Gelball Stories

Gelball has ment to me in an amazing way. It made sure i got out of the house and socialise with other people instead of being in front of my computer all day.

I’m a pretty recluse sort of a guy going along to a community event took abit of consideration. Since going through some health issues and not able to continue working and covid i was resigned to being a stay home grandad which I didn’t mind, my intro to Gel ball was an invigorating sort of experience much more fulfilling then I or even my family would come to expect, for them they could notice change from my person as they know me, to someone who found a bit of purpose then the norm. I joined a group forum with a bunch of guys that in day to day life i probably would never have any interaction with, and meeting actually meeting a whole community of individuals from different backgrounds with their own storie some not so different to mine embracing the sport/hobby of Gel ball. One very obvious fact was the radiant smiles these guys or girls displayed when talking of their experiences through playing a game such as Gel ball. And the guys who host these events the time and effort they put in to accommodating evrybodies needs has to be described as a passion for the sport. Good peoples . The positives of this game Gel ball have to be of great benefit physically and emotionally.

Gelball has allowed me to have a cost effective way to have realistic props for films. They’ve opened up opportunities to create quality productions that have an authentic feel to them as a result of these props.

Ive been playing gelball with the associated clubs for 2 years and have made friendships for life and its has been a main stress relief activity in my busy weekly schedule of working full time in the corporate sector. there is nothing that i love more than having fun with my friends in a safe community involving environment, we always abide by our safety guidelines and use gelblasters only on the fields that allow their use.

plead dont take our fun away!

I wish to express my disappointment with the banning of Gel Blasters which is such an amazing sport and hope you would kindly read this letter that states my reasons.

I was an international student here in Australia, fell in love with this country due to its diverse cultures, friendly community, and generally feel it is among the safest places to live in the world even though I live in one of the more “unsafe” areas of Perth.
During my early student days here in Perth, the stress of living in a new environment and having to be acquainted with other people of different cultures in addition to the daily challenges of life (work and studies) had severely affected both my physical and mental health, causing me to spiral down into bouts of depression and anxiety. Eventually, I developed a fear of joining people for outings and feelings of mistrust about everything. I became a shut-in, an introvert and felt that I did not fit in any of the communities in University or with society in general. I felt that people were secretly judging me for my background, skin tone, and beliefs. I became afraid of being ridiculed by society, a pariah in the face of society and an unproductive member of society.

In my mind, dark thoughts began to form. During my waking moments, I would have panic attacks and jump at the slightest disturbance and noise. I felt weighed down by the burdens of life itself. I was not spared during my sleep either as I found myself waking up in the middle of the night with cold sweat and vivid memories of the nightmares I experienced.

As a healthcare provider (I am a qualified U.K physiotherapist and am currently doing my Masters), I realised that my mental health needed medical attention before something drastic happened. I spoke to my GP and was given the appropriate medication to help me cope with my depression and anxiety. The medication certainly helped but I knew I needed to take the extra step to bring myself out of the dark pit. I began to try and find like-minded people within the community. It was then I stumbled into gel blasting and decided to choose the sport as the first step to begin mingling with society again.

I was always keen on the sport of Airsoft and was disappointed that it was not legalised here in Australia. The next best thing was getting involved with gel balling. I was fortunate enough to be introduced to the sport via social media, bought myself a nice expensive gel blaster (as a way to motivate me to mingle with others and play the game because nothing motivates me better than spending money on something and wasting that money because I don’t use it). I then set off to my first game ever.

I still remember vividly the first time I drove up to a gel ball field, having a fraction of an idea of what the sport was like and being extremely anxious about how people would treat me. I figured if I was ridiculed by the community, I would just pack up and leave the area. But to my surprise, I met other like-minded people and was warmly welcomed by the friendly community and introduced to the rules of the sport. I knew then I might have found a clique that I could be comfortable with.

One member handed me a pamphlet on “My blaster, my responsibility” which contained information on how we should behave in and out of the field. I felt safe and comfortable knowing that the members of the gel balling community took their sport seriously and always prioritise safety during matches. It was during my first game; I felt a strange emotion that I have not felt in a long time. I felt happy and excited and was secretly grinning from ear to ear behind my mask. As the game continued, my anxiety melted away and I felt that I finally found a sport that I could enjoy sufficiently to distract me from the worries and troubles of life.

I began to look forward to their weekly matches and viewed it as a way to reward myself after a hard week of studies and work. I also developed good friendships with many of the members. One of them, who has a 20-year-old son who suffers from Autism and has trouble interacting with other people, used the sport as a way to connect and chat with people during matches.

I cannot stress enough the importance of having good physical, emotional and mental health that everyone is entitled to. My life was quite frankly, radically changed when I first contacted the gel blasting community, and I fear that banning this sport simply due to the unacceptable behaviour from several irresponsible members of the public, has condemned a community that has always practised the sport with great respect, responsibility and care.

On behalf of the gel blasting community that plays the sport, I humbly ask and beseech the governing authorities that appropriate and reasonable changes be made to the sport instead of simply banning it. The Weapons Regulation 1999 of Western Australia should be amended and updated accordingly to allow the sport to be enjoyed in a safe and responsible manner. The authorities should also do a thorough research on the sport and not simply ban it based on unfair biasness. They should also consider the fact that the removal of this sport would affect businesses that rely on it for their livelihoods and individuals who enjoy this activity as a form of physical exercise and an important means of improving and maintaining their mental and social wellbeing.

Thank you for reading this long letter. I hope to hear a favourable response from the governing authorities and that appropriate changes would be made to allow the sport to be enjoyed safely by Australians for many years to come.

Sincerely,

Leo

I have always been a sporty person. My youngest boy was not like me. I introduced gim into football and he played for two seasons before quitting and being on the Playstation for hours. He would rarely leave his room for meal. When he found gellballing, He was a different person. He wanted to go out onto the outdoors, the bush. He enjoyed camping after that. He walks tall, full of confidence. He has even joint the ARMY CADETS and wants to be a Police Officer to serve the community, OUR community. For myself, as a 52 years old IT person, who works in an office with no physical activity during the football off season. Gelballing has become the best mean to keep me fit and as healthy as I can be. Running cross country, up and down a hill, through the bush and with a heavy load while carrying all the army outfit, sweating buckets loads of sweat and carrying our beloved harmless GEL BLASTER has kept me healthy. I am sure Gel Balling has complemented football in keeping me healthy. Keeping my son mentally and physically healthy and not putting any further burdens in the health system.

I believe gel ball club members are not causing any issues as we make sure, a club members, not to display or use our blasters in public. I am sure the people who have caused alarm in the community and have place the police force into a tense situation do NOT belong to a club and are not regulated and trained into community safety.

Danilo LOPEZ HERNANDEZ

My son loves them. That is, he rarely uses the gel balls, he just loves pulling the mags out, doing tricks & putting them back in some spectacular way. He likes taking them apart & seeing how they work. This is the ONLY thing he gets off his damn computer for without a fight. He’ll be 12 this year and we were going to join a gel ball range to shoot together. He & I are beyond devastated this may not happen. Aside from the cost of the guns recently bought, it is the hard work my son has done to earn them by doing his homework, helping with chores & getting off the computer when asked. Couldn’t they at least offer licensing instead of a straight out ban???!!!!!

Since my introduction to the sport, I’ve felt a sense of belonging with like-minded people. My first game was an open Friday game night, and the sheer number of people who turned up astounded me. A friend had also found the sport and conveniently turned up on the same day, and we grouped up and had an absolute blast. I then introduced myself to a group of people in the corner of the room wearing every kind of tactical gear imaginable, and they were very kind to point out some improvements to my own kit. As my knowledge of teamwork and social communication expanded, I got a chance to play alongside some professional players and received commendation for pinpointing the opposition. By my second game, I invested heavily in more tactical gear to carry equipment easily, and that was the day I bought my first tactical path at Perth Gel Ballers. As strange as it sounds, this patch will always be with me, regardless of what happens next. It took me a while to integrate with how the venue operated, but once I understood gametypes, field methods, and sufficient strategy, I felt I was ready for something more. Unfortunately, that day would turn out to be the day they shut down our glorious community, and I remember feeling dread and devastation. I would miss the people I connected with, and the referees and staff who taught me what I know today, and most importantly I would miss using such a unique piece of technology. For the duration that the fun lasted, it was one hell of an experience, and I would do it all again just for that sense of amazement as to how organised this place was. Thank you for the great memories guys and all the best in the near future.

This has given me an additional hobby which has also made lifelong connections. This is disgraceful of WA Police and the WA Government.
We all need to fight for our rights!!

his is a fun and harmless sport that gets me outside, be active, have fun, and meet people.

I spend all of my time inside reclosed from society and this is my only means of meeting people and having friends.

Please do not let a few bad people ruin it for all of us who follow the rules and be safe and responsible with the gel blasters in society