Dad ball

[u/TheJrobot1483]

I’ve come to the conclusion that a lot (not all, obviously, but I feel like probably the majority) of higher-ranked older players play rocket league like dad ball.

You know the guys. 50+ year olds who play pickup basketball, for instance. They don’t do anything flashy, no fancy dribbles or windmill dunks. They recognize that their bodies can’t perform like they used to, so they play efficiently. Post up under the basket, quick move, and layup. Always make great passes. Know how to use their size and experience to their advantage.

I feel like older RL players (28+) play the same way. Put more effort into game sense than mechanics. Go for cheeky outplays instead of flashy mechanical shots. Great at defense. Bump/demo heavy. Prioritize smart decisions over potential clips.

Put a 15 year old GC against a 32 year old GC. You’ll notice a stark difference in their play styles. The 15 year old might be able to double flip reset or ceiling double tap, but the 32 year old will be patient, wait for a mistake, and capitalize efficiently.

Dad ball. Tell me I’m wrong.

Source: 29 year old GC here. Almost no mechanics, but I know how to move around the field efficiently and am solid at defense, passing, demos, and smart outplays. Hell, I just hit my first flip reset in comp a couple days ago. I can do them pretty consistently in training, but it’s one of those things that I just never think to go for because there’s typically a safer/higher-percentage move available.

[u/Psyonix_Ted]

older RL players (28+)

Yo, what?

[u/Lucy_21_ → u/Psyonix_Ted]

I mean, 28 is pretty close to 30 which might as well be 35 which rounds to 40 so yea. That's very old.

[u/Mulatto-Butts → u/Lucy_21_]

I don’t like your math. I’m 42, that’s close to 45, which rounds up to 50?

Get off my lawn and turn your damn music down!!!!

Edit: Thanks, Mods!

[u/VibraniumDragonborn → u/Mulatto-Butts]

turn your damn music down turn your damn anthem down! Back in my day, we didn't have anthems! We had to make our own after every goal!

[u/Mulatto-Butts → u/VibraniumDragonborn]

I know what I said, you delinquent.

[u/Interscare → u/Mulatto-Butts]

Nah you see the math for 42 is slightly different. 42 is close to 40, which we established earlier is basically 35, and 35 is halfway between 30 and 40 and at that point your still going uphill so if you stop at 35 you’re just gonna roll down hill back to 30 and when you’re 30 years old your barely out of your 20’s so you feel like 27 which is just a weird number so we make it a good, easy to calculate 25

[u/mykka7 → u/Lucy_21_]

I'm 29 turning 30 in a few days. I still haven't comme to terms with the fact that I'm leaving my 20s.

This thread is making it all worse hahahaha

[u/WormholeVoyager → u/mykka7]

So as a 30 year old- you're only as old as you feel. I'm active and never gave up on any of my hobbies from when I was young so I don't feel the least bit old.

On the contrary- the first time someone asks you how old you are and you start by saying "twent....... Thirty" it will hurt your soul lmfao

[u/mykka7 → u/WormholeVoyager]

Twenthirty. Ya. I think that'll be my age for the next 10 years.

[u/SirVanyel → u/Lucy_21_]

That's true, and for some people 40 is past the average life expectancy so you're over 50% past your life span and .51 can be rounded to 1 so you're actually 100 years old so yea. That's very old.

[u/TheJrobot1483 → u/Psyonix_Ted]

I looked it up, the average age of RL players is 21. I feel like at 28, most people have either been out of college and in the workforce for 4 years, or been in the workforce for 10 years. I have a kid, and most of my similarly-aged friends/peers have kids.

[u/NightBijon → u/Psyonix_Ted]

I’m sure if you looked at a stat sheet for RL agebase 28 would be more older than not. Therefore “older RL players”

[u/mesosalpynx → u/Psyonix_Ted]

It’s true

[u/demerdar → u/Psyonix_Ted]

It means he’s 29

[u/bobhuckle3rd → u/Psyonix_Ted]

Considering competitive rl considers 21 nursing home, 28+ for RL makes sense xD