not be paid for individually. If your front guys start moaning about an increased paint bill, just say okay, and go real skimpy on the paintchucking. See how long it'll take for them to start screaming for more air support. It's a team game, so it makes sense to share the bill. After all, 99.99% of the paint you shoot is shot for their benefit (the other 0.01% is for 'getting the ref's attention' )

 

[pickaxeboy]

just out of interest are there many 'bigger' guys/gals that play up front here? and do you find size effects how well a front player can play?

 

[Micah]

Well, right now ... or rather the last year ... I haven't actually had a team. So the paint bill would be me playing training days with other teams. Right now when I play up front, I shoot my hopper and a pod, maybe 2. But my 3rd almost always goes unused, hey better to have to much rather than not enough. When I play middle, I load up with 4 or 5 pods And I sit and dump more paint for a while then I usually end up in the fron with atleast the attention of one back guy one me and I end up basiclly being a front guy. The few times I have played back, I'll load up with 5 140's and a football of 2 100's. But for training days, I can't see myself doing that every game. I mean that's over 1000 rds. Yeah I could see dumping that every tourney game, but on training days ... I'm a wee bit poor for that ...

My question was more that since pretty much anyone could be stuck up front, and I am a little big for most or the tiny laydowns. What should I be looking to learn to play to make me look better to a team looking to pick me up? Does that make any sence? I think it is important to know how to play every position, and I don't mind dumping paint and yelling. Another thing is, the only time I feel like a failur when I'm playing back is when my front guy gets bunkerd ... it's only happened like once ... but I've never played back in a tourney ... But when I play up front I feel like a failur if I don't shoot every one on the other team out ... and that's made me work a little harder at it even tho that is an unrealistic goal ...

Budda 3, how'd you pick the guys on your team? were you already friends with them, or did you hold a tryout or something?

pick - I'm bigger than most but I love playing front. I'm 6'3" (what ever that is in cm) and 215lbs (what ever that is in stone) But I'm flexable and not easy to shoot out. Pretty quick too.

well, that's all for now.

-Micah

 

[Gee - Team No Hope]

My question was more that since pretty much anyone could be stuck up front

I wish this was true, but its not! Some people can't play front some can't play back and some must play in one or the other and hence can't do middle.

I'd say pick what you have the most fun doing. Since if you REALLY REALLY enjoy front, that extra bit of effort you put in as a result will make you a better player.

As to what to learn to play. The basics for each position are.

Back - Make sure you are bloody accurate all the time, while knowing as much about whats going on as possible. Also the ability to get your front player to move/look where you want him/her is also helpfull.

Front - respond very quickly to little signs on the fields (shadows, moving marshals, you back player yelling at you etc). Being accurate on the two shots you get to fire before being put back in by the opposing team.


I know what its like being whithout a team for a while, i've just had a similar experience finding a team who i got on with and had the type of attitude to the sport i was looking for. I found my present team by turning up to sparklies academy day and looking left when the back player shouted to.

Thunder had/has the core of back/middle players so i can have fun up front under the air support.

- Graeme