I was a Jaws skipper awhile ago (and Jungle Cruise skipper briefly in my high school years). Trust me, I received bruises on my hip from banging into the rail on my side many a time during the fire scene when the boat gets tussled. Wanted to do a good show, and apparently being tossed around like a rag doll makes for good entertainment.
I also have done Kongfrontation a few times when they needed team members to fill in, and I would literally get bruises on my hands pretending to hit the button to stop the tram over and over. Again, wanted to put on a good show, at the cost of my limbs and hips.
For whatever reason, it seems Universal has moved completely away from spielers. No more Jaws, Kongfrontation, Disaster (spielers and entertainment). I think the fact that they get paid a little more has something to do with it, but more than likely, you save a lot of money by not having the position at all.
And of course consistency between shows has got to be a big part of it. I have had Kongfrontation and Jaws spielers that gave such a boring, dull, sad performance that it has ruined my entire visit, especially after waiting an hour to get on. If you're having a bad day, not feeling well (or just suck at your job) it can really put a damper on the show for everyone, especially if it's their first time riding.