The Growing Popularity of Airsoft as a Competitive Team Sport
One of the main benefits of playing a sport (team or individual) is that you put in the effort without realizing it. When you play a sport you enjoy, it’s more likely that you’ll be active and energetic without a fitness instructor yelling at you from the back.
Even more, if you decide to play a team sport, you have the chance to create strong bonds with the other team members, thus improving your social life and reducing anxiety. But not everyone likes football, volleyball, or basketball (some of the most popular team sports), especially if it’s more than a friendly game.
Luckily, there are other activities that take away the pressure of professional competitions without reducing the challenge. Airsoft is a good example of such activity, especially now when it reaches new levels of popularity among young adults everywhere.
Airsoft as a Competitive Sport
While it’s not officially recognized as a sport, airsoft is more than just cool-looking guns and shooting BBs at your enemies. It’s a complex war game that can involve several teams and advanced gameplay development,
It can be played indoors and outdoors, and players must perform a wide array of activities such as running, crawling, crouching, and so on. Even more, the game keeps your mind and brain active and teaches you about making fast decisions under pressure, when an entire team depends on you.
Furthermore, each game can be designed around specific objectives (conquering a location or a flag, for instance) and the competition can be built on different levels of difficulty.
Playing Different Roles
All team sports have specific roles for their players, and so does airsoft. You can be a sniper, a team leader, a rifleman, or part of the recon unit (among others). The idea is that, when played at a competitive level, airsoft is well-organized and every player knows his/her responsibilities
Even more, different players use different guns, designed for their needs. For instance, long-range shooters will use airsoft sniper rifles, while players who deal with close quarter combat need a more versatile and compact weapon.
In addition, each role has different levels of activity, but they all require you to analyze the situation and make decisions based on your role and situation. So it’s not just about staying physically active – it’s also an exercise for the mind.
Worldwide Airsoft Tournaments
We all love the cool-looking guns, the adrenaline during the game, and even the tactical gear, but airsoft is a lot more than this. Its popularity has reached worldwide levels and players from all over the world come together in epic tournaments that last for days on end.
Events like the Border War series are extremely popular, but only the most advanced and experienced players get to participate. Of course, other players can participate in lower-level competitions, where they can train their reflexes and way of thinking.
Wrap Up
Given the number of people interested in playing airsoft, we expect to see it become an official sport rather soon. Sadly, the game is a bit difficult to regulate now and there are some aspects that need to be clarified, but the chances are solid.