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DECEMBER 2008

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DECEMBER / 2008

CONTENTS F E AT U R E S

Event #4 8 XPSL The XPSL sets up in

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San Jose, California PHOTO BY GARY BAUM

By Toki Kinoshita & Gary Baum

PHOTO BY STEVEN M. HARDY

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28 Tippmann World Challenge X

Hell Survivors hosts Tippmann vs World

By Matt Aman

36 Smart Parts Factory Tour PSM gets the Golden Wonka Pass

By Dave Rotunda

X-Ball 4 42 Miami Rage Interview 18 CFOA Series Rolls into Charlotte, NC By Joshua D. Silverman

Who are the Men behind the Rage? By Bea Youngs

Staff Report

Join the Joy Tour in South Africa By Magued Idris

Houston Canceled! 46 Joy World Tour 2008 24 NPPL PSM explores a tough decision

D E P A R T M E N T S 52 HOTTIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . More Love from the Suicide Guys! 56 SPLAT SHOTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bad Jokes & Sweet Splats. 58 PAXSON’S PAGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Get your “Video” Game on. 64 PAINTING THE WORLD BLUE . . . . Blue & Deuce are Running & Gunning. 68 TACTICS W/GREG HASTINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . Be a Paintball Ninja. 72 PAINTBALL ON POINT . . . . . . . 5 Women, 100+ Awards, 3 Questions. 76 NEWS WITH A VIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Don Saavedra tells it like it is. 80 MARKER REVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . .Dave Rotunda Reviews the DM9. 86 PSM STYLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PSM Styles Greatest Hitz Part III. 92 DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fields & Stores Where PSM is Available. 94 CALENDAR OF EVENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Where the Games Are. 96 MARKETPLACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Get the Goods.

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PHOTO BY MATT AMAN

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COVER: Miami Rage

THIS PAGE: XPSL Take-down

PHOTOGRAPHER: Gary Baum

PHOTOGRAPHERS: Gary Baum

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Paintball Sports (ISSN: 1073-773x) December 2008, Volume 19 Number 230, is published monthly by Paintball Sports Magazine, LLC., 513 Commack Road, Deer Park, NY 11729. Periodical postage rates at Ronkonkoma Post Office 11779. Subscription rates in the U.S. $29.95, one year, $51.95, two years. Postmaster: Please send all address changes to Paintball Sports, 513 Commack Road, Deer Park, NY 11729. Copyright 2008 under the Universal Copyright Conventions and the International Copyright Convention. Not responsible for unsolicited materials. Submissions must be accompanied by self-addressed, stamped envelope. Publisher assumes no responsibilities in case of loss. All business and advertising inquires should be forwarded to Paintball Sports 631.676.7555. Editorial information should be forwarded to Paintball Sports, 513 Commack Road, Deer Park, NY 11729, Tel: 631.676.7555. Paintball Sports Magazine, LLC., as publisher of Paintball Sports Magazine, makes no representation of warranties concerning the products and services advertised or reported on herein, including, without limitation, the legality of the use, distribution or ownership thereof, and disclaims any and all liability arising from or in connection with the manufacture, distribution, ownership or use of such products and services. Reproduction without writer or photographer permission strictly prohibited. Main office number 631.676.7555.

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FROM THE EDITOR

PaintballSports

®

PUBLISHED BY Paintball Sports Magazine EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bea Youngs ART DIRECTOR Chris Vitale GRAPHIC ARTIST Jennifer Schellenberg

(L to R) Scott Berlemont (of Procaps) with Arianna Rae, Dawn & T.J. Allcot with Ashley Lyn and baby Gabriella Jean Lemanski My most favorite month of the year, by far, is December. Living in Florida, it stays pretty hot most of the year, but when December rolls around, it gets alot easier to breathe. December is also the month for gifts since most of us are celebrating Christmas, Hannukah, or Kwanza. The greatest gift of all, however, has to be the gift of life and this year, three of my friends gave birth to three baby girls! A friend of mine who is also the former editor-in-chief of this magazine, Dawn Allcot, and her husband, TJ Allcot, who also submits his photos to this magazine, welcomed their 6 pound 4 ounce, 19.5 inch, amazingly beautiful daughter, Ashley Lyn Allcot, into the world on October 12th! On the same day (October 12) as the Allcot's, other friends of mine, Scotty B. aka Scott Berlemont (of Procaps), and his gorgeous wife, Alana, gave birth to Arianna Rae, weighing in at 6 pounds 15 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches in length. But, before the Allcot's and the Berlemont's had their babies, the NPPL Vice President, Camille Lemanski and her husband, pro player on Team Infamous, Travis Lemanski, also became first time parents on September 3rd to Gabriella Jean, who weighed in at 6 lbs, 8 ounces, and was 18 inches long! Christmas is going to be extra special for these couples! Congratulations! December also marks the end of the paintball season for a majority of us and so for Mike and I, we will be ending the season at Wayne's World's Grand Finale. Starting December 6th, this 2-day event will hopefully bring the most female players to a paintball event in the history of our sport. For this event and beyond, I am calling on as many women as possible to attend this event and join me on my scenario team, Destiny Army. Ladies, all you have to do is come wearing a Destiny jersey that you can get at AnimalPaintball.com and you'll receive a discount off entry. This is all in an effort to get more women to play and will also be an opportunity for you to ask questions and get pointers from other women who play in the sport. Hope to see you at the Grand Finale event at Wayne's World in Ocala, Florida, and if you don't get a chance to go, don't worry; Destiny Army will be available to all women to join in on the fun in 2009. In the meantime, Happy Holidays and enjoy our December issue!

Bea Youngs Editor-In-Chief

PaintballSports

®

20 08 P SP W O R L D C U P • E M R C A S T L E • W . T . L . LETTERS Please e-mail us at [email protected] OR send your letter to Paintball Sports Magazine, Attn: Editorial Dept., 513 Commack Road, Deer Park, NY 11729. Please include the writer’s full name, address and phone number.

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SUBSCRIPTIONS For subscription services and inquiries, please call 631.386.6919 or visit us online at www.paintballsportsmag.com. ADVERTISING For ad rates or media kit, please e-mail [email protected] or call 631.386.6919

WOODSBALL EDITOR Jason "Foolybear" Lineberger TACTICAL EDITOR Greg Hastings TECH EDITOR Dave Rotunda CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dawn Allcot, James Dawson, Dale Ford, Dean Del Prete, Greg Hastings, Bruce Johnston, Jason Lineberger, Dave Norman, Jayson Orvis, Mike Paxson, Alex Pergament, Stephanie Prince, Chris Raehl, Becky Raikles, Jordan F. Ricks, Rob Rubin, Don Saavedra, Paul Sattler, Rich Struth, Jay Wilson, Jack Windsor PHOTOGRAPHERS T.J. Allcot, Matt Aman, Gary Baum, Gno Benedicto, Jason Bourassa, J.R. Chantry, James Dawson, Jamie Ford, Toby Gilreath, Steven M. Hardy, Jason Lineberger, Eric McCall, Rick Murray, Dave Payne, Alex Pergament, Brandon Showers, Skirmish Photos, Josh Silverman, Bruce Smith, Scott Stoddard, Rich Struth, Chris Vitale, Dan Voils NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Peg Sattler 631.386.6919 [email protected]

EDITORIAL [email protected] DECEMBER 2008 VOLUME 19 NUMBER 230

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE

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# XPSL EVENT

The XPSL sets up in San Jose, California, for their second to last event of the season.

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by Toki Kinoshita Photos by Gary Baum

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T

he vibrant skies of Northern California graced the grounds of Santa Clara Paintball Park on August 22nd to host the fourth event of the XPSL season. Seventy-one teams from all over the West Coast ventured to San Jose to vie for the title of XPSL Event #4 Champions. Since there are only five events in this series, event four is crucial in determining which of the teamswould be able to win the series as a whole. Many teams brought their “A” game, while others wilted away under the pressure.

Event #4 saw a deficiency of teams. The tournament hosted in Vegas had in attendance, 122 teams, compared to 71 this event. This fact may have contributed to the lack of major presence of vendors attending this event. Nonetheless, the lack of commercialism seemingly made the atmosphere of the event quite relaxed. What really made this venue tranquil were the perfect

weather and the atmosphere. The lounging area was shaded with tables, accompanied by free refreshments from Rockstar. One aspect enjoyed by the crowd was the music provided by the Square One/Tiki booth. The downtime between games would have definitely been less extravagant had they not been there to entertain. It was quite a scene watching paintball players dance around to their favorite tunes as they awaited their next game. Santa Clara Paintball has bred a handful of successful teams in the past, and the luminous scent of the drive for victory lay in the air. Though fewer teams participated in this event, there was not a lack of talent in each division. It seems that as the season continues, only the teams serious about competing in this series attend the final events. Alternatively, teams who do not normally compete in the XPSL can’t resist entering into these final events to take everyone by surprise. I’m sure that many of the teams were counting their blessings; SCP had just lain down new turf on a regulation-sized field before this event. Originally there were four fields, but when the schedules came out, only three were to be played on. While some sighed in relief, others were disappointed, for they had practiced the layout the weeks before.

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“It was quite a scene watching paintball players dance around to their favorite tunes as they awaited their next game.” tained the The novice division of XPSL con teams in 10 only With s. least amount of team day with Sun to it e mak can one , sion this divi let this fact fool quite a few losses. But, don’t al as brut as was tion peti you. The com a relentless ever. Team Fuzion seems to have r divithei of hy trop e plac first hold on the captured they ts, sion. In the previous two even looking not Jose San to e cam the gold, and they ever, how , ows to give it up. Lurking in the shad SCP s, pion cham e diat rme was last year’s inte that Santa Clara Epic. Yes, the SCP does mean y hadn’t played The . field e Paintball is their hom seems that it so ts, even ious prev any of the an XPSL ing winn for they came for the prize event - a pallet of Draxxus Paint. Sunday arrived. Fuzion retained their crown. SCP Epic fought valiantly for the title, yet Fuzion seems to be too strong of a team. This was their third event win in a row. Explicit XSV defeated Odonto in the finals to gain the 3rd place medal, leaving Odonto with the 4th.

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Only a few points separated the top 5 teams in the Intermediate Division. So, the importance of this event is equal to the last event. Sacramento Ambition and L.A. Distraction were the leaders of the series, and definitely the teams to beat. Fortunately for Sacramento Ambition, SCP is their home field. L.A.

“Only a few points separated the top 5 teams in the Intermediate Division. So, the importance of this event is equal to the last event..” Collision and Sacramento Ambition went undefeated in the preliminaries, while two of the top 5 teams, Posso Creek Posse and Sadistik did not make it to Sunday. XSPL Vegas’s winners, SLT, embarked on a journey all the way from Utah to compete in this event, as well. On Sunday, Sacramento Ambition and L.A. Collision were showing no signs of the dreaded “Sunday Curse” from winning all of their previous preliminary games. They swept through the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 to face each other in the finals for 1st and 2nd. After an exciting duel, Sacramento Ambition showed that SCP is definitely their territory. Though two of the other top five in this division stumbled, L.A. Distraction battled their way to the 3rd place medal, followed by Sin-Dicate for 4th place. Thus, this leaves Sacramento Ambition, L.A. Distraction, and L.A. Collision in place to vie for the final championship standings in event #5. Since, looking at all the divisions, this is the closest race, the finale will definitely be one to see.

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decided by The Rookie division was to be away the take to the ability of the other teams ents nqu Deli B.I. . NXN first place spot from t, winning even this in that just do to aspired s. It seemed as all of their preliminary matche at NXN, when defe to y read e wer they though the abyss to from e cam yet again, a SCP team sion, as divi this in s team the all challenge ious XPSL prev a ed well. SCP Edge never play very well ed orm perf they yet , event this year e “SCP” thes that in this division. It might be they have or , well very s field r teams know thei SCP ess, ardl an excellent practice facility. Reg from y awa e plac first take Edge attempted to nquentz had NXN, but failed. Though B.I. Deli to F.C in lost they , ance an excellent perform safe to say It’s h. finis e plac 4th a for ls the fina kie title, leaving that NXN has clinched the Roo in SC set t even l fina s rtles them an effo n is that they will Village. The word around tow e category in actually play in the intermediat in an tion order to spice up the competi . sion divi already heated XPSL at SC Expect the fifth installment of teams are y Man . ting exci Village to be quite rs, for their othe e whil e, prid r thei for fighting s. pion cham of ue spot in the XPSL leag

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CFOA XBall 4 The nations largest regional tournament series held its fourth X-Ball event of this year at PBC Sports Park in Charlotte, North Carolina. Story & Photos by Joshua D. Silverman

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he CFOA promoted its fourth X-Ball competition, and its eleventh tournament of the 2008 season on September 20 and 21, drawing eighteen teams. Hosted at Paintball Central Sports Park Charlotte, home of numerous CFOA events and the PSP Mid-Atlantic Open, the venue provided a complete X-Ball facility with gravel pits and regulation-size fields surfaced with lush, green grass. With the season winding down and teams focusing on series titles in addition to the event’s cash prize package, competition at the fourth CFOA X-Ball event was intense and exciting.

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Two divisions of play, APPA Division 2 and Division 3, were offered by the CFOA for its September X-Ball competition, which would be played on two fields. Instead of costly, cumbersome and complicated electronic scoreboards, the league utilized closed-circuit television, with scores, game times and penalties broadcasted into each team’s pit. The CFOA’s paid referee staff was bolstered at X-Ball Four by the return of two veterans, Walker Roland and Eddy Lawrence, to the corps. Their return, along with the hard work of the rest of the staff, ensured that games between clean teams were both competitive and fair, while teams playing dirty received every penalty they earned. Division Two competition at CFOA X-Ball Four consisted of four powerhouse teams, including two sister teams, Raiden and Raiden Black. They were joined in the fight for gold trophies and cash by perennial CFOA podium squad Dark Carnival and Infectious. In Division Three com-

petition, top teams like Red NRG and Cross-Eyed Paintball would be challenged for supremacy and prize money by up-and-coming squads like Adrenalin Army, Carolina Kartel, Carolina Quake and N10CD X, who could knock off any team in any game. Two gorgeous Carolina fall days greeted players with temperatures

Instead of costly, cumbersome and complicated electronic scoreboards, the league utilized closed-circuit television, with scores, game times and penalties broadcasted into each team’s pit. in the seventies, cool breezes and scattered clouds, allowing teams to focus less on the effects weather would have on their players and more on their games. Both X-Ball fields used for the event utilized the same layout, with a traditional, long snake down the spectator tape punctuated by small bricks and a “dorito” side with a large bumper, two large wedges and several Doritos near the pits.

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This layout provided teams with dedicated snake, Dorito and insert players with numerous options for getting up the field. Points at the event were won from the snake, down the Dorito side and even up the center of the field around the center X. In Division Three competition, Carolina Kartel got off to a strong start, muscling through everyone they faced. Red NRG, Adrenalin Army and Cross-Eyed Paintball Grey also got off to strong starts. In Division Two play, Raiden and Dark Carnival looked strong. Unfortunately due to the physically aggressive nature of X-Ball play, two serious injuries were suffered by players during the event, with one player severely breaking his ankle and another dislocating his shoulder. Both players were attended-to by qualified EMT and medical personnel. Sunday saw the final preliminary games of CFOA X-Ball Four, followed by the money rounds. With only four teams in attendance, Division Two play went straight to the finals, though the league offered the teams the opportunity to play semifinals. The D2 finals saw Raiden square off against CFOA rivals Dark Carnival for top honors, while Raiden Black took on Infectious for third place. In a hard-fought match, Dark Carnival finally threw the monkey off their backs and took home a gold trophy and a check for two thousand dollars, forcing Raiden to settle for second. Raiden’s sister team, Raiden Black, handled a battered Infectious squad

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Order of Finish

CFOA X-BALL 4 Division 2 XBall 1. Dark Carnival 2. Raiden 3. Raiden Black 4. Infectious Division 3 XBall 1. Cross-Eyed Paintball Grey 2. Adrenalin Army 3. Red NRG 4. Carolina Kartel CFOA Platinum Sponsors Dye Precision, KEE Action Sports, DXS Procaps

and took home third place. In Division Three late-round competition, Carolina Kartel was finally dealt a loss, forcing them into the consolation game against Red NRG for third place. Cross-Eyed Paintball Grey took to the field against a surging Adrenalin Army team to battle for first place and a large check. CrossEyed proved that they are still the organization to beat in Division Three CFOA X-Ball, as they took home top honors for the third time in four events. The Kartel ran out of steam in their last game of the day, as Red NRG bested them to take third overall, just behind Adrenalin Army. The fourth X-Ball event of the 2008

season proved a solid and successful one for the CFOA, still the nation’s largest regional tournament series. While eighteen teams doesn’t sound like much, this is still a three-team increase from the same event in 2007, and the entire CFOA X-Ball division has grown considerably while the entire paintball industry continues to persevere through challenging economic times. The final X-Ball event of the 2008 CFOA schedule, also the final event of the 2008 CFOA season, will be held at Carolina Paintball Park in November. For more information on the CFOA visit the league’s official website online at www.thecfoa.com

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NPPL Houston

Super 7 D E L L E CANC

s S o o c b a

Why canceling

the event was actually a

good idea.

Staff Report • Photos by Gary Baum

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a t a t

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uring the days of September 19th through the 21st, the NPPL Houston Super 7 event was scheduled to take place at Houston’s Reliant Stadium, but then Ike came along and ruined everything. Named after the energy company, Reliant Energy, the stadium is famous for hosting the Houston Livestock and Rodeo and the Houston Texans games, and is the first NFL stadium with a retractable roof and natural grass. Getting a chance to play on grass is always a nice perk, but the NPPL planned to roll out the astroturf atop the surround parking lot of the stadium. Unfortunately, when the hurricane came through, Ike ripped parts of that retractable roof off. When Sunday night rolled around, just 5 days before players would take to the playing fields, people started to hear from insiders that the NPPL Houston event would be canceled. Monday morning, September 15th, the official statement was posted on the NPPL website, which said, “The NPPL regrets to announce the cancellation of the entire Houston tournament and tradeshow.

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In light of the destruction and devastation caused by Hurricane Ike and the uncertain outlook for Houston and the surrounding areas we believe this is the correct decision. NPPL officials have been in constant contact with officials at Reliant Stadium, the hotels, airport and other key stakeholders related to our event; their assessment is that it could take several weeks before basic services will be fully and reliably restored. With this uncertainty and the long planning and execution needed for an exceptional NPPL event, we have also decided there will be no make-up date replacing the Houston event. We hope you join us in sending our thoughts and prayers to Houston and the region as they stabilize and rebuild. We invite all parties to join us at the upcoming San Diego event at Qualcomm Stadium November 14-16. Please check back to NPPL.com for updates and additional information. Ike was coined to be “the most massive Atlantic hurricane ever recorded” and by the time it reached Galveston late Friday night, just a week before the start of the Houston NPPL, it was a Category 2 with winds of 110mph (177 km/h). It extended 275 miles (443 km) and 120 miles (190 km) from the center. Now just because it was only a Category 2, you’d think that it wouldn’t do that much damage, right? Well, it did. A majority of people were without power just hours after the eye of the hurricane swept over the Houston area. According to CenterPoint Energy, they said 1.99 million customers of 2.26 million were without power on Saturday night. Having no power meant that some of the hotels would be without electricity and thus canceled reservations, some of which were reserved for incoming paintball teams. What was even worse was the traffic situation;

four-way intersections had to be treated like 4-way stops, which really slowed traffic down tremendously. Debris covered streets and even cows roamed freely, as fences were torn down from the massive wind damage. Forget about touring Houston because most of it would be under construction; broken windows and debris covered the streets. Furthermore, getting the gas necessary to travel was hard to find; the line at the gas pump was said to be about 2-hours long at some places, and other gas stations just ran out of gas. Many grocery stores and restaurants were closed, and even the ones that were opened were closing because they ran out of food. Both international airports of Houston were also closed, throwing the incoming/outgoing schedule out of whack.

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Reliant Stadium’s parking lot was taken over by FEMA storage trucks and volunteers, so even if the NPPL wanted to set up, it would’ve been an awkward situation to hold an event next to an organization trying to help those in need. Spectatorship would’ve been few and far between, as well, because most everyone in the local area was affected by the hurricane. Moving it to another location, too, meant making the phone calls necessary to then find a venue, sign the contracts, get the permits, move all the storage trucks with the NPPL set-up equipment, post the directions and hotel information on the NPPL website, on top of whatever else the teams need to get all the right information – it would’ve been a logistical nightmare. Done in haste, it still would’ve been a poorly prepared and rushed event. But you don’t have to take our word for it – ask John Tankersley of Houston. John Tankersley is said to be partly responsible for encouraging the NPPL to bring their event to the great state of Texas; Houston, more specifically. We also learned that Tankersley was in close communication with Shawn Walker about whether or not to cancel the event. Also known as “Tank”, he not only runs his own paintball field, Tank’s Paintball, and runs the Houston Rookie League (since 1998), but he was also formerly in charge of Regional Sales Development at Procaps Direct Inc. Married to Kellie with two daughters, Zoey, 9, and Lily, 1, he’s lived in Texas all his life. We asked Tankersley a few questions about the fourth largest city in the country, Houston, and also tried to get some answers from him on whether or not he felt it was the right decision to cancel. PSM: Bringing the NPPL event to Houston, why would it have been a good choice? TANKERSLEY: Texas has not had a NPPL since ‘98. Houston is a great city for hosting an event such as the NPPL since we have local airports and hotels of all price ranges and food and nightlife everywhere. Houston has a great personality and friendly folks. The weather is normally cooler and dry so it would be a perfect climate to play in. The players all over the US should at least get to see an event of this size at least once.

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PSM: When the hurricane was on its way, initially, why did you feel that the event would not be affected? TANKERSLEY: Ike was supposed to hit lower into Mexico, so at the time, it looked like it would not affect us here in Houston. We all know how that played out! PSM: When you saw the aftermath of the hurricane, why did you feel that it was a good idea to cancel? TANKERSLEY: I was in contact with Shawn [Shawn Walker, NPPL] on a daily basis and when Ike hit and I saw all the damage I called and suggested that Houston could not host the event, as it was that week. I was disappointed and knew at that point Houston would never host another NPPL ever! It hurt me to say no, do not have it now. I worked so hard along with other key people to get Houston this venue and now it was blown away. Hotels were damaged along with roads and a majority of people had no power (I was one of them). The airports were closed due to damage and a there was a set curfew that limited any travel at night. I felt, and Shawn agreed, that it was not a good time; with so much misery in the area, it was right to cancel and concentrate on repairing and healing the city of Houston. PSM: Was it better to have an event at maybe another place, even if it was at your field? Or was it better to just blame it on Mother Nature? TANKERSLEY: I do not feel any place at that time could host that size of an event and not create more turmoil. Mother Nature can be gentle, but she was pissed the day she came through Houston. Maybe she doesn’t like paintball? PSM: How difficult is it to reschedule to another venue? Are there permits, insurance, and the like to obtain prior to setting up? TANKERSLEY: Players do not realize what it takes to make an event happen, like when the NPPL goes to a major city. The logistics alone of setting up an event, along with coordinating staff and security is a full time gig. I am sure another venue could have been found, but to move all the

trucks and crews along with vendors, players, spectators; it would have meant to make a lot of changes and that would upset the balance more than need be. I feel the right call was made. Maybe think of it as a respect to all that suffered and lost their lives. PSM: What types of incentives should the NPPL offer to encourage Houston teams to come to the San Diego event? TANKERSLEY: That is a good question. I am working on inexpensive travel for all the Houston teams that want to play SD. Something that I’m working on is trying to get buses that will carry all the players and gear to SD and return them to Houston at a rate much cheaper than air travel. PSM: With some of the negative responses, what do you say to those that are complaining about losing $100 - $400? TANKERSLEY: I feel their pain for having gone through a loss of money, but as a Houstonian, I hope they can understand the pain we have felt here from all the damage and loss of life. Paintball is a sport and sometimes in the competitiveness, we forget feelings and compassion for others. I want all the players to know that we are disappointed that this happened and it has changed a lot of us in ways that cannot be put in words. I love the sport of paintball and players do have huge hearts and I have seen it come out from time to time. I want to thank all the players that sent words of encouragement to Houston. We are a great city and I am proud to be called a TEXAN. We will rise from this and TX teams will see you in SD. Want to get in touch with John “Tank” Tankersley? Go to www.TanksPaintball.com

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d l r o W n n a m Tipp

X e g n e l l a Ch After ten years, the battle continues between hardcore Tippmann users against the rest of the world. Story and Photos by Matt Aman

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ippmann World Challenge X is the last big game of the season and was held at Hell Survivors field in Pinckney, Michigan. Pinckey is just three miles away from the famous Hell, Michigan – Yes, Hell does exist, and it’s in Michigan. Just over 2,000 people live in the village of Pinckey and that’s where the Hell Survivors headquarters is located. www.paintballsportsmag.com

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For those of you that have no idea what the “Tippmann World Challenge” event is, it’s a 2-day scenario game where it is matches up Tippmann marker owners versus any other marker besides a Tippmann. The smacktalk between the non-Tippmann users aka “The World” against Tippmann players raged on in the forums on pbnation months before the games began. This is the one true time in the game of paintball where Tippmann owners can really show the world who owns the woods. Tippmanns? They’re for newbies… right? Tippmanns have always been portrayed as the marker for noob’s. Heck, most people started their paintball careers owning a Tippmann - I know I did. Tippmans are known for their reliability in all playing conditions, but they surely couldn’t compete with the “speedball” markers, could they? Most people would argue that an electronic marker is more accurate, faster, and all around better than a Tippmann. Well, I have news for you; Tippmanns can be upgraded into electronic markers, and Tippmann owners have a tendency to be more creative. Creative in the sense of welding 2 guns together and attaching 21-inch barrels to them; these babies can cut down trees they shoot so fast. A modded Tippmann is definitely a marker you don’t want to be caught in the sights with. Home Field Advantage Tippmann players also have a home field advantage. The typical speedball player wouldn’t step foot in the woods. Paintball was born in the woods, and so were Tippmanns when they first debuted. Playing in the woods requires military tactics and smart personnel. In woodsball, it’s not the marker you’re shooting that’s going to get you a win, but is the person behind the marker that will.

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The Beginning The two-day battle began with the infamous modified shotgun start. Each team started at their respective bases and the players who couldn’t make it out at the beginning of the game were inserted at the front of the playing field, which was right where the popular “castle rock” base sits. Each team was awarded points by shooting the opposing players. Generals were worth more points and so was hanging your flag at the bases. For every minute your team’s flag was hanging at that specific base, more points were also rewarded. There were a total of six bases available for points. If a team were to “own” every base on the field, the other team could reinsert their players anywhere on the map. Teams were also allowed to spend their team “money” on bombing missions where a small group of players could go around throwing grenades from their “airplane”, which in reality is just a rope that a group of players held onto until the ride time was up. Teams could also purchase mercenaries or tanks to send them out on missions to kill opposing players.

www.paintballsportsmag.com

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Ridiculously tough and amazingly fast...

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For less than you think. 17 bps without batteries!

The classic A-5 . Still affordable... and now available with new Selector Switch E-Grip™! ®

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Battle ready out of the box, the A-5 is renowned for its military appearance and if needed, can be easily field stripped in less than 60 seconds. Add in all the upgrades available, the legendary toughness and the industry leading 2-year warranty and you have a marker that is unmatched and virtually... indestructible.

®

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In the End The battle went both ways, but at the end of the day, the World team prevailed once again, which was a repeat of last year’s Tippmann World Challenge. This event being the tenth, so far, the World team has a total of 3 wins to Tippmann’s 7. The Tippmann side recently had a long streak of wins in the past, but on the upside, there’s always next year for those Tippmann owners to get their revenge. On Saturday, the Tippmann side was said to be a little more than the number of players that made up the World team, but it wasn’t by much. Each side had Generals; for the World team, it was Sean Scott, the Director of Promotions and Public Relations of Smart Parts, Inc., and his co-general, Bob Allison. Sean Scott shared, “We were behind by 65 points and we were having a really hard time on the field. Tippmann owned 75% of the field most of the time. We struggled, which I blame on myself for playing on the field. I was not off the field making sure the truck insertions were going in to support the farthest bases.” When the second half came, the World team was at about 1000 points. Scott didn’t play as much in the second half, but when he did, he went in with the intent to ensure Archie Bunker had the support it needed with airplane and truck insertions. They ended up 1000 points ahead for the day on Saturday. The red-fill paintballs made it a strange visual for the World team general, Sean Scott, when he said, “Every tree in the middle lost all of their leaves from the bottom to about 15 feet high. It was very strange looking, as they were all red… I have never seen a part of a forest that was cleared out like that, with that much paint everywhere.”

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When Sunday started, the World team were ahead by 2600 points. The World team had used planes and tanks to break through and take over most of the fields. The Tippmann side didn’t give up, and actually made a comeback. The intensity heated up between the Bravo and Archie zones, especially when the Tippmann team managed to have enough money to buy “Mercs”, which made it very difficult for the World side to keep them off. Even with the help from the Mercs, they did manage to close the gap, but not win in the end; the World team won by about 1800 points. About Hell… Hell Survivors, that is Hell Survivors is a great home for the Tippmann World Challenge. It is pleasantly placed on 180 acres of wooded swampy areas. The field consists of diverse playing areas ranging from 2 story castles and housed villages to dense woods and downed military equipment. Hell Survivors is home to four big games, which included the 12-hour scenario game, Global Conquest, the Michigan Monster Game, and the event mentioned in this article, the Tippmann World Challenge. Hell Survivors is also home to the Michigan qualifier for the SPPL. Additionally, Hell Survivors has two regulation sized 2008 X-ball fields. They were the first to develop and incorporate a bar code player ID tracking and score keeping system used at all their major events. This tracking system keeps scores up to date and readily available. Besides great games of paintball, players are also welcome to camp out on Hell Survivors property, which allows players to talk of their war stories after a day of the fast action big games. All in all, it’s a great field to play at, a field that values both safety and a good time. Be sure to check out next year’s big game schedule and pre-register (it’ll save you some money!).

www.HellSurvivors.com

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SMART PARTS

PSM gets the Golden Wonka Pass By Dave Rotunda

I

n August, Paintball Sports Magazine was allowed into the inner sanctum of one of the most guarded places in the sport of paintball, the Smart Parts factory and offices. They are as locked down as much as the NSA building and Castle Greyskull mixed up with a bit of NORAD thrown in for good measure, and they gave us an exclusive look behind the curtain.

In 1989, Smart Parts was started in the garage of Bill Gardner, who, along with his brother Adam, were players for the legendary All Americans. Their first product was customizing stock barrels from various manufacturers with spiral porting. What this did was let air escape before the ball left the end, which reduced the turbulence on the ball and allowing for a straighter shot. It also made the marker a lot quieter when fired. Since then, they’ve expanded into two separate buildings which are each greater than 100,000 square feet. The oldest, which housed the entire company until a couple years ago, now houses the manufacturing end of things. With 64 computer controlled milling machines, along with the facilities to either polish or bead blast every part made, this building is abuzz with activity by workers both human and non. That’s correct, they’ve got artificial intelligence, robots that do nothing but polish parts all day. A chore that is not only incredibly tedious,

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but hard for a human to create a consistent finish from part to part. This machine is the one that makes all the Freak barrels and Dynasty Shockers shiny. In fact, all the Shockers are polished after machining, even if they are going to end up with a matte finish. This is done to even out the profile of the milling and to create a more subtle overall feel. Not only are all the metal parts created in the old building, but it also houses the custom sublimation department. Since the early days, Smart Parts has manufactured most of their soft goods, as well as all of their custom clothing at their Western Pennsylvania location. Just recently, they started to produce some of it overseas. The Loyalhanna firm produces jerseys, pants and just about all else made from cloth with full color graphics for dozens of teams, stores and fields. Barrel blockers, tank covers, you name it, and they can make it to suit your every need.

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FACTORY TOUR

"They are as locked down as much as the NSA building and Castle Greyskull mixed up with a bit of NORAD thrown in for good measure."

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The thing that made a huge impression, was the fact that, in an era when companies in and out of the paintball industry are racing to move their manufacturing overseas to take advantage of cheaper labor and other costs, Smart Parts still produces just about everything in Pennsylvania. Only their plastics, non custom apparel and circuit boards are made abroad, and there is an effort being made to bring as much as possible back to the US according to the Marketing Departments Sean Scott. The other was the family-like atmosphere that surrounds the company. Of course, this is made easier by the fact that a great deal of the employees are related to one another. Husband and wife, at least a couple sets of brothers and the Gardner’s mother, keeping tabs on the payables and receivables, and father who still comes in from time to time to keep an eye on things.

"Smart Parts still produces just about everything in Pennsylvania."

About ten miles away from the machine shop is the “new” building. Originally a massive food processing plant with ceilings more than 30 ft high, Smart Parts is using it for multiple purposes. Half the space is used to house the corporate offices, assembly and warehousing. The other half is home to the All American Paintball Park, an indoor paintball field and pro shop. When one first enters the offices, there is little chance left for confusion as to where you are. The Smart Parts “crosshair” logo is everywhere, the front door handles come together to create one, the reception desk is half of one, the conference table has one that raises up in the middle to allow access to network ports and power outlets, and so on. Our visit coincided with the PSP North East Open. which was being held at the park, taking up a great deal of the facility’s parking and other resources. There was a skeleton crew working, including sales manager Graham Easton who was all over the building making sure the food vending was going well and dealing with dozens of visiting dealers. Leaving the office area, one enters the massive assembly area, the equipment is assembed, tested and packaged, ready for a player to use. Once assembed, they are delivered to the quality assurance area where each marker is test fired and the velocity is checked. All non-marker products are visually inspected and checked for proper function. Once packaged and shrunk wrapped, they are brought to the warehouse and await a visit from shipping manager and former All Americans’ player Chris Davis who will send them out to one of the hundreds of Smart Parts dealers worldwide. The All American Paintball Park uses the remainder of the building and a great deal of the surrounding property, with two regulation indoor air ball fields and three fields outside, adjacent to the building. There is also a full pro shop carrying all of the goodies made onsite. The park is operated year round as a public paintball field, hosting players of all levels. It’s not unusual to go there on any given weekend in the winter and see teams from all over the world preparing for the upcoming season. As successful as they are in international business, the Gardners still get excited about customers enjoying their products. We observed Adam Gardner becoming giddy when he saw kids buying ice cream from the food vendor. “It was my idea to sell Ice Cream here!!” he said.

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FeatureTemplate:Layout

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An Interview with Manager

Art Mendoza

of

Miami Rage By Bea Youngs photos By gary baum

A

s most of paintball’ e on is ge Ra al of Miami a professional lberto Carbaj ort, both as sp e th in s everyone dividual owners. Most ss successful in ne si bu d el paintball fi a firefighter athlete and a s and works as de si re he d no”, an , and he is calls him “Chi winter of 1969 e th in rn bo was age of 39 who in Miami. He ayers at the pl o pr st de is in tip of the ol age pros. He probably one en te e th nd circles arou s health has can still run d mentally. Hi an ly al ic ys in both ph as he’s been top condition, m for as long hi to , 98 ty 19 ri io pr ami in always been a nership of Mi ow e th er ov e ino took so owns Extrem the sport. Ch i Rage, he al am Mi n ow he does and not only orida. Hollywood, Fl Rage Park in

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This past September, Fox Sports Net filmed Carbajal’s segment for its Xtreme Paintball show. He is married with three children (two sons and a daughter), and along with everything else that keeps him very busy in his life, he needs assistance in the management of his pro team and its brother team in Division 2, “Miami Rage D2”. Carbajal wouldn’t let just anyone manage his team, and that’s why in 2005 he chose Art Mendoza. Rage has always been a Cuban dominated team, according to Mendoza. When asked about the stigma that’s associated with Rage as being sort of a “tough guy” team, he said, “Miami Cubans have very macho-type personalities. It’s not that we like that image, but we do embrace it. When the horn sounds, it’s like you’re going to war. When you go to war, you want your ‘baddest’ soldiers that are willing to do anything for the guy next to them.” When Mendoza was about 25 years old, Adrian Mederos, 6-year veteran on the Miami Rage roster and current Captain, invited Mendoza along to the Rage practices. Mendoza then started playing at RnT Paintball Field and he called it his home field for 2 years. “Those were some of the most fun times of my paintball career,” Mendoza said. He not only played for RnT Factory team, but also for TC Factory, Speed, Str8killas, and Miami Rage’s D2 team. It wasn’t until the early part of the 2005 season when he shifted gears from player to manager. Rage has gone through its own difficulties trying to keep the team afloat, and in the beginning, the team actually had huge support. When things started to get difficult with finding that support, however, Carbajal had to personally fund the team for awhile. Thanks to good financial management, the team survived and now, even greater sponsors like Mac Dev, Pro Caps, JT, NXe, Stiffi, and ViewLoader, are helping to keep the team in the competition. What’s extra special about Miami Rage, however, is the additional support they get for their Division 2 team from an NFL superstar, Oakland Raider’s Gerard Warren. Also known as “Big Money”, Mendoza said, “Warren has been one of my closest and dearest friends for the past 12 years.” He was born in Raiford, Florida, which is a North Florida town whose main attraction is a prison which employs a large percentage of the city. “His parents still live there and raise goats. His father did 3 tours in Vietnam and his 2nd and 3rd were both voluntary.” Warren left the University of Florida before his senior year and was the 3rd pick in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. While he was at the University of Florida, he received the Gene Ellenson Award as UF’s Most Inspiration Player in ’99. After his time with the Browns, he went to play for the Denver Broncos. Now playing for the Raiders, Mendoza said, “He’s a great guy. When I went to visit him in Oakland, I took about 15 friends of mine that I met through paintball to a Monday night game. He bought us all tickets. That’s the kind of guy he is.”

l about "What’s extra specia is the Miami Rage, however, they get for additional support am from an their Division 2 te and Raider’s NFL superstar, Oakl known as Gerard Warren. Also “Big Money.”

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Q&A

PSM: How did Gerard get “Big Money” as a nickname? Mendoza: Gerard a/k/a Big Money has been called that since the age of 7 when everybody knew, even at that young age, that he was going to play pro football. PSM: When did Gerard learn about paintball and decide to support the team? Mendoza: He saw how much fun I was having traveling to all the tournaments. He told me one day that he wanted to do that with me when he retired. So, I proposed a partnership with him and he is now 50/50 owners with me of the Miami Rage D2 team. He hasn’t played yet, since he does not want to risk any injury until he retires. His dedication to the kids is deep, though, and the first practice he came to was on a Saturday. He got into his hotel at 7:00 am and was at our team practice at 9:00 am, staying the whole day to watch the team play. He drove 6 hours to watch the kids play in Jacksonville. He really loves the kids and is already asking me what we need to do to get a pro spot and that whatever it is, to do it. PSM: Has Gerard ever played paintball before? Mendoza: What does he think about paintball? He loves the tournament scene, and he sees the great people that are involved in paintball. He wants to be part of it when he retires from football. PSM: Has Gerard ever tried to offer some training tips to Miami Rage? Mendoza: Not really training tips, but more inspirational speeches about being able to conquer anything you set your mind to. Like he says, he is the son of a goat herder, and he made it to the biggest sports stage in the world.

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PSM: What has been the success of Miami Rage's D2 team? Mendoza: Those kids are just amazing. They have been playing together for the past 2 years and play every weekend. Practicing against Rage, Tampa Bay Damage and Jersey Authority helps tremendously, and the D2 team definitely holds their own. The biggest formula to their success has rubbed off, too, I believe, from Big Money. There are absolutely no egos on the team.

www.MiamiRage.com

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emember Joy Division? The only team outside of the North American continent to play at the pro level was Sweden’s very own, Joy Division. After their “ disappearance” from this part of the world, the Canadians and Americans are wondering, where have all the Swedish cowboys gone? They went to South Africa and word on the streets is that they’re going to be playing in a big game with the Canucks. Magued Idris of Joy Division writes and talks about their South African Adventure.

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After our departure from the NPPL in 2007, our sponsor, Angel, aka “the artists formerly known as WDP” came up with a great idea. Why not send the team to new growing markets where Joy has a good fan base? Making appearances in other places while marketing the sponsors there made more sense than to send the team to the US five times a year. I mentioned the idea to the players, and nobody seemed to mind having the opportunity to visit new places. After more planning and talks with our other sponsors, a world tour plan took shape, which was as follows:

South Africa – Johannesburg in March with Blades & Triggers Canada – Toronto in August with Badlands Paintball Brazil – Sao Paulo in October with Gorillaz Paintball Malaysia – Terengganu in November with PALS Series

“We saw a grown male lion

called Gladiator, and he

wasn’t happy to see us at all.

It’s something special

to look into the eyes of

something that looks

at you like you’re food.”

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Draxxus and NXe also loved the idea, and Gary Baum from PaintballPhotography.com decided he wanted to be part of it. Our first stop was Johannesburg in South Africa. We arrived early in the morning, March 20th, after a 12-hour flight from Stockholm. What was really nice was that we didn’t have any jetlag since the timezone in Johannesburg was the same as that in Sweden (ah, the benefits of traveling North to South. We arrived in Johannesburg and finally saw the sun that we hadn’t seen for 4 months. It was shining and Ridwaan Ismail and David van Reenen from Blades & Triggers met us there. Maximus had already been in South Africa for a couple of weeks, but was stuck in Capdown for one more day. We went to eat lunch in the Greenstone shopping centre where David showed us his paintball shop. David is also the captain of South Africa’s team, Unleashed. Eating in South Africa is really inexpensive. A lunch with drinks and appetizers cost less than five Euros! What made it even more inexpensive was that David refused to have us pay for anything, and I mean anything! He pretty much paid for all of our meals every day, and he didn’t take “no” for an answer. David is approximately 2 meters long and built like a butcher, so we didn’t argue with him. After a quick stop buying meat for an army, we drove a couple of hours up to the wild life farm, Aloe Ridge. There, David had booked 2 huge bungalows. David immediately started the grill for a real South African barbeque called “Braai”. There, under a clean African night with more meat than even Maximus could eat and with lions roaming in the background, our first day in Africa ended. It was a great night exchanging paintball stories. The next morning, David took one of the open safari jeeps and drove us around the park looking for wild life. We saw antelopes, wildebeest, but managed to miss the rhinos. After some lunch (yes, more Braai), we went to visit the lions and cheetahs. We saw a grown male lion called Gladiator, and he wasn’t happy to see us at all. It’s something special to look into the eyes of something that looks at you like you’re food. We finally got to see two cheetah cubs only 3 months old and really playful. They didn’t seem to have the ability to retract their claws, so you had to handle them with care. Wearing shorts and handling cheetah cubs is a really bad combination. I don’t know what it is with cheetah cubs. Maybe it’s the fact that they might be the most beautiful creature God ever made, but we just couldn’t leave. When one of the cubs jumped on Karl and bit him in the throat, we all just tilted our heads to one side and said, “Awww, how sweet. He’s killing prey.” Then, one of the cubs managed to get stuck on Knut Andres private parts with his claws, and Knut tried to call out to the handler, “Help me, please!”

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We reluctantly left the wild life park, Aloe Ridge, and went back to Johannesburg. Ridwaan checked us into a lovely resort and after a quick change, we went to the paintball site, or should I say, the huge area where the RAND Festival is held. It’s a festival with live bands such as the Black Eyed Peas, food everywhere, extreme sports, including climbing, skateboarding, B biking, speed boating, and wakeboarding. The festival had over one million visitors during two weeks of operation. Ridwaan from Blades & Triggers had managed to secure a place in the festival where they put up a new Millennium field. We got the chance to play there for two days. Later that night, David took us out to a restaurant where they served the local cuisine, meat with a twist! Zebra, crocodile, giraffe, wilder beast, Thomson gospel and all kinds of birds. The next day, it was time to get some games going. We first went to Competitive Paintball’s Site where we picked up some Draxxus Silver paintballs. We also had a chance to meet the field owners and Draxxus distributor, Mike and Sabine, in South Africa. Sabine is maybe the best looking field owner we have ever seen! We played all day against team Dynamix and David’s team, Unleashed. Unfortunately, many teams seemed to not want to play aginst us and bailed out on Ridwaan. It’s a shame, too, since playing good teams is the fastest way to learn. Anyway, I think both Unleashed and Dynamix learned a lot during the weekend. For us, it was a great opportunity to practice the field, which was impossible back home during the Winter months' snowstorms. You could really see the difference from the beginning to the end of the practices in Dynamix and Unleashed. We, too, came away a better team. The South Africans are polite and helpful. Smiles wherever we went. We, now understand why Max makes the trip there every year. Overall, it was a great experience meeting players from Africa. Many of them had a chance to test out our Angels and they seemed to really love the new Fly A1. David was a bit worried about not giving us enough resistance during practice, but the Malaga results showed how much it did help us since we were able to practice outdoors on the actual field. That was an advantage for us that many European teams did not have prior to the Malaga event. So, thank you, David and Ridwaan for making it such a great experience! We hope we can make it back next year. The last night, we hung out at David’s place and believe it or not, we had a barbeque. Next stop on our World Tour is going to be Toronto, Canada, in August. Maybe not a new market, but rumor is, we are playing a Big Game that Badlands Paintball is throwing. We can’t wait, and we will be sure to give you a complete report about that trip. I just hope Brass Rails is still open. Finally, a big thanks to our World Tour sponsors – Angel Paintball Sports, NXe, Draxxus, and Gary Baum from PaintballPhotography.com.

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PHOTO BY STEVEN M. HARDY

PAINTBALL HOTTIES

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PHOTO BY CHRIS VITALE

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SPLAT SHOTS Photos by Gary Baum

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PAYNE PHOTO BY DAVID

10/29/08

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outhern California born and raised, Mike Paxson has been playing paintball since 1995 at the age of 15. His professional paintball career started in 2004 with the California Bushwackers. In 2005, he went to Chicago Aftershock to play in the NXL and during the ’06 season, he played alongside a team he coached during its rookie/novice years, Las Vegas LTZ. He has been teaching paintball camps and clinics since 2003 from not only within North America, but overseas in Hawaii and as far away as Australia. Currently, Mike is the coach and owner of all-female paintball team, Destiny, and is in his second season with one of the world's best pro teams, the Los Angeles Ironmen, the 2007 World Cup Champions, 2007 NXL Series Champions, and the 2008 Buffalo Super 7 Champions.

BY MIKE PAXSON PHOTOS BY GARY BAUM

Can playing video games like Call of Duty help you become a better paintballer? Or maybe there are just a lot of paintball players who happen to also play Call of Duty.

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ately, I’ve been getting in a lot of game time…video game time, that is. When I’m not practicing, competing in a tournament, teaching a clinic, or playing in a scenario, I’m usually either answering emails, writing my monthly articles I submit to this magazine, fishing, or playing Call of Duty on XBOX Live. When I do get on Live, I run into a lot of friends of mine who are considered famous paintballers in our sport. Some of the Ironmen play online like Nicky Cuba, Johnny Perchak, Greg Siewers, and former Ironmen alumni like Kevin “Catfish” Arcilla and Daryl Trent. Occasionally, I will run into some of the guys from Dynasty like Alex Fraige, Yosh Rau, Kevin “SK” Bredthauer, and recently retired, Brian “BC” Cole. Other famous players like Jon Richardson, Glenn Takemoto, brothers Rocky and Raymond Knuth, and Frank Connell also get on to play. Smart Parts owners Adam and Billy Gardner I see every once in awhile and CFOA Larry Motes and well-known writer/photographer, Josh Silverman, too. If I had the time, I would probably try to conduct my own survey of how many people actually play paintball that also play Call of Duty; I suspect that there’s a big number. But, just because you play an action video game like Call of Duty or a comparable game, does it also makes you a better paintballer? First, I will talk about the similarities between the two and also mention the benefits of playing action video games.

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RUNNING & SHOOTING I predict that in the near future, every household will have some kind of video game unit that allows you be in some sort of virtual reality. A virtual reality where you will actually get to run on say, something like a treadmill, to simulate the action of

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running, but for now, we’ll keep using our hands to do the running. I like to do a lot of running and shooting in the game because I’m trying to get the most kills. It’s a 50/50 chance that when I take off to run after enemies online, I’ll hopefully catch them off guard or I’ll just be more accurate in my shooting than they’ll be; so, I go for it. It’s the same idea when you play paintball when you take off running down the field, hoping to at least take out a key player. ELIMINATIONS

One of the goals in the game is to try and get the most kills. In a paintball setting, you always see people walking off a field bragging about how many “eliminations” they had in that

game. Of course, the front guys usually thinks that they’re the ones to get the kills, but sometimes it’s the players behind them that actually managed to hit the target. In a video game, however, it helps keep track of those kills for you.

NO GEAR NECESSARY

One of the benefits of playing the video game is the fact that you don’t have to gear up. The concept of playing the game is very similar to what’s being enacted in a game of paintball, but without having to wear all the equipment – now that’s a nice benefit.

FINDING OPPONENTS

When you’re trying to figure out where the opponents are on the field, you look for things like shadows.

y.

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PAXSON’S PAGES The same applies in the video game, Call of Duty. You can actually pick up on shadows to help you answer that famous question almost always heard on a paintball field, “Where they at?” Other things like watching for the direction of where the shots are coming from, too, help to track down where the enemy is located. Don’t forget to assume where the other players may be hiding, too.

ANTICIPATING MOVES

quickly remember to apply this to a real paintball game situation.

COMMUNICATION/TEAM WORK

When playing Call of Duty on XBOX Live, most people generally use a headset to either help each other in the game, or to smacktalk. Now we don’t use headsets in tournament paintball, but I know some people use them in scenarios and big games. Even though tournaments don’t have the use of headsets, communication still exists. Giving cues to your teammates helps win the battle instead of you trying to win the game all by yourself.

When I play, I’m constantly moving. I’m usually just trying to find whatever I can shoot because I can always “respawn” back into the game. While I’m tracking down the enemy, I’m also trying to anticipate their next move. "Researchers at Granted the bullets in the University the video game are supposed to be travelof Rochester, ing at a much faster rate than an actual New York, paintball does, but lead found that the opponent, anyway. Just like you would in action video paintball, shoot in front of the person you’re games help train playing against and the brain to hopefully, they’ll run right into your shots.

FIELD AWARENESS

better process certain visual information."

It’s easy to get tunnel vision when you’re so intent on getting the kill to the point where you forget about what’s on your other side. In other words, you forgot to look both ways. In the Call of Duty game, it’s the same idea, and whenever you catch yourself looking one way for too long, it’s time to look another direction. It’s harder in the video game, too, because unlike in paintball, generally the enemy is coming from one side. In a free for all, however, you constantly have to be checking your back and sides. Looking one way for too long, especially when you’re in a one-onone situation, can be disastrous, as well. Don’t ever lose where your opponent is, otherwise, it’s “game over” for you.

GETTING COVER

When you’re in a scenario game that has city fields full of empty buildings, you have to be in constant awareness of where to get cover when things get intense. Just like in Call of Duty, try to avoid staying out in the open by traveling close to the walls of buildings, looking for things to hide behind, and using the map to your advantage. Do this enough in the game and you’ll

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Much like when you play walk-on paintball, you want to get used to socializing yourself by basically talking to strangers in an effort to win the game. Playing Call of Duty can help you break out of your shyness, thus helping you to translate that during a game of paintball.

CONCEPT OF STRATEGY

You can really grasp the concept of strategy when you’re playing Call of Duty. Now, something like Greg Hastings Tournament Paintball can help you understand the tournament side of things, but a video game like Call of Duty can help you in a scenario paintball situation. Fulfilling objectives like you would in a scenario game like when you take over a building, for example. Assess the situation, work together by figuring out where the enemy is, finding people to team up with in an effort to clear a building, and then executing. When one person moves, you move. When someone is getting shot at, find out where they’re getting shot from and

shoot their attacker.

VISUAL SKILLS

Researchers at the University of Rochester, New York, did a study where they found that action video games, much like Call of Duty, helps train the brain to better process certain visual information. Gamers tend to be more aware of their surroundings, in other words, so in paintball terms, it probably means that we can pick up where the opposition is located faster than a non-video gamer. They also say that playing action video games might be a useful tool in order to train combat soldiers, believe it or not. "It is certainly good training for people in situations where they need to detect things in their visual environment at any time in any location, like ground troops going through uncharted territory," said Daphne Bavelier, an associate professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester. So, if it helps to train combat soldiers, in can certainly help train a paintballer. At the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, a clinical psychologist designed custom-made video games that help kids with A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Disorder is probably something that a good handful of paintballers have, in my opinion) by teaching them how to control their brainwave patterns. Now, I’m not saying that we should play more video games to get better at paintball, because quite frankly, nothing beats the real thing. Getting outside and exercising is definitely healthier for you, too, and probably much easier on the eyes. Everything in moderation, though. Does my playing Call of Duty help me play better paintball? I’d like to believe it does, especially after reading about the brain training I get visually, but all in all, playing a game like Call of Duty finds itself to be very similar to that of a good game of paintball. It’s safe to say that because of those similarities, it doesn’t surprise me that so many of us that play paintball are also playing action video games like Call of Duty.

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BluesTravels:Layout

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PAINTING THE WORLD BLUE

B Y B LU E & D E U CE H A N S E J T ’ S M A R K E T I N G P O W E R H O U S E , B L U E ’ S C R E W , TO U R S T H E C O U N T R Y A N D B R I D G E S T H E G A P B E TW E E N W O O D S A N D TO U R N E Y B A L L . N O W , H E A R F R O M B L U E ’ S C R E W I N P S M E V E R Y M O N T H !

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Welcome back to Painting the World with Blue and Deuce. Thank-you for joining us once again as we discuss the monthly activities of Running and Gunning, a premiere paintball field and internationally recognized paintball team. Things have been hopping with both EMR and Blue’s Crew since our introductory article with us attending two events and running two of our own. Partnering with JT SPORTS has made our hectic schedule so much easier by supplying top notch equipment that meets the Crews harsh demands and getting us great paint for our events at EMR; some important aspects that we do not need to worry about anymore. D: We attended Top Gun’s 20th anniversary event, the Alamo, back on August 10th and had a blast. Normally I would travel to this event with Blue, but this year I was out in Long Island visiting friends and family with my girlfriend, Christy. Dewar and Pixie happened to be out that way, as well, and decided to pick me up on their way back through. Getting a late start as usual, we didn’t get much sleep because of the long drive, so we pulled into the event in New Jersey around 7 AM, fueled by only 2 hours of sleep and our favorite selection of D&D coffee, doughnuts, and breakfast sandwiches. B: I was already there, fueled by my customary paintball breakfast of a large Pepsi and two Ice Cream Sandwiches, for which I take constant abuse. Hey, it has kept me going at paintball events for over 25 years (must be the iron stomach). D: We picked up another BC member, Kasper, along the way and met Blue and the rest of the Crew that morning. After setting up our full compound, which in itself is quite a feat, we played the game on the Texans side. The competition was top notch, the staffing was great and our JT gear worked flawlessly.

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B: It was a real pleasure to be there with our old friends Carl and Jim and we were honored to be a part of their 20th Anniversary Celebration. I loved the addition of their new 4500 psi fill station out in the dead box in the middle of the playing field. Carl and Jim have always strived to add new things to their facility to make it better and this game was no exception. We loved playing the Texans with overwhelming odds and fought to the bitter end. As Texans for the last three years, we will be there next year to try to hold the Alamo again. D: Our next event was the Tippmann Extravaganza held over Labor Day weekend at EMR which is a 26hour scenario game produced by Viper and hosted by Tippmann Sports. The game was called “Weird Wars II” and pitted the Americans against the Germans, but not in your typical war themed game as Viper brought in aspects of the cult and the undead. We are fortunate enough to work with a top notch Scenario game promoter like Viper, which makes our jobs a lot easier. For this event, Viper handles the game layout, missions, millions of game related questions and so on. Blue, Rick

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(aka Dead Guy) and I take care of the field set-up, staffing, registration, store and bunkhouse/campsite assignments. B: When Viper does our events, we always have him stay over an extra day or two so we can hang out with the players and then chill together for a day before packing him back off to Texas. Deuce and I even coerced him into staying a few days extra in New Orleans a few years back when we attended one of his events down there. It was tough, but we managed to make him stroll down Bourbon Street imbibing a few local beverages with us and indulging in some great Cajun cooking. For Castle Conquest at EMR, Blue’s Crew and I were on the attacker’s side which was directed by one of our home teams and referee squads, the Albany Marshals. The defenders were led by team Joint Fury and put up quite a fight. The weather was not nice to us and it rained the entire event, but never seemed to daunt the player’s spirits. The true Ballers were out in force and noone gave up and sat out. I was truly impressed. Despite the pouring rain, everyone went up the hill over and over and finally took the castle away from Joint Fury after a long hard fought battle. Kudos to Darthmag (Captain of the Albany Marshals); he rallied the troops again and again against the defenders. It was also nice to have some of our pro tourney Friends join the Crew in attacking the Castle. Alex Fraige and Yosh Rau of our JT SPORTS sister team DYNASTY were running and gunning all day long with the CREW and Matty Marshall and Greg Hastings also swelled the CREW’s ranks. After Castle Conquest, the players formed up and then we ran another attack and defend game, but out at FORT WORR, our Western Style Stockade Fort. The players loved us changing things up; it gave them a chance to play two different games on two different theme fields. The only thing I miss at Castle Conquest is the fact that Deuce can’t play alongside me like he has for 19 years now. Oh well, someone’s gotta work the event while the old guy leads the charges, eh?

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JT Rau of our h s o Y d n a nning Alex Fraige TY were ru S A N Y D m a r te e CREW SPORTS siste long with th y a d ll a g in n Hastings and gun ll and Greg a h s r a M y ranks. and Matt the CREW’s also swelled

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PAINTING THE WORLD BLUE

I was already there, fueled by my customary paintball breakfast of a large Pepsi and two Ice Cream Sandwiches, for which I take constant abuse.

D: Our last stop this fall was Fox4 in Massachusetts. The Crew made the trip up there to play in their one-day scenario, Stargate, held on October 18th. Once again running and gunning, the Crew played on the humans’ side in a bold attempt to hold off an alien invasion. The field layout created a lot of fun where you didn’t have to travel far to get into a good firefight, but you could also flank around the opposing side to try and get to their base. In the end, the humans came up just short, losing the game on the final battle. Blue’s Crew and company made a last ditch effort to get into the opposing teams base and steal back a prop that would decide the game, but came up just short as the final gun went off, ending the game. B: This was a great day full of back and forth battles and thanks to Kirk

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and Dave for hosting us at their event. We never miss this game in October and have it on next year’s schedule. D: Blue’s Crew and E.M.R. will be teaming up with Strategic Paintball to put on Sue’s Toys for Tots event at E.M.R. paintball Park this month. The game, Toy Box Wars II, showcases the good toys vs. the bad toys in a one day epic battle for toy supremacy. The entry fee for this event is just $20 worth of new toys that are then donated to the local Inter Faith charity. They distribute them to deserving families across Susquehanna County along with a full Christmas Dinner. E.M.R. runs this event every year to collect toys and raise money to help out the families in their county. For more info on this event or upcoming Blue’s Crew events, please check our webpage: www.EMRPaintball.com.

We invite all players to come run and gun with them anytime or just come out to shoot us. It’s all fun on the field. Off the field, stop by at the Blue’s Crew compound and hang out with us for a while, play some Greg Hastings video games, or chill out with a cool drink and a hot dog. Our next stop, we will be playing at Wayne’s World in Ocala Florida for the Grand Finale where we will be breaking out a few surprises from a new marketing partner, Black Point. No more getting chewed up by tanks for this group. We’ll be biting back with our new LAW Rocket Launchers. Be sure to check out exciting Paintball Video Action of all of the events that EMR produces and BLUE’S CREW attends at www.BluesCrewTV.com . In next month’s issue, we will discuss sponsorships, team building and anything crazy that happens between now and then. See you on the field. - BLUE & DEUCE

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Greg Tactics:News&Gear

10/28/08

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TACTICS

BY GREG HASTINGS

you too can become a true paintball ninja in all types of weather.

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ometimes your toughest opponent at the field is weather. Sometimes ya gotta play through hot and steamy days, sometimes cold and wind, or a combination of these, and let’s not forget heavy rain. What should you do? Go home? No way. In order to become a true paintball ninja, ya gotta gear up and plan to overcome crappy weather and still be able to perform at your best.

I had a practice one time with XSV at Eric Felix’s field out in the California desert. One minute it was warm and sunny; the next it was cold and snowing. That was a fun day. Playing with obscured vision from opponents and their flying paint definitely required an adjustment, in gear and in tactics. Last weekend, I played in the rain. Yeah, everyone hates to play paintball in the rain, even me. I used to just suck it up like everyone else and use my regular gear, but when I started to better prepare for the weather, I began to have much more success. Winning is always fun. With a lot more time playing in bad weather conditions, I am now able to adjust my gear and game play in order to dominate over those who are cold, wet and miserable. I think some players I shot that weekend were just glad to get off the field and get dry under cover. Some stayed to fight, and here’s how I beat ‘em.

FOOT GEAR

The first thing I adjusted was my gear. I started with my footwear. I bought some cheap hiking type boots. Ya know, the light weight, waterproof ones with a good tread on the bottom, and they were only 35 bucks. Mine are three quarter height, so I get good ankle support, too. They’re no big deal really, but I went to the hardware store and bought ½” sheet metal screws and screwed them into the main spikes on the sole of these suckers. Pow! The edge on the screw

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heads created an incredible grip on all surfaces, including log and wood structures. You will not slip with these installed. I have my whole squad on Misdirect using them. I started to see some other squads adopting this traction upgrade as well. I lose a few screws every once in awhile, so I just replace ‘em into the same holes. Yes, I occasionally have a screw loose! No problem. Hello! Good traction in bad terrain will most definitely give you an edge. Moving up hills or across wet, loose terrain at full speed while your opponent is less mobile is key. He may also be relying more on a fixed defense because of the bad weather, so that will allow you and your squad to have many more options on the fly.

RAIN GEAR

Rain gear is your friend, unless you are one of those knuckle heads trying to play in a poncho. I wasn’t going that route but needed to upgrade my rain protection immediately, so I went to Dick’s and bought a rain suit I found in the fishing section. I knew it was gonna be a wet one at the field. Now, I’m not talking about a big suit seen on Deadliest Catch, Im talking about a dark green, light weight, water proof jacket and pants. Although I was not totally dry, I was warm and reasonably dry during the heavy rain conditions. I was laughing at all the players in their regular jerseys. They did not look happy. I just pulled my hood up over my head and moved in with whoever was ready to attack.

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TACTICS

GET CRAFTY

The night before the event, I felt like it was 1987 again. I had to actually make a piece of gear for paintball, just like back in the day. I had my cans of brown and black spray paint out on my porch and made my green jacket a ghetto camo flavor. It looked awesome. My wife looked at me like I was a nut, as usual, but when nothing in the industry is available, ya gotta go old school and make it yourself.

Yeah, I shot a snotty one into my lenses and rubbed it in. As gross as that sounds, it worked well enough for me to finish my run. SPIT DOES WONDERS

Now, I was real disappointed in my goggles. I hate to be a hater, but…my goggles refused to stay clear. Yeah, I’ll hear from people that no goggle could stand up to heavy rain conditions, but I got all the way up the field where I ran into a girl who had crystal clear lenses! I was so mad. She had on the bottom of the line set of goggles with a single pane lens. I had brand new goggles on with a brand new lens and I couldn’t see a thing! I had to resort back to my scuba skills and spit in my goggles. Yeah, I shot a snotty one into my lenses and rubbed it in. As gross as that sounds, it worked well enough for me to finish my run. In my opinion, the more expensive double pane lenses are not worth it. Use the cheaper, single pane lenses and get this anti fog stuff they call “Cat Crap”. Look it up! Google is your friend.

THE RIGHT MARKER

In bad conditions, particularly in rain, first you’ll need to pick the best marker for the job. When it’s raining, you’ll need firepower. You could try and use a pump in very light rain, but the increased volume of shots will clear your barrel of water rather quickly and give you at least 3-5 strait shots out of 10. No matter what, you’ll need to get closer, but we’ll talk about that shortly. Some say a closed bolt is best in the rain, but ya know, I used my Ego when it was pouring and I was able to get off some rather accurate shots. Just keep your gun off the ground, out of the puddles and most guns will be good enough. Tucking your loader under you while you load fresh, dry paint will be your most effective way to get strait shots. I even tape up my loader a bit in order to close up the cracks around the hinges of my lid. Just a few drops of water will create havoc in your hopper! So, do whatever you can to keep your paint dry.

READY? SET… GO!

So you should be all good, right? You made some basic gear adjustments and now it’s time to get down to business. Ya gotta get closer to your opponent in order to counter any kind of weather. It’s that simple. Ya gotta have more patience and move using good cover at all times. Trust me, it comes in handy in the woods. You’ll need more time to scan with your eyes. You’ll need to rely on your site more because the rain will obscure your hearing.

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MADMEN HELP

So, with my hopper taped, my rain gear on, and my jacket pulled over my pack, I was able to stay in the game much longer, and in comfort. I most definitely felt ninja-like that day. I patiently moved laterally along the lines. I slowly probed for the openings between the known targets that had the best angles. I watched where my teammates were taking the most heat. By the way, I have to admit, the madmen who randomly run into the open in order to attack fixed positions, they really come in handy. These nuts really draw lots of attention, which allows me to crawl right up into the opponents lines. It’s quite awesome really! So…keep doing that, you idiots! I do appreciate you.

SHOOT AND SCOOT

In order to get as close as possible, you’re gonna have to crawl. Here’s where your patience and your camo will really pay off. The only real adjustment I made that wet weekend was once I got up close, I still tried to one-ball my targets. If I saw I was off, I went immediately to a burst to clean out my barrel and to make sure I marked them well enough. And since I was already on my belly, I could then change positions quickly. I knew my opponents could acquire my location easier because of my increased fire. Shoot and scoot! Works every time! The only hazard in all this is that you are very likely to be shot by your own guys at least once. So I got a few extra lumps on the back of my head; I enjoy the extra challenge. I personally like to challenge myself with all kinds of tough paintball situations. Tough situations like jumping on the team that has less players or take on packs of players at once - stuff like that. That’s why I always embrace the weather that is presented and on any particular day. It truly requires me to heighten my awareness. So if you’re geared up properly, you can move the weather down on the list of priorities and focus on the game. I would still prefer to not play in bad weather, but it’s not gonna stop me. I love mud. www.GregRedHastings.com

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POP:POP

10/29/08

9:57 PM

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PAINTBALL ON POINT

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lcome to POP, a monthly column dedicated to the sometimes wacky, sometimes turbulent, but always exhilarating world of woodsball. Each month I’ll cover scenariocentric topics such as mission tactics, scenario how-tos, team and player profiles, gear reviews, and the latest happenings in the world of recreational paintball. If you’ve played a game with me, you know I m rarely away from the tip of the action, and that’s the same approach you should come to expect from this column. Let me run point for you.

by Jason “Foolybear” Lineberger

Woodsball Women Speak Out

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5 Women, 100+ Awards, 3 Questions

ver the past few years the make-up of scenario paintball has changed. It s no longer the homogenous, male-oriented pastime for would be soldiers and gun enthusiasts that the mainstream media portrayed it to be, if it ever fit that description. At the last event I attended, most of the major teams rostered at least one woman, and many of them led the charges, at the Camp Blanding s MOUT site, clearing buildings in close quarters battle. Although men still make up the majority of players, women have gone from being a novelty at the field to making up as many as ten percent of the players, an upward trend that shows no sign of receding.

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The players quoted in this article have years of experience and an intimate understanding of scenario ‘ball. Collectively, they hold enough MVP, MVT, and other awards to fill a small Hall of Fame. Certainly these are, as a group, the most decorated scenario players I’ve had the honor to interview, and with all those awards and games under their belts, they have a wealth of insight into our current scene. I began the questions by asking them to explain their theories as to why women make up a small portion of the players at any scenario event.

Lisa Thompson (Capital Offense)

I think the biggest concern for most women is getting hit and how bad it will hurt. Also, there might be some hesitation because paintball is perceived to be a “guy’s game,” but I think that is changing a bit. I’ve found that sometimes, contrary to what many may believe, it’s easier for a woman to field command. Most of my experiences field commanding a group of guys that I’ve led into action, result in them saying, “Well if she’s charging that bunker I’d better charge it too”, and following through.

Barbi Purcell (Black Cat AllStars/Northern Rebels)

I believe women are drawn more to scenario paintball because it’s not just skill but strategy and endurance. On the other hand, I still think that the sales pitches, advertisements, posters and media that are portraying scantily dressed women as a sales ploy doesn't do much to

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Lee Ann Ferguson (ODX)

WOODSBALL WOMEN

draw women in. It is disrespectful, and I am not alone in this view. Any good product shouldn't need to have a woman in a bikini to sell it.

Ultimately, in regards to scenario play, I think that the whole “simulated” military environment may seem a bit intimidating to most women. The men of scenario paintball present themselves in a highly competitive, no-holds barred manner, and from an observational perspective, I’m not sure many women feel that they will fit well, or even survive that type of “play” environment. The women that do try to play scenarios often report that they battle with feeling like they have to “prove” themselves during the scenarios – and this often includes pushing the limits, ending up exhausted, and worrying the whole time that if they screw up, they will be told that it’s because they are a girl. How fun can that be? Paintball is a sport that defies the way the vast majority of women, from the time they are little, are socialized to play! Research has shown that from the minute we are born, the different genders are given different types of play roles – girls are typically not introduced to highly competitive, structured, simulated warfare, whereas boys are very likely to role-play as combatants. The girls who do show interest in this type of play are labeled hyper masculine and “tomboyish.”

With that on the record, I then asked about the increase in attendance among female players and their theories as to why their numbers are on the rise.

Pat “Peppermint Patty” Schneider (Hell Bent)

The quality of the markers has come a long way. They are lighter to carry and more reliable when on the field. Also, playing a 26-hour scenario game is great exercise, and it certainly lasts longer then an hour in the gym.

Lee Ann Ferguson (ODX)

We are the women who have moved beyond the socially “appropriate” gender roles. I find that there truly is nothing more satisfying than attempting to splatter paint on my husband and all of the other men in paintball with whom I am friends. I know many women paintballers who are absolute chameleons - in one environment, perfectly coiffed goddesses - in the woods, ruthless mercenaries of scenario paintball. I think the day where women come to scenario games to act as curvy props in the parking lot needs to end – they do a tremendous disservice to the women trying to credibly be a part of the scenario.

Barbi Purcell (Black Cat All-Stars/Northern Rebels)

Just as with any male dominated sport, it takes a while for women to break into it. Women are finding out that paintball isn't just a good way to exercise, but also a great way to spend a family weekend together, and for children get to see their parents in a whole new light. I found it was also a good way to teach them honor, integrity and team work and how not to be a quitter. I also liked the fact that my children got a chance to see their Mom lead a charge or snipe an opponent.

Barrie “NudiBear” Reid (Thunderstruck)

I think it’s because more and more females are interested in sharing time/hobbies with their significant others. That’s how I got into paintball. My husband wanted to play and as we do most everything together, we both jumped in, feet first. Finally, I gave these players a chance to spout off about the current state of affairs in scenario paintball. Here’s what they had to say…

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PAINTBALL ON POINT Pat “Peppermint Patty” Schneider (Hell Bent)

The amount of whining and crying from players before, during and after a game is more rampant then ever. I have seen, read and heard players say and do things that I would have taken my kids out behind the wood shed for - all from so-called adults. I have been on the losing end of a severe butt kicking and have also been on the winning side of the same, and in the end, it all comes down to the fact that one side came ready to play harder and was better prepared. I believe in good sportsmanship, and the day that I cannot lose as graciously as I win, I will be done.

Barrie “NudiBear” Reid (Thunderstruck)

My biggest gripe (right now) with scenario is also my biggest gripe with our society. Scenario has fallen into the trap of ‘everybody gets a blue ribbon.’ You can keep that ribbon ‘cause I want the ‘first place’ ribbon or the ‘best of show’ ribbon. I’m going to think hard and work hard and play hard to get it. This is not just how I play scenario, it’s also how I play Monopoly, live my life and raise my kids. I know this is supposed to be my hobby and for ‘fun’, but I take my fun very seriously. I play eight to fourteen scenario games a year. I spend too much money on this ‘hobby’ not to take it seriously and get every bit of ‘fun’ out of it I can. My brand of fun involves winning the game and the awards.

Lisa Thompson (Capital Offense)

I believe the state of paintball is in an interesting transition right now. I think it is still searching for its identity – is it speedball? Is it woodsball? Is it both? How can the sport continue to grow? I really haven’t heard very good answers for any of these questions. You have a sport that has drifted away from its bread-and-butter (woodsball), and I think you are starting to see some of the kick-back from that. I see far fewer father/son/daughter groups coming out to the fields and wonder if this has anything to do with the pace of the markers and the perception that new players just cannot compete against established players and/or the technology. The scenario world is, to me, a perfect blend of competitiveness and camaraderie that makes the sport fun.

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Barbi Purcell (Black Cat All-Stars/Northern Rebels)

I am disappointed with the fact that I see less and less role-playing in scenario paintball. It is becoming more of a "Big Game" than a scenario, and I would like to see the game get back to that. Some of the honor, integrity and just plain free-spirited fun are missing from the game I have grown to love. It used to be that Friday night before the game you'd see 60-70 people sitting around a campfire swapping stories and smack talk. Now, its all about who has the biggest banner, has received the most free equipment or is a member of the most sponsored team. Those of us who have been in paintball for years are trying to impress upon the up and coming new players that it's not who has the most free toys. Rather, it’s how you play the game. We also are putting our efforts into expanding our local paintball field. We are on a personal mission to bring back some of the fun scenario paintball has lost in the last few years.

Lee Ann Ferguson (ODX)

I’m seriously ticked off at the game producers that get by with charging astronomical entry fees and even more outrageous prices for paintballs. These producers are doing a terrible injustice to the sport by eliminating those people who do not have the fat wallets to play at their field. As a field owner, I know exactly what they buy paint for, and I know exactly the profit margin they are making on each case they sell. This is a sport that should make it affordable for everyone to play – not just the elitists who drive to the field in their hummers or huge RVs. I’ve seen more players in the last two years whip out credit cards to pay for paint and entry. I know these aren’t debit cards; I know that people are going in debt to play or aren’t playing because they can’t afford a $70 case of field grade paint. That makes me sad – this sport should preserve stress relief, allow for recreation and enjoyment – not send people to the poorhouse. I also get irritated at what appears to be a sense of apathy from the producers at some of the games we have attended. Huge prices, no organization, poor facilities, no safety protocols, poor reffing, bad paint, no water in the dead zones, underage drinking, fighting, etc. It makes the sport look bad. Also, from a woman’s perspective, I get really ticked off that the advertisers for scenario gear have decided that they will now use the whole “sex appeal” to sell equipment. Part of the joy of being a scenario player is donning the camo, getting dirty, and not having to worry about being ogled by guys. But then, I get a paintball magazine and there in the pages are the busty bimbos, half dressed, advertising the very equipment I possess. Wow – talk about getting under my skin. In my personal opinion – models for paintball equipment should be paintballers, not mannequins. That goes for the scenario games as well. Four years ago when I started in the sport, I went to games where the last thing you’d see was a bikini contest. Now, player parties include them, beer pong, and all the other things that drag down a great sport. I’d like to see the family-friendly and wallet-kind environment return.

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NEWS WITH A VIEW

I

Introducing Don Saavedra's views on the latest news released to the sport of paintball. Don has been playing paintball now for 6 years, and loves all aspects of the sport, from scenario to the tournament scene. He works with Monkey With a Gun Productions and is constantly in the "know" about what's going on in the world of p aintball. Don also stays up-to-date while interviewing the sport's top names while doing his weekly webcasting and live event coverage. Here's Don's take on what is new in the Paintball Industry and why you should care (or not).

by Don Saavedra

MOVIN’ ON UP O

r down, depending on how you hold your map. Gangstar Paintball, LLC has moved their operation from Buffalo, NY, to San Diego, CA. Buffalo - home of hot wings, Bills fans, and some waterfall-thing. San Diego - home of perfect weather, beautiful women, and paintball royalty like Alex Fraige and Matty Marshall. I can't imagine why they would want to do that. I've been to Buffalo and San

Diego. Sure, Buffalo is a lonely, dismal wasteland isolated from much of the paintball world. And, I guess San Diego is a beautiful, warm, happy place smack dab in the middle of the giants of the paintball industry, but this move is still baffling to me. What could they possibly hope to gain from this? For more info about Gangstar, keep searching these pages for reviews of their great products.

PULITZER FOR OLLIE? O

liver Lang has just finished writing a “How-To” training book called, Power Paintball, Tips, Tactics and Secrets. Who knew he could read and write! With how much energy and effort he spends staying at the top of the paintball world, it isn't hard to imagine that he'd have time for little else. "My name is Oliver Lang. I play for the Los Angeles Ironmen. I've been playing Paintball professionally for 10 years now. Let's face it, not everyone was born with a gun in hand. But with practice and the hundreds of new insights from my book, you'll blow past 'natural' athletes and guys that have years more playing experience." I'm

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skeptical of how much can actually be learned from a book. Most of you reading this probably don't remember Gun-Fu, The Martial Art of Paintball by Terry Adams. Well, I purchased that book when I first started, and while it was chock full of ideas, I never really made any progress with my game until I attended a Dynasty Clinic and studied under... guess who: Oliver Lang. However, I must admit that if anybody would be able to impart knowledge in book for in such a way that will benefit you, it would be Mr. Lang. So give it a try! I'll be giving it a try.

http://www.powerpaintball.net

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NEWS WITH A VIEW CALL IN THE HIT T

he L.A. Hitmen. No team in paintball has been more dominant this year, and you probably haven't even seen them play! Sonny Lopez and his team of killers have captured the series title in the OSC (3 years in a row!), won the Huntington Beach and Jacksonville NPPL OSC tournaments, XPSL Pump wins and would've

and learning about webcasting ever since the 2007 World Cup webcast put on, in part, by yours truly. Yes, I was so bad, Patrick decided to do it himself. Teaming up with Matty Marshall and backed by the PSP, Patrick has built a system that will advance all sports webcasting, not just Paintball. Of course, my expertise has been instrumental to the success of this project. I can confidently write, however, knowing that Patrick doesn't read my stuff and likely won't respond with the truth. Hopefully, the webcast is successful enough for the PSP to spring for coverage of all five

ALL NEW WEBSHOW! A

s you are reading this, World Cup has come and gone. But for me (the writer stuck in the past like some horrible time travel accident) it is still to come and I am just GIDDY over what I have seen so far concerning the PSP's new webcast, set to be debuted during the 2008 World Cup. Patrick Spohrer of Monkey With a Gun has spent a tremendous amount of time studying

THERE’S STILL HOPE

ME TOO! ME TOO! I

t's been a year for me writing for this column, and it's been quite a ride. Unfortunately, the ride must come to an end. Everybody at PSM has been fantastic, especially my Editor, Bea Youngs. Yeah, she's a big-time celebrity and is usually surrounded by paparazzi and bodyguards, but she took time out for a

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probably beaten both McCain and Obama for the Presidency if any of them were old enough to hold the office. And they're not. They're all younger than me. See? They just keep winning. With help from JTUSA, Full Clip USA, and the best social networking site on the net, ShareNow.com, they keep tearing it up. And, if it weren't for me, you'd probably never know they were there. Take that, Sonny Lopez! Now you owe me one!

L

auren's Hope was a charity tournament series held for the past 5 years to raise money to battle Sanfilippo Syndrome. This year, the fifth, the tournament will be held Dec. 13-14, featuring paintball personalities like Mike Paxson, Rocky Cagnoni, Nicky Cuba, Bea Youngs and hopefully Greg Hastings and a few more kind-hearted pros. This year, the tournament will be 3-man with the addition of a new division: 3-man Pump Xball. Yeah, you read that right... Pump Xball. Lauren passed away earlier this year, but the Lauren's Hope Foundation is continuing their work in raising money to fight the disease and to raise awareness. We're lucky that they have chosen paintball and we need to take advantage of this small-time mook like me, and I greatly appreciate it. She has a generosity of spirit that is extremely rare, and does so much for paintball that most people never get a chance to see. Mostly, though I'm writing this to ask all of the different news delivering agencies to please stop spamming my inbox with your silly paintball stuff. I'm moving on to bigger and better things: Hannah Montana concerts and Pokemon cards. BRING ME THAT HORIZON!

2009 PSP tournaments. Of course, that would mean I would have to somehow finagle 5 weeks of vacation from my job, but that's my personal hurdle. I bet if Keely Watson were to talk to my boss in person, there's no way he could say no to her.

opportunity to help in something this worthwhile. Even without the chance to raise money for this cause - PUMP XBALL! Too bad I live on the wrong coast, or I'd be doing more than just writing about this. I'd be priming my Phantom for some Xball action! This event will be held at Carolina Paintball Park in China Grove, NC (340 Beaver Loop Rd. NC 28023), just like last year, and entry will be $150 per team. There will be an opportunity to play with a pro in a 2-on-2 competition. People will pay to play, like they would in a 1on-1, but will have the assistance with a pro on their side. All for the charity. Get more details at PaintballSportsMag.com’s website or contact our Editor at [email protected].

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Review:Product Review

10/30/08

12:52 PM

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MARKER REVIEW

S

o DYE’s latest super marker, the DM9 came impossible to get back into place have been tossed out out about a month ago and three weeks later, into the street to fend for themselves. The air bleed that their flagship team The Ironmen took it to has been a feature with all of the DM series markers has World Cup and beat up some of the best teams on the been removed due to its redundancy when used in conplanet. I’m pretty sure Dave Youngblood couldn’t ask for junction with the stock Airport ASA that has been fitted on more for his October this year, oh wait they were using all markers post ’05, the magnetic ball detents have been DYE’s new loader too, but that’s another article. replaced with a rubber piece that fits around the eye pipe, Since ’04 the San Diego based firm has been producing which if it becomes fouled can be serviced in less than a an improved version of their Matrix line of markers at an minute and using no tools at all. Simply said, addition annual rate, and while there is an occasional flop in the through subtraction. bunch, the focus of creating the best spool valve marker As one would expect with a DYE marker, performance ever made has never wavered. The DM9 is in my eyes the is superb, accuracy rate of fire and ease of maintenance best one yet and I’ve had the joy of shooting every version are all top level. The Fuse bolt kit comes out of the of the Matrix, even when they were made in Canada by litback end of the marker with the twist of a hex key and tle people who smelt of cabbage. It’s smaller, lighter, more even the most sausage fingered should be able to clean aggressive looking and even dare I say more air efficient. and lube the marker in just seconds after a couple Cosmetically, DYE has taken a line of smooth, happy times through. Accuracy is controlled by four main faclooking markers and sent it to live in tors; the first is the ghetto for a while to toughen up, paint quality, if much like Trey Styles in Boyz in the the ball isn’t Hood. While it hung around there it round it’s not “The provided got to know how real life was and it going to fly came out a beast, with its soft, straight. DYE can’t Ultralite is the cookie-fed body reduced to the force you to put svelte, angular physique one good paint in the gold standard would expect from a something DM9, but it would be raised on the streets, fighting silly to spend almost for barrels, for every meal. It’s been $1300 on a marker and reduced to a marker designed then buy your paint in a the one that to do nothing but put people plastic bucket in the same in the dead-box, gone are place you buy your tires. every other the “extras” that often got The second factor is velociin the way of the desired ty consistency; DYE’s tiny aftermarket results. Things like the Hyper 3 inline regulator is built in air bleed that top notch and precisely contube is judged by had occasional leaks or trols the pressure entering the the magnetic ball firing chamber, which keeps in this sport.” detents on the DM8 your paint flying at the exact that were near speed from shot to shot.

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DYE

DM9 by Dave Rotunda

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Navy/Champagne

™

www.dyematrix.com

Call now for a 2009 catalog!

DYE P RECISION , I NC . U.S. PATENT # 5,613,483. OTHER U.S. AND INT’L PATENTS PENDING. C OVERED

BY ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING

© U.S. PATENTS , 5,613,483; 5,881,707; 5,967,133; 6,035,843

AND

6,474,326.

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™

THE CHOICE OF CHAMPIONS. ™

Introducing the all new DM9, with a host of new features, updates, and refinements, it continues the tradition of being one of the lightest, smallest, fastest and certainly the most accurate of paintball markers in the world.

• Improved one-piece Fuse™ bolt system operates at 145psi with an improved, shorter flow path resulting in a shorter over all length. The low operating pressure provides smooth operating performance with minimal shot bounce and noise. • No Eyeplates. The DM9 features a low-maintenance internal patent-pending Eye Pipe anti-chop sensing system that is self cleaning, providing trouble free high rates of fire. • New durable and super-flexible detents offer supreme tenderness to the most brittle of paint. New flex-spring geometry ensures that balls will not double feed into the breech. Housed within the new Eye Pipe system for easier access and installation. • The miniature modular internal LPR provides more efficient shot consistency. It allows the user to optimize efficiency and reduce kick. • Trigger Reach Adjustment allows the trigger’s reach and rake to be fully adjusted by the user for ultimate individual ergonomic comfort. • PSP, NPPL, Millennium, and NXL tournament legal software. • Weighing in at 1lb-15oz The DM9 is 3oz lighter then it's predecessor the DM8. All of these innovations, coupled with new 3D body styling and standard features like the patent pending Ultralite frame, Ultralite Sticky3™ grip, two piece 14” Ultralite barrel, cam lock feed neck, cast aluminum inset DYE logo, it’s easy to see why the DM9 is “The Choice of Champions”. Available Color Choices : Black, Graphite/Champagne, Claret/Black, Navy/Champagne, Clear/Black, Olive/Champagne.

DYE USA 10637 SCRIPPS SUMMIT COURT, SAN DIEGO, CA 92131 P.858.536.5183 F.858.536.5191 DYE EUROPE UNIT 1, ZK PARK, 23 COMMERCE WAY, CROYDON, SURREY CR0 4ZS, UNITED KINGDOM. P. +44 (0)20 8649 6330 F. +44 (0)20 8649 6339 DYE ASIA NO. 253, GUOJHONG RD., DALI CITY, TAICHUNG COUNTY 412, TAIWAN (R.O.C.), P +886 (0) 4-2407-9135 F +886 (0) 4-2407-2090 ©2009 DYE PRECISION, INC. THE STYLIZED “DYE” LOGO, THE “SPHERE” LOGO, THE “DM9” LOGO, THE UNIQUE MUZZLE BREAK DESIGN ON ALL DYE BARRELS, “THE CHOICE OF CHAMPIONS” AND “DESIGNED FOR THE ART OF WINNING” ARE EITHER REGISTERED TRADEMARKS, TRADEMARKS, OR DESIGN TRADEMARKS OF DYE PRECISION, INC.

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MARKER REVIEW

The third factor is barrel quality; DYE’s very first product was barrels, without them there would be no jerseys, markers or 53ft show trailers, it’s what put them on the map. The provided Ultralite is the gold standard for barrels, the one that every other aftermarket tube is judged by in this sport and this one provides ball on ball accuracy, just like my well seasoned 16 inch model. The final accuracy effect is marker stability; if your marker is bouncing around like a jackhammer when it’s fired, it’s going to be hard to keep it on target. The DM9 has less than two ounces of reciprocating mass since the only moving part is the bolt, and even then there’s only 60 psi sending it forward when the gun goes bang. This means the firing cycle is very smooth, keeping your barrel pointed directly at the bad guys and not bouncing all over the place letting him get away. On field, the DM9 is one of the most comfortable markers I’ve ever used; the main attributor is the hourglass shaped Ultralite grip frame which has become standard on all markers made by DYE or Proto as of this year. The top of the frame is much thinner than the bottom, allowing your hand to almost wrap all the way around the frame, which feels very nice. The DM9 also has a trigger with three points of swing adjustment, allowing the user to set the angle to their choice. The previous models felt a little “angled backward” for some folks, so now they can have their cake and throw it too. The lightweight body makes toting the Nine around pleasurable for even the longest periods of time, and now that it’s a bit more efficient, it means unless you’re shooting more than 1400 shots per game, you’re not going to have to screw a massive tank on there anymore. As previously mentioned in this article and every one ever written about a Matrix, this thing shoots like a chain-gun, even in the basic semi-auto firing mode. If you really must try and literally cut the competition in half, you have the option to set the circuit board to one of three different ramping firing modes, along with the capability of adjusting the rate of fire

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“The focus of creating the best spool valve marker ever made has never wavered.” to over 25 balls per second in these modes. It’s not the most practical, nor the most tournament legal to actually play in these settings, but it sure is fun to fool around with in the target range or at any field that allows. As one expects at this point from DYE, the DM9 is an amazing marker, they’ve either removed or replaced the weak links in the previous models and have produced a fantastic paintball gun. The proof is in the pudding, The Ironmen took a brand new marker into battle in the NXL, which is regarded as the toughest in the world and walked away winners after practicing with them for just a couple weeks. This isn’t something that happens very often. If you are looking to take your equipment to the next level, and you’re willing to spend serious money on doing so, the DM9 is a great choice; the system is tried, true and tested in every level of the sport and would serve well in any venue. More info; dyepaintball.com, or matrixowner.com

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Styles

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DIRECTORY OFFIELDS & STORES ARIZONA Paintball Unlimited AZ 6540 E. 22nd Street Tucson, AZ 85710 520.790.7995 CALIFORNIA California Paintball Supply 407 33 Chapel Way Unit E Fremont, CA 94538 510-440-0199 Castle Paintball 521 Industrial Drive Livingston, CA 95334 209.489.4002 www.castlepaintball.com Check Yourself Paintball 5785 Thornwood Dr. Goleta, CA 93117 805.967.6190 www.chkyourself.com

Predator Paintball Reloaded 4626 Watt Ave. Sacramento, CA 95660 916.482.4263 www.fixmyangel.com Rocken Paintball 849 W. San Marcos Blvd. San Marcos, CA 92078 760.471.8061 www.rockenpaintball.net Top Stitch 632 N. Market Street Redding, CA 96003 530.244.2220 www.westcoastpaintball.net

Delta Paintball 1820 Arnold Industrial Way Ste. B Concord, CA 94520 925.685.7141 www.deltapaintball.net

CONNECTICUT Xtreme Paintball 149 North Road East Windsor, CT 06088 860.627.6666 www.xtreme-paintball.com

Gorilla Paintball 5421 Alderin Ct. Bakersfield, CA 93313 661.834.3766 www.gorillapaintball.com

FLORIDA Hi-Tec Paintball Park P.O. Box 301 Bradenton, FL 34206 941.746.5866 www.hi-tecpaintball.com

J&S Surplus Inc. North Monterey Bay Hwy. 1 & N. Struve Rd. Moss Landing, CA 95039

Splat Attack 10129 SW 72nd St. Miami, FL 33173 305.412.9991 www.splatattack.com

Maximum Paintball Supples 4743 N Blackstone Ave. Fresno, CA 93726 559-222-3814 Paintball Jungle 516 Temple Way Vallejo, CA 94591 707-552-2426 Palmer’s Pursuit Shop 3951 Development Dr. #3 Sacramento, CA 95838 916.923.9676 www.palmer-pursuit.com

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Pev’s Paintball of SD 5208 Jackson Dr., ste. 111 La Mesa, CA 91941 www.pevspaintball.com

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Splat Attack 5979 S. University Drive Davie, FL 33328 954.358.2422 www.splatattack.com Stealth Operations, Inc. 11985 Collier Blvd., Unit 4 Naples, FL 34116 239.353.3201 Wayne’s World of Paintball 4841 S. Pine Ave. Ocala, FL 34480 352.401.1801 www.waynes.world.com

GEORGIA Athens Paintball Store: 2828 Lexington Rd. Athens, GA 30605 Field: 325 Lakeview Dr. Winterville, GA 30683 706.583.8600 [email protected] Monroe Paintball Works, LLC 320 S. Madison Ave Monroe, GA 30655 770.881.7421 www.monroepaintballworks.com ILLINOIS Fox Paintball Sports 1891 N. Farnsworth Ave. Aurora, IL 60505 630.585.5651 www.foxpaintball.com INDIANA Indy Extreme 9508 Haver Way Indianapolis, IN 46240 317.566.9115 www.indyextreme.net PB Sports 821 W. Coliseum Blvd. Ft. Wayne, IN 46808 260.471.4334 www.pbsports.com LOUISIANNA Gunfighter Paintball Proshop 2110 9th Street Mandeville, LA 70471 985.727.4370 www.gunfighterpaintball.com MARYLAND Outdoor Adventure Supply Inc. 1642 Sulphur Spring Road Baltimore, MD 21227 410.737.0800 www.oapaintball.com Outdoor Adventures Inc. Paintball Field & Pro Shop Routes 50 and 301 Bowie, MD 20715 800.456.6636 www.oapaintball.com Pev’s Paintball Park 800 Batavia Farm Road Rosedale, MD 21237 888.808.7937 www.pevspaintball.com

Pev’s Paintball Pro Shop 807 Eastern Blvd. Essex, MD 21221.3504 410.391.0222 www.pevspaintball.com Pev’s Paintball Pro Shop 1044 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 301.738.3200 www.pevspaintball.com Torrid Paintball Sports 13025 Wisteria Drive Germantown, MD 20874 301.528.4155 www.torridpaintball.com MICHIGAN Exotic Sportz - Taylor 23944 Eureka Rd. Taylor, MI 48180 734.878.2002 www.exoticsportz.com Exotic Sportz - Brighton 10002 East Grand River Brighton, MI 48116 810.229.6100 www.exoticsportz.com Hell Survivors Paintball Playfield 619 Pearl Street (D19) Pinckney, MI 48169 Open weekends only 734.878.5656 www.exoticsportz.com www.hellsurvivors.com MINNESOTA Splat Tag 2070 11th Ave. E North St. Paul, MN 55109 www.splattag.com NEW JERSEY Cousins Outdoor Field and Proshop 750 Route 539 Manchester NJ 08759 1.800.FLAG.007 www.CousinsPaintball.com E-Jam Paintball 208 Huyler St. S. Hackensack, NJ 07606 201.487.6542 www.ejampb.com

*An asteris venue Please

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Want your store listed in Paintball Sports Magazine and our website? Just call 631.386.6919 or email: [email protected]

Top Gun Paintball 567 Monmouth Rd. Cream Ridge, NJ 08514 732.928.2810 www.topgunpaintball.com

Hilltop Paintball 565 River Road Fort Plain, NY 13339 518.993.4200 www.hilltoppaintball.com

NEW YORK Arena Paintball 400 Patton Ave West Babylon, NY 11704 631-694-2707

Island Paintball Supplies 15 Bluebird Lane Huntington , NY 11743 1.631.423.9086 www.islandpaintball.net

Cousins Outdoor Field David Overton Road Coram, NY 11727 1.800.FLAG.007 www.CousinsPaintball.com

Montgomery Sporting Goods Paintball 32 Union St. (Rt. 211) Montgomery, NY 12549 845.457.4678 www.msgpaintball.net

Cousins Store 513 Commack Rd. Deer Park, NY 11729 631.243.1100 1.800.FLAG.007 www.CousinsPaintball.com

Cousins Paintball S.I. 2727 Arthur Kill Rd. Staten Island, NY 10309.1101 718.227.1400 www.cousinspaintball.com

Cousins Store 1157 Hempstead Turnpike Franklin Square, NY 11010 516.616.0520 1.800.FLAG.007 www.CousinsPaintball.com Cousins Indoor Field and Pro Shop 114 Parkway Drive South Hauppauge, NY 11788 1.800.FLAG.007 www.CousinsPaintball.com Cousins Store 2900 Route 112 Medford, NY 11763 631.698.3657 1.800.FLAG.007 www.CousinsPaintball.com Cousins Store 159 Main Street Mount Kisco, NY 10549 914.241.3294 1.800.FLAG.007 www.CousinsPaintball.com Cousins Outdoor Field Camp Sunset Road Plattekill, NY 12568 1.800.FLAG.007 www.CousinsPaintball.com

*An asterisk indicates that dates and/or venues are not yet confirmed. Please check websites for most

Paintball Arena 400 Patton Avenue West Babylon, NY 11704 631.694.2707 www.newyorkpaintballarena.com NORTH CAROLINA Line of Fire Paintfields 923 Gilreath Loop Road Horse Shoe, NC 28742 828.891.2399 www.lofpb.com Paintball Central 209 E. Creek Ridge Rd Greensboro, NC 27406 336.274.4002 www.pballcentral.com Paintball Central 648 Hanes Mall Blvd. Winston.Salem, NC 27103 336.794.3650 www.pballcentral.com Paintball Central 250-9 Creek Ridge Rd. Greensboro, NC 27408 336.274.4002 www.pballcentral.com

OHIO Central Ohio Paintball 3065 Silver Dr. Columbus, OH 43224 800.536.1104 614.784.1104 www.copaintball.com CO Pball Cleveland/Parma 5755 Ridge Rd. Parma, OH 44129 440.842.8035 www.copaintball.com OKLAHOMA Shaggy Brothers Paintball Supply 2328 W. Memorial Oklahoma City, OK 73134 405.936.0606 OREGON Paintball Palace 1820 West 7th Ave. Eugene, OR 97402 541.465.4766; fx 4776 www.paintballpalace.or.com www.nyoface.com PENNSYLVANIA E.M.R. Paintball Park PO Box 728, Rt. 706 & 601 New Milford, PA 18834 570.465.9622 www.emrpaintball.com TEXAS Dozers Paintball 17318 Englin Road Winnie, TX 77665 409.651.5156 Hit & Run Paintball 12245 County Rd. 528 Mansfield, TX 76063 817.461.7768 www.hitandrunpaintball.com Maximum Paintball 11503 E. 1604 N. Suite 103 Universal City,TX 78148 210.659.0424 VIRGINIA Pev’s Paintball Pro Shop 11204 Lee Highway, A.1 Fairfax, VA 22030 703.273.7732

Pev’s Paintball Pro Shop & Park 20136 Gant Lane Leesburg, VA 20175 703.771.3965 Pev’s Paintball Pro Shop 12185 Balls Ford Road Manassas, VA 20109 703.257.5090 Pev’s Paintball Pro Shop 2852 Jeff Davis Hwy, Ste. 607 Stafford, VA 22554 540.720.1319 Pev’s Paintball Pro Shop 50.A Pidgeon Hill Dr. Sterling, VA 20165 703.433.2282 Pev’s Paintball Pro Shop 13932 Jeff Davis Hwy Woodbridge, VA 22191 703.491.6505 WASHINGTON DoodleBug Sportz Indoor Arena & Pro.Shop 3326 Paine Ave. Everett, WA 98201 425.257.9771 voice 425.259.6375 fax www.doodlebugsportz.com CANADA H&H Paintball 136 Colborne St E Brantford, Ontario N3T5MI 519.750.0805 www.hhpaintball.com Procaps 6000 Kieran Saint.Laurent, QC Canada H4S 2B5 514.337.1779 NOVA SCOTIA Banshee Paintball 122 Portland Street Darmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y1H8 902.469.2255 www.bansheepaintball.com

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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ht Lauren’ s Hope Charity

s ule R A O F C g sin U s eam T an 3-M t en am rn Paintball Tou

Dec 13 & 14, 2008 ll Park Carolina PaintbaRoa d 340 Beaver Loop China Gove, NC 28023

In Memory of Lauren 06/07/08

5Divisioonns-2 with Pros. Beginner, Rookie, Novice, 3 Man Pump,

&a2

Bring your own paint!!

100% of proceeds goes to

Masters

Lauren’s Hope Foundation PO Box 80081 Simpsonville, SC 29680

Entry Fees:

• Beginner, Rookie, Novice, & Masters (35 and up) - $150 • 3 Man Pump X-Ball, best 2 out of 3 - $150 • 2 on 2 - with you and one pro. - $30

www.laurenshope.org

PRIZE FOR TOP

3 TEAMS

For Further Information ...or if you’d like to help in any way please contact Cat Green Home 864-862-0564 Cell 864-608-5004

5 Teams Will Receive

[email protected]

Free Registration

their Larry Modes will sponsor one team with team registration and the tournament itself team will sponsor 4 additional teams with their team registrations. To be in this drawing, your your must be filly registered with 3 players and team registration must be paid by Nov. 30, and 2008. We Will put the team names in a hat d draw one team for each division and refun their registrations.

Dye Paintball and Customs Products are once again Pro Sponsors of the 5th Annu ud Lauren’s Hope Charity Pa al intball Tournament.

Reg iste r at www .pai ntb all-p laye rs.o rg All Donations are tax deductible

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®

™

Unequaled quality, meticulous engineering and impeccable design are just a few of the reasons why Proto is the first name in paintball. Introducing the new Proto SLG Ultralite with patented Spool Valve Technology (SVT). SVT allows the gun to operate more consistently at lower operating pressure giving you 1500 shots on a 68/4500 air tank. In addition, the new multifunction, self-lubricating Force Button allows clearing the bolt without tools, acts as a cocking mechanism, and prevents unsafe disassembly of the marker when gassed up. The SLG Ultralite comes standard with the new Hyper3™ In-Line Air Regulator featuring higher flow, more consistency, and smoother velocity adjustment. Regular maintenance and cleaning are easy with one-tool-onescrew bolt breakdown. The Proto SLG Ultralite consists of solid construction using hardened steel sear, aluminum body and bolt, and a composite Ultralite frame and aluminum trigger. All this adds up to a tournament grade package you can afford. Available in Black, Olive, Cobalt, Clear. > Compact and Lightweight Single Tube Body Styling Weighing in at only 2lbs 2oz!

> New Solenoid with Increased Durability and Air Flow > Ultralite Aluminum Trigger

> Composite Ultralite Frame

> Proto Dual-Density Injection Sticky Grip

> Single Piece Micro Honed Proto Barrel

> LED Program Control with Four Tournament Modes

> Anti-chop Break Beam Eye System

> Orbital Rotating Sear Reduces Wear

> New Increased Flow Hyper3 In-line Air Regulator

> No-Rise Clamping Feed-Neck

> Proto Bottom-Line with Dovetail

> All New Self Closing Valve (SCV) 2 Piece Bolt

> Bolt Silencer, decreases noise and kick

> Self-Lubricating Force Button

> Super Low 145psi Operating Pressure

> Improved Battery Life

P

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®

®

T H E F I R S T N A M E I N PA I N T B A L L

PROTO USA - 10637 Scripps Summit Court, San Diego, CA 92131 P 858-536-5183 F 858-536-5191 PROTO Europe - UNIT 1, ZK Park, 23 Commerce Way, Croydon, Surrey CR0 4ZS, United Kingdom P+44 (0)20 8649 6330 F+44 (0)20 8649 6339 PROTO Asia - No. 253, Guojhong Rd., Dali City, Taichung County 412, Taiwan (R.O.C.), P +886 (0) 4-2407-9135 F +886 (0) 4-2407-2090 Copyright ©2009 DYE Precision, Inc. The stylized “proto” logo and the “P” logo are either registered trademarks, trademarks, or design trademarks of DYE Precision, Inc. U.S. Patent # 5,613,483. OTHER U.S. AND INT’L PATENTS PENDING. Covered by one or more of the following U.S. Patents, 5,613,483; 5,881,707; 5,967,133; 6,035,843 and 6,474,326.

www.protopaintball.com

Call now for a 2009 catalog.

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