I get SUGGESTIONS...!

I get suggestions. Now, suggestions don't necessarily make me mean and grumpy. In fact, I encourage them. There is a suggestion box mounted on our welcome sign.

One suggestion that I get alot comes from what I call the "wolfpacks"! There are always three or four or five in the walk-on groups that don't want to follow the crowd. When walk-ons are in the woods the pack wants to play speed ball. When the walk-ons are playing speedball the pack wants to play air ball, and etc.

Those that know me know that I like to please. But here's the dilemma:

Do I pull one of the two refs that are working a group of 25 to please the pack?

Do I hire more refs and dedicate them to four players? (Side note here. It's hard to appreciate this unless you've been there. Reffing six or less players is like watching water boil. The game lasts forever and is boring....blah. Which leads me to...)

Do I sit the rest of the walk ons while I allow the pack to play a "quick" speed ball game (I also get asked a lot if I can "spare" a ref for a "quick one-on-one game).

And then there is the "variation of a theme" suggestion. "Why 12? Why can't groups of 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 or 11 reserve a field?"

I don't expect my players to understand the economics of operating a paintball field. But here's the deal. If a group of 12 reserves a ref (you might think I would say, "reserves the field", but in actuality groups reserve a ref) and only brings 10 players I lose money. If the group only brings 11 I break even. If they bring 12 I make just enough profit to take my grand daughter to McDonalds! I count on groups bringing 13 or 14 or 15 or, etc. (Or buying a lot of snacks... :)

So, I'm all over the charts with this post. Back to the original "pack" that wants to do their own thing:

Groups (packs) of 4 or 5 or 6? Ummmmmmmm, don't think so!

Get together a group of 12 and reserve a ref.