Welcome To P8ntballer.com
The Home Of European Paintball
Sign Up & Join In

Confidence.

Al Woods

GFH Trouble Maker
Jul 7, 2001
1,229
181
88
48
Your 30
www.gfh-hq.com
As the famous snake player Gok Wan says, it really is all about the confidence...well, some of it anyway.

Having awesome kit is important (Eclipse kit of course), honing your fundamental skills is important and being in decent physical shape is also important to be a useful tool on the tournament ball scene. But all this is pretty useless if you don't have the balls or vision to dish it out.

But how can you learn confidence, simple answer you can't, but it does come with experience and not just on the field experience. Heres a few observations, tips and whatever that may help you get a little more ballsy.

1: Watch loads of videos and be inspired by your idols. What they do works so eventually it will for you too so don't doubt the ideas in your head.

2: Be around better players. They've been there, done it and know from experience what works. Run plays by them, they might just give you some great advice.

3: Not a confident person in real life? Be a wrestler!! On the field you have a mask on so you can be who you want to be. I'm aggressive, very shouty and try my best to cause all kinds of **** but off the field I'm pretty much the nicest guy you'll ever meet. Honest.

4: Don't think. Seriously, you already know what you 'want' to do so react to the game, work it to 'make' the opportunity then take it.

5: Don't let problems get in your way. Example, we struggled with our guns smashing paint and barrel breaks because of the cold, so after a loader we couldn't really hit anything. It didn't bother us one bit because you adjust, act faster and get closer. Can't hit from distance? Bunker em!! You'll die doing it but better to be active and take some kills than waiting to be shot out of your bunker.

6: Compete. Smack talk. Buddy up and push each other to be better than each other. It works. Compare notes, give each other feedback and pat each other on the back when you own.

7: Look good. Simple fact: if you look good, have a great playing style an feel like a pro, chances are you'll wanna do damage and find it more natural to do moves and learn.

8: Finally, pass any knowledge on. Believe it or not, keeping your tricks close to your chest is t always an advantage. Share it, you'll feel wiser and more respected which in turn helps you fuel your baller persona.

There's loads more but let's be honest who wants to hear me yap on about ****?

Hope it helps.
 

Jim Jam

Dusty's #1 Fan!
Jan 4, 2012
1,828
340
118
Horsham, West Sussex
I May/May not be the only one here but I personally sometimes have confidence issues when i haven't been playing for a while and then forget how little you get overshot and how little it stings when your about 15 feet away.
Which then makes me hold back, but as soon as i have been shot a few times, i'm all up and ready to run into a firefight.

Could be just me, but seems to be the 'Fear' factor after being out for long periods of time but it all dissapears as soon as the first couple of shots hit you.

Anyways, just my 2p worth.

Great guide, i'll be sure to follow it!!

Thanks.
 

Kevin Winter

Well-Known Member
Dec 10, 2008
1,958
559
138
Some interesting thoughts - I've just got back into sup'air after 2+ years out and struggled in the first two events I played - shot out on the break, hanging out the bunker too long, waiting that split second before making a move - but then yesterday, the old confidence came back, and I stopped thinking about my play - made two nice bunkerings and a run through, and never even stopped to think about what I was doing.

I seriously think the main key is that you look out from the start gate and see the kills you could make, the moves you need and where your opportunities are. When you're out of form or down, you see the lanes you've got to run through, the guy on the other team who bunkered you last month - your buddy guys out and your head goes down, when you should have filled in and won the game....

Other than that - the two keys from your list are playing with better players and getting feedback. A few years back, I played the Bricketwood winter series with Alex and Oli Kennedy - we made up the rest of the team with guests from other teams. Due to the awful wesather, the turnout was low, and we were all lumped in with the Race2 division. It would have been easy to give in from the start - us three guys who were mid table in NSPL Div four(it was Alex's first season playing!) up against top level Millenium teams.....

Luckily, our guest for the day (Marco from Defiance) gave us heaps of good advice and feedback, coupled with some spot on coaching. We ended up coming in second,two-nilling a very shocked London Shock along the way. That weekend turned my balling around, and still gives me the confidence to play agressive and attack when I look back on it...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bolter

Bolter

Administrator
Aug 19, 2003
9,495
2,027
348
Kettering
www.facebook.com
Aaah the psychology of the game :) a very famous Pro said to me once "if your opponent believes you are better than he is, you have already half won the battle"

Be confident, play clever and never think someone is better than you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RST and LATHAM

Al Woods

GFH Trouble Maker
Jul 7, 2001
1,229
181
88
48
Your 30
www.gfh-hq.com
Aaah the psychology of the game :) a very famous Pro said to me once "if your opponent believes you are better than he is, you have already half won the battle"

Be confident, play clever and never think someone is better than you.
Interesting one this, whenever we thought we'd smash someone we'd end up on the arse end of an ass whuppin' so it is good to feel you're on top but as my boy Latham says, complacency can be a bitch.

I used to have a thing for green JT tops, the old school Aftershock ones,dunno why but I always thought a team would be baddass who wore em.

Also watch out for dudes who look like they really don't care about anything, their kit, their gear, the way they look cuz sometimes these guys will pull your face off. Think Keats brothers.
 

head_-_shot

UK Under 19's & London Tigers.
Oct 25, 2008
368
5
38
London
www.facebook.com
Only points 2 & 8 are correct, the rest are optional and rarely produce confidence and results !

Point 6 is a grey area of 2 & 8 anyway. Although it is valid.
 
Last edited:

Dusty

Don't run, you'll only die tired....
May 19, 2004
7,606
2,407
348
45
Northern Ireland
Only points 2 & 8 are correct, the rest are optional and rarely produce confidence and results !

Point 6 is a grey area of 2 & 8 anyway. Although it is valid.

All the points are valid from a practical AND psychological point of view.

I read somewhere that if you try to emulate better players and move how they move, hold your marker the way they do then you'll play better. There may be no practical reason for wrapping your thumb over the top of your marker but if Ollie Lang does it and he's good then why would it NOT work for you? Can't hurt at the end of the day........ there are reasons the pros are where they are, maybe it's because they slide a certain way or run and gun a certain way.

Also, we've all been there, tucked in holding our lane or whatever, maybe we've found a wee spot where you get that few seconds no one knows you're there and you feel like mugging the guy in front but you just can't quite force yourself to go....... think of this. If you THINK you can do it, then you can. Your brain has already processed all the available information and your subconcious has analysed it and told you that you CAN pull that move, we only use a small percentage of our total brain power. Ideas are simply the rest of the unused resource leaking through!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jim Jam