Lifelong passion fuels community at Badlands Airsoft Field

Badlands Airsoft Field had the kind of arrival that felt like a spark catching in dry grass, spreading through a community that had been waiting—maybe without realizing it—for something to bring them back together. When the gates opened for the first time, players stepped onto familiar ground with unfamiliar excitement, sensing a revival of the hardcore fun they once knew.

For owner Jonathan Gresham, that energy had been building long before opening day.

Gresham grew up playing paintball with his brothers, refereeing games while they ran the field, but when paintball started fading, they found airsoft. The brothers played their first game of airsoft in 2007 and never stopped.

**Jonathan Gresham, owner of Badlands Airsoft in Springfield.** CONTRIBUTED

“Doing it with my brothers made it fun,” Gresham said. “We have so many stories and created lifelong friendships.”

While airsoft is slightly similar to paintball, airsoft ammunition uses 6-millimeter plastic pellets called BBs rather than paintballs, and airsoft guns rather than paintball guns.

The path to this venture began in an unexpected place: the funeral of Gresham’s uncle. Standing with his brothers, he learned that the airsoft field they grew up playing on had abruptly shut down. What could have felt like an ending instead felt like a challenge, almost like a dare.

Gresham’s brothers nudged him toward the idea of buying the 250-acre property, urging him to at least look into it. Gresham and his wife had just closed another business, leaving him with unexpected free time. He decided to take the plunge.

The name “Badlands” came from the brothers’ group chat, where ideas flew back and forth as they tried to capture the grit and personality of the field. When Gresham typed “Badlands” into a search bar, he stumbled across the national park with the same name. Its description matched the terrain of the field: “treacherous” and “desolate.” And the name stuck.

With that, the journey to opening day began. While nerves about taking over and rebranding a business were constant, Gresham leaned on a motto he repeated often: “Do it scared.”

In just two months, with overwhelming support from family and friends, Badlands Airsoft officially opened April 25.

The heart of Badlands is the people, and that sense of connection is what Gresham wants to protect. It starts with safety, something the previous ownership didn’t prioritize. Players felt it, and many left the game altogether.

“People stopped playing because rules weren’t maintained. There was no accountability,” he said.

Gresham leaned on a motto he repeated often: ‘Do it scared.’

Now, every gun is chronographed during check-in, a process Gresham treats as non-negotiable.

The chronograph measures the joule output of each airsoft gun, with a joule limit of 1.5. If a gun measures above that output, it is tagged and the player cannot use that gun at point-blank range.

This represents the difference between a sting and a serious injury.

“In airsoft you will get shot,” he said. “You’ll have welts and bruises, but you shouldn’t get seriously hurt.”

Safety at Badlands has become a culture, and it’s the reason players feel comfortable bringing friends, siblings and first timers. It’s also the reason people who left the sport years ago are returning.

Gameplay at Badlands is about community. Players vote on game modes, teams are balanced, friends can stick together and strangers become teammates.

Games run 10 a.m.-1 p.m. followed by a lunch break, then resume from 2-5 p.m., allowing for six full hours of play.

Gresham wants Badlands to be more than a field. He wants newcomers to feel welcome, even when surrounded by players dressed like elite operators.

Megan Gresham, contributing writer

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