Junior Sam Stone’s love for airsoft has brought him not only an incredible pastime but even more incredible people. 

Sam has been playing airsoft for three years now, and there is no sight of him stopping. Ever since his first-ever airsoft event, he has been completely hooked. 

“When I first started playing, my brother and I would just go outside and shoot each other for fun,” Sam said, “and ever since then, it has been a blast to be part of. I had a few friends who started playing and figured I might as well too.”

This growing love of the game encouraged Sam to invite others to show how unique this game could be. This new group of airsoft players has come together and made positive impacts on one another. 

“Everyone gets along very well,” Sam said. “Everyone is usually excited for the events, and even the veteran players are very welcoming to our newer players.” 

Regarding planning for these events, there is a lot that goes into it. There is even an FH Airsoft account through Instagram that will post updates on upcoming events. 

“We refrain from going to fields more than an hour away,” Sam said. “Any nearby events we usually try to make it to. There is a field up in Cedar Springs that plays every weekend during the whole year. This information is made available through our social media and even airsoft group chats.” 

FH Airsoft has been very kind to newer players by helping them get a lot better at their game. Junior Will Gesik started playing just a few months ago and has been a proud member of FH Airsoft ever since. 

“While I have minimal experience with airsoft, it has taught me a lot about human psychology and how we choose to play in the game,” Will said. “You have to deduct what weapon they are using [and] how you should position yourself.”

The most significant part to Will is how much this club brings people together, even the strangers that the club meets are friendly. 

“They’re great people,” Will said. “The strangers we meet are usually really funny, such as these three guys that shot me in the legs, and we all continued to laugh just because it all happened so quick.”

Strangers have been very helpful for this crew in making it a safe environment. Some strangers, however, are very passionate, so there are some unwritten rules in place. 

“When you are hit with a BB, you are usually supposed to call your hit,” Sam said. “By not following this, you can continue to get shot ten more times. For some games, when there are no refs, there is a loyalty system. Sadly, not everyone we play with is honest.” 

FH Airsoft has met many different people, but the people who were originally a part of this group have warmed up even more. Junior Noah Kriekard has been playing for a while, but never with a group. Finally, because of FH Airsoft, he has some sort of team. 

“I’ve gotten a lot closer to Sam Stone because of [FH Airsoft],” Noah said. “I’ve played for about five years, but always with different groups and friends, never one set group.”

Many people play airsoft alone and attend events as a single person. FH Airsoft’s goal has been to bring people together to make the experience that much better. 

“It’s good to find yourself a group of friends to support you through this,” Noah said. “It’s tougher and a lot less fun without people you know and can play with, and the community is supportive if you ever need to find a group.”  

FH Airsoft has brought people even out of the Forest Hills district together. Sam himself comes from the Cedar Springs area and is leading this group of people. This club is more than just a club for them; their bond and relationships just keep getting stronger through each event.

“Try it out first so you can see if you enjoy it,” Sam said. “You don’t want to drop hundreds of dollars and not play it again; if you find a love for the game, come out and join us for a weekend, and try it out. Everyone is welcome, and we have a great group of guys.”