How to Start a Paintball Team

Organize your fellow players to work and practice together as a team and you'll intensify the thrill of the game.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Organize 5 to 15 paintballers you know and trust. Everyone should have his or her own equipment.

2. Play together and talk about organizing a team. Do you all have similar motivations and expectations?

3. Decide on a captain and a name for your team. The captain should be the most organized player, and a good leader, not necessarily the best player.

4. Seek sponsorship. Talk about what you would like from your sponsors (supplies, money, discounts, etc.) and explain to them what you will be doing in return (patronage, advertising, image). Be realistic and don't expect too much.

5. Find a home field. (See "How to Find a Paintball Field.") It should be somewhere local where you all like to play. Talk with the owner and see how he feels about your team calling his field "home." Offer to help referee and clean up in exchange for discounts or use of a practice field.

6. Play together as a team as much as possible, focusing on tactics and strategy. Talk before and after each game about what went right and wrong.

7. Enter a tournament and represent your sponsors well by displaying good sportsmanship whether you win or lose.

Tips & Warnings

• Choose people you like and trust over people who are good paintballers. In the end, it's about companionship and fun.
• Design a logo and make patches for your team to keep everyone united. Make a banner and bring it to the tournament.
• Your team can benefit by buying supplies, such as paintballs and compressed air, in bulk.
• Always wear eye protection around paintball guns.
• Observe proper paintball safety rules even when playing at your own field.

Who Can Help Sponsored

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[avorthni]

on 10/9/2008 I'm afraid I have to disagree with you, Anonymous. Whether the ref sees it or not, CALL YOURSELF OUT the moment a paintball breaks on you! That's called honesty, and honest players are the ones who make the game enjoyable. Hit players who keep on playing only earn distain.

[avorthni]

on 9/29/2006 Though others have mentioned it before, I'm going to emphasize it . . . PLAY AND LIVE WITH HONOR! Many people are prejudiced against paintball, in light of the "bad boy" image many paintballers project, and the instances of vandalism commited with paintball equipment. If you continually conduct yourself in a respectable manner, on and off the field, things will go well for your team. Your sponsors will be proud to have you representing them. Anti-paintball people who watch your progress will start thinking more positively. You could even become a local figurehead, depending on the sport's popularity in your area and what events (again, on or off-field) you participate in.

Volunteer, as a team, for community services and charitable events. Honor others. Shun drugs, tobacco, and alcohol abuse. Keep your language clean. Even the way you dress, the your haircut, and the kind of music you play (and the volume you play it at) can send a message about who you are. Be the kind of people parents wouldn't mind their kids being around. If one of your team members commits a felony, make it clear to everyone that you're ashamed of it, that you don't commend that behavior. Make it a goal your team for be recognized for its honesty and sportsmanship. Your team's success in the public eye is just as important -- if not MORE important -- as success on the field. PLAY AND LIVE WITH HONOR!

on 9/26/2006 When you play a game of paintball you have to be moving at the start and until you find cover. When you do find cover, find all your opponents and don't hide your face too long or you'll get bunkered (having someone charge and shoot you from 2 feet away). You can't ever stop shooting for an extended period of time, because not shooting means that the other team is under less fire and doesn't have to stay hidden at all. If you are on a 2+ v 1, then you have to get to a corner. If you stay centered then the opponents will charge on opposite sides and take you out. If you do get shot in any situation, don't go out. Wait until the ref forces you out because the ball may not have broken or the ref might not have seen it. Hope the tips helped.

on 8/8/2006 Everyone needs to have their own stuff or else the team will fall apart. If you're getting ready to practice and someone doesn't have their equipment, you have to wait longer for them to rent it. It will make everything easier if you have your own equipment.

on 7/25/2006 It is best to practice at a field you play at often. Not only do random players come in and test your skill against new opponents, you also build a bond with the field owner, which could lead to partial sponsorships down the road.