By DJ Keller
Staff Writer

Two things you would never expect to go together, guns and school, are now being combined in a form of a club at our own Westford Academy. Starting off as an experimental year, the Airsoft Club hopes to be added as a legitimate club next year.

Airsoft guns are very similar to BB guns, except they use lighter and less painful plastic BB’s. Most airsoft guns are made of plastic, which makes them look less dangerous and helps to keep the cost lower. Airsoft guns and ammo can be used for simple target practice, or in the case of this club, skirmishes with fellow classmates.

According to sophomore Jacob Clancy, founder of the club, around twenty or so students show up, around 7 or 8 from Westford others from Chelmsford or nearby towns for airsoft. They have skirmishes at the VFW fields in Forge Village in Westford. They play rounds of capture the flag and capture the fort. The basic rules are if you are hit, then you must return to your base before continuing to play.

According to Clancy, forming the club was no simple task and took a lot of effort and time. He had to go to Dean Bob Ware nearly every day for weeks, just trying to work out every detail.

“The hardest part was finding an advisor,” said Clancy

Clancy asked numerous teachers but with no success. It was hard to find a teacher with interests in airsoft, and that could commit to this activity. So with nowhere else to turn, Mrs. Clancy, the Clancy brothers’ mother stepped in to be the advisor.

Unfortunately this was not the end of roadblocks. They still had a problem with liability issues. Because you are shooting little bits of plastic at each other, it is understandable that safety is a large issue. The group requires safety glasses and full-face protection from the bb’s. Long sleeves and pants are strongly advised to protect all open skin.