Am I too old? Too disabled?

[DoomPossum]

Hello there! I'm 47 and I have Spina Bifida Meningocele and an incomplete spinal cord injury. I can walk, running is not happening though! The shooting part is not really a problem as I was involved with the GB Paralympic program for a while but Wheelchair Rugby League took priority at the time, now retired.
I have a weak left hand/arm. I've tried a few replicas at Modern Warrior near me in Kent.

 

[Captain Darling]

Yeah, you’ll be fine. Walking and crawling is a great way to play outside. Be sneaky, you will have a great time.

 

[Adolf Hamster]

Find a hedge, park yourself in it, become a sentient landmine.

Its the perfect counter to the kids running around at full speed.

 

[Punisher3990]

When I take my sniper rifle I tend to lay down most of the day lol

Get yourself a decent long range rifle and some sort of ghillie and you can just find a spot and be a bush all game.

 

[Cannonfodder]

Welcome

You're definitely not too old, you're only a year older than me and there's a few on here who make us look like youngsters. As for too disabled, ultimately you're the only one who can answer that but you don't need to be running around to play, leave that to the younger ones and play at a pace which suits you.

 

[Tackle]

Welcome, you'll be fine, I've gone from being a professional athlete to someone who struggles with stairs & couldn't run if my life depended on it, & while i hope to get some of my mobility back, pending surgeries, I know at 58 I'm never gonna be as good as I was.
But that won't stop me playing, just gotta adapt your playing style, & tbh, while fitness & mobility is definitely a plus in airsoft, it can be countered by skill, stealth, & general sneaky bastardness .
Lol, I even got a patch.

 

[hunter511]

Last time I played at SouthCoast CQB there was a guy in a wheelchair getting stuck in bigtime and getting kills.

Does that help to answer your question?

 

[Nick G]

47 ? bloody youngsters with their waistbands round their knees and their hippity hoppity music ! Joking aside , I'm 58 and play regularly , couple of other guys at my local site who are the same age group . All those old injuries are now making themselves known so I play accordingly . Age or disability doesn't need to be a barrier , we have a couple of guys who have health issues and still have a blast and the regulars always keep an eye out for them just in case . Airsofters are generally a decent bunch and very inclusive , find a style of play that suits you , maybe sniping for less crawling about , put together a light weight rig and you will have a great time . Then you'll end up spending all your money on toy guns

 

[BandanaDan]

Play your own game and participate in the objectives as best you can. A lot of sites like Red1 Fawkham, also near you I believe, have a lot of regulars and it is as much a game day as an excuse for a bit of a social during the breaks. Plenty of friendly banter with the team there too, for those who have a functioning sense of humour too.
The main thing is look at what you can do and simply enjoy yourself as it is your hobby not anyone else’s!

 

[Cannonfodder]

Wasn't there a guy in Ireland who used an off road electric wheelchair for games? I think he was known as Tank

 

[neh0]

Last time I played at SouthCoast CQB there was a guy in a wheelchair getting stuck in bigtime and getting kills.

Does that help to answer your question?

Click to shrink...

Can’t remember his name but he’s a great guy and lethal in his wheelchair and a bugger to hit unless you get some lead on him

 

[Shep120181]

This post hit home for me as I am too I’m my 40s (45) and disabled and have thought the same so I spend most my time now building painting modding rifles to scratch that itch

As for gaming just dive on in the airsoft community are more welcoming then you realise on the day etc

And yes absolutely down to each individual on the day how they feel if it’s the right time and day to play

 

[Galvatron]

Welcome to the forum!

You're definitely not too old. I've played against no shortage of airsofters in their 50s and 60s doing extremely well against the spring chickens.

As Cannonfodder said, you have to decide for yourself with your disability as it's a personal thing and your case doesn't post a safety risk.

I don't want to imply comparison though I have played alongside and against wheelchair and motorised scooter users where the terrain allowed for them. There's been some really good camaraderie where such players have been helped out moving them if they got stuck. I've also shot along players with upper or lower limb impairment, deformities or amputations.

You'd be welcome at any decent site that can accommodate you but it's ultimately up to you.