On her beginnings in airsoft, how and why she stays in the game and in the industry, and what her future plans are.

“She’s the most famous female airsoft player right now in the U.S.” was the concise description given to me for Adella Relentless, airsoft player and current spokesperson for Valken Tactical and Airsoft Megastore. She regularly hosts videos over on her team’s YouTube channel, from in-game footage, reviews, event coverage, to interviews. She’s on the rise to be a serious force to be reckoned with in the airsoft world and I had the honor of switching her role to being the interviewee this time.

Popular Airsoft: Ms. Adella, good day and thank you for giving us the time to chat. :)

Adella Relentless: Thank you so much for interviewing me! It’s a real honor! :)

Not many people know about you outside of what’s on social media. Can you start by telling us briefly about your life outside of airsoft?

Haha! Truth be told, there isn’t much of a life for me outside of airsoft. Being sponsored by multiple companies, producing events, the constant stream of videos and social media posts about my day to day are normally airsoft-related in some way. On the occasion that I am able to step out of the airsoft industry, I try to spend that little time catching up with friends and family.  :)

So when did you get into airsoft and what was that first day of playing like?

Oh man! Lol. I would say I first got into airsoft about 3 years ago. I was always into the sport, but I never thought it would become as serious for me as it is now. I remember my first day ever playing was with my cousin Jet, at SC Village and my very first game was on a field called Kuwait (the one with the trenches and castle for those that are familiar with SC’s fields). I also remember thinking to myself, “Oh my god what did I just get myself into?” After the first game ended though, I honestly couldn’t wait for the next game to start!

(Adella Relentless with her airsoft celebrity cousin, Jet DesertFox)

There are many people out there who like to show off that they’ve been in airsoft for years and years and try to put down people who are new to it. Have you ever been on the receiving end of their criticism? If so, how did you deal with it and do you have any suggestions for people who are dealing with it now?

OH YEA!!! There was definitely a time I was on the receiving end of their criticism and even to this day I still receive a little here and there, but it’s natural and you can’t please everyone and that applies to any industry you are in.

Personally, I have no respect for people with such actions. I think that as fellow players, we need to support one another and help grow the industry rather than drive people away from it just because people can’t afford the nicest gear. I always do my best to remember that I am in a VERY blessed and lucky position to be the way I am. So when it came to the criticism, honestly, the best advice I can give is the same action I took: Just ignore it. Focus on having fun with your friends, family, or whoever you are out there playing with.

As long as you are happy with your gear and you feel comfortable, by all means enjoy it and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! By the end of the day it’s a game we all play so go out there have fun with it!

What’s the story behind your callsign? Have you ever considered changing it?

Hahaha. The story behind my callsign comes from my attitude. I have been known to be very “relentless” with the things I do. I don’t take no for an answer, I don’t like the thought of giving up, and I tend to stick to my guns when I firmly believe in something. Field-wise, I like to be very upfront and in the middle of the action. We have a joke in RedCell that I don’t know the meaning of slow and steady. Haha! I get antsy if I don’t get to shoot something.

How did you get in the Ev8 Recon Factory Team? Did you have to go through the tryouts as well? If you did, what was it like for you?

Lol! Ev8’s factory team is a bit of a funny story. See… uhhhh... I didn’t actually have to try out for RedCell because I actually founded them. In terms of what it was like, well, it was a challenge. We had a lot of bugs to work out in the beginning, but this year was a big improvement and I honestly could not be more proud of both teams!

Would you recommend other teams to hold tryouts as well? Why is that?

Yes, I would honestly recommend to hold tryouts for your team if you are taking your team that seriously. However, I would say maybe not to the extent that RedCell and Regiment holds their tryouts. Our teams work a bit differently. After the very first ever RedCell tryouts, people may no longer try out for RedCell. They have to try out for Regiment and then work their way up to RedCell. Reason being is that because since RedCell already has a way of playing, technique and basic “training”, we use the new members’ time in Regiment to catch up to the level RedCell is at versus holding the whole team back for one person. Since RedCell has a lot of media to do, the Regiment members need to catch up on those basics as well.

This type of setup might not work for every team, but I would say make tryouts your own and use them to define what you look for in a team member, because if the individuals themselves can’t mix, you will never have a fully-functioning team.

(Adella Relentless with Ev8 RedCell)

As part of a team, you’re usually expected to provide or complete this and that requirement. What’s your opinion on this uniformity?

If we are talking about RedCell, well, it was actually my idea for the uniformity and something I made as a requirement to be part of RedCell. I think it brings an aspect to allow people to know what the team is and focus on the them and what they do. I also think that when a team goes out on the field head to toe identical, it stands out a lot more than if you go out there dressed in whatever you wanted to wear that day. It makes a bigger impact, too.

This idea wasn’t so well-received at first, but I strongly believe it has made an impact.  This doesn’t exactly work for everyone and again it depends on what the dynamics of your team are and what point you are trying to get across.

What do you think your team members think of you?

HAHAHA. Oh this is a fun question and depending on the way I answer this, I have the feeling my team will give me a pretty hard time when they read this article.

In all honesty, I think the members of my team love and appreciate me as much as I love and appreciate them. I’m sure they see how hard I work to keep things going just like I see how much effort they put into everything they do. They don’t always understand the method to my madness, but they have stood by, supported and defended me in every way a team member could ask for. They put up with a lot of my stressed out attitude and they know I can be a little high-strung, but at the end of the day, they are all wonderful friends.

We all have our own individual quirks, but we stand by each other as both friends and a team. This applies to past and present members of RedCell and Regiment.

Do you remember the first time you played? What was your first impression about the sport and did it change as you kept on playing?

Yes, I remember my first time playing and boy was I a NOOOOOOOB! My first impression was that there is A LOT of gear involved, but it was one of the aspects I loved about airsoft.

As time went on, my passion for this industry only grew! I wanted to know more about the gear, meet new people and just represent the sport in any way I can. :) I felt that this industry has a lot of potential to grow. It just needs the right people and a helping hand in order to do so.

Since we’re on the topic of first times in airsoft, what was the first gun you used and what did you think of it? Would you recommend it to other beginners?

Haha! Well, seeing as my cousin is Jet “The Desert Fox”, the first gun I ever used was one of his decked out M4s so I’m not sure if that counts. If we are talking about the first gun I could call my own, it was a custom G&P M4. By the time I was done with that gun, it was an M249 in the form of an M4. My flash mags couldn’t keep up with it. Lol!

As for the recommendation, yes I would recommend it, but I would say change the CASV Rail to a standard carbine. The upgrades aren’t necessary --- it was just something I did for fun as the gun shoots great right out of the box!

Could you tell us of the most embarrassing thing that happened to you while playing?

Oh geez… I’m not sure. I have quite a few stories. I think the most embarrassing one would have to be when during a walk-on game, I took off at full speed and my A-TACS got caught in one of the field props. I got yanked back so hard that I fell on my tush and smacked my head on a barrel that was behind me. Thank god for a bump helmet. Haha! It looked a lot funnier than it sounds, but I found out that my A-TACS was pretty darn durable!

Many players get bored or lose interest in the sport as time passes. What keeps you interested in it?

Oooooo! The gear! I love the gear and the guns! I like building different loadouts and testing them out in the field.

Since most of the time I have sponsorship obligations, I like to change things up and go out there and play for just myself. Meaning no camera, no posting, just lil’ fun-sized me! Every once in a while, I like to play with different loadouts to keep my attention going. It also helps me figure out what works and what doesn’t.

What do your non-airsoft friends and family think of what you do?

Oh man, to be honest, I’m not sure. I think it’s one of three things just from a few conversations I’ve had.

One, most of them assume I run around and shoot guns. Two, some think I have probably joined the military. And three, which is the funniest one I’ve heard, they think I play a more military-looking game of paintball. It just depends on how much attention they pay to my social media.

If you didn’t get into airsoft, what do you think you’d be doing instead?

Hmmmmmmm... That is a very good question. I’m not really sure. To take a guess, I would probably say I’d be doing something graphic design-related seeing how that is my major at school. I never really even thought I’d be doing what I’m doing now in airsoft, so that really is a tough one for me to answer.

You were endorsed to me as the most famous female airsoft player in the U.S. Does this reputation affect how you play and deal with people around you?

Hahaha! No way. At least I don’t think it does. I was actually very surprised seeing that title as I never thought of myself as such, but if that is the reputation I’m being given, it is definitely an honor and I feel very special to have received such a huge name. I like to think of myself as just another player out there representing the industry and when it comes to people I meet in it, I treat them with the same amount of respect they treat me. I do my best to chat with all my supporters on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, at a field, event, etc. because I understand and I am fully aware that my position is very lucky and very blessed.

However, I don’t think it is something I should have a big head over or make a big deal about because I strongly believe that the people who support and take time to read and pay attention to my social media are the very people who have helped me get to where I am. Without them, I wouldn’t have this reputation or even have a name in the industry. I think they are just as important as anyone out there and I would personally like to just put out a BIG thank you because they have helped me grow tremendously in this industry as both a player and a spokesperson.

Has there ever been a moment after you got into airsoft when you stopped and realized that this sport could really help people on more than just a medium for entertainment?

Oh yes, definitely! I have realized how much this helps. I mean, look at foundations like WarFighter Airsoft. They use this industry to help veterans deal with their PTSD. Others I know use it to deal with their anger. I think airsoft has a lot of potential to help people. Personally, it just has to be given a chance to do so. :)

Do you think that what you do could change lives for the better? How so?

I would like to say yes to that question just because I’ve seen such an impact it can make on people. Prepare yourself of a mini Adella story time!

I met this family in airsoft when I first became a sponsored player and this little girl was so excited to meet me that I didn’t really think anything too crazy of it at the time. I just thought it was cool someone wanted to meet me.

As time passed, I ran into that girl’s father at one of the fields I was visiting. He mentioned how I met his little girl and gave her one of her very first airsoft patches, which happened to be one of my personal patches. He told me she was so excited to have received it that she keeps it in her room, hung up. He then said that she is now pursuing her acting classes and that she models her drive, determination, and attitude on how I am in the industry. Despite the hard time she was having, kept at it and took the “relentless” attitude. It made me laugh with him, using the pun on my name, but it was so heartwarming to hear.

I never really thought that I could have such an impact on someone’s life. It really made me always remember the way I am with people and how representing myself is very important. It changed my life as much as it did hers.

What’s the most difficult part for you about this sport?

OH! I know the perfect answer to this one! Keeping up! Hahaha! Because my schedule gets so busy and sponsorship obligations can get a little crazy at times, it tends to be a little difficult to keep up with everything I have to do on a day to day basis. It’s a good difficulty to have, though. :)

For you, what are the most important skills you need to develop as an airsoft player?

This is a fun question, I would say as a player, the most important skill you can develop is to search and assess. Be fully-aware of your surroundings--don’t be so focused on what is in front of you that you forget what is to your left, right, behind or sometimes above you. Take time to communicate with your team, and see for yourself how you will be affected by the move you are about to make.

What’s the coolest thing you’ve done thanks to your background in airsoft so far?

I would say the coolest thing I’ve done was produce some action videos. That car chase one we did was A LOT of fun! I have been able to do some pretty crazy things as a sponsored player and I can’t wait to see what my sponsors and friends will come up with this year.

To cap off, what’s next for you? Do you have any gear upgrades you’re planning, other sites and games you’ll be playing at, and events you’ll be dropping by?

Hahah I have quite a bit coming up. According to Valken, I should be hitting the East Coast area this year. I will be starting a new bi-weekly webshow with Spartan Leah. First episode airs June 8th at 7:30 PM and I am hosting an event at SC Village on August 10th called Op: Infiltration! So I hope to see you guys out there during any of the things I will be attending!