Dameon Brown
English 1301 Pl.08
Dr. Brent Lynn
December 2, 2012
Paintballing
Ever dream of shooting your friends or coworkers? Perhaps you could get the chance if you offer to organize a competitive paintball event amongst your friends or even people at your job. It is a great way to promote teamwork, leadership, and relieve aggression. Paintballing is played all over the world and if you’re looking for an unbelievable time with lots of adrenaline rushes then paintballing could be your solution to endless enjoyment.
The first step is to check out local fields in your area. Typically the playing fields are crowded on the weekend. Most fields will open during the week for a group of twenty or more. Price is also a consideration because paintballing is an expensive hobby. Expect to pay at least eighty-five dollars for a case of paint, goggle rental, and a paintball gun rental. Buying an actual gun can cost anywhere from a hundred to three-hundred dollars. Preferably try to plan the outing when the weather is most comfortable for all of the players. Playing in the hundred degree Texas heat would be rough on most players and not as exciting due to dehydration.
On the day of the event, it is best to dress in layers. Being hit with a paintball hurts. I recommend wearing gloves and a protective helmet. Headshots seem to hurt the most on players of the game. Wearing comfortable shoes with good tread is most beneficial. Usually the playing fields are on grass or dirt surfaces. Most of the time the fields have food and drinks for sale but to be on the safe side bring water to be hydrated throughout the four hour session. The first stop after arriving at the field is the staging area. This area typically has tables to set your equipment on and other valuable items. After picking up the equipment from the staff the referee will discuss how the guns work, how to fill the paintball guns and most importantly the safety issues involving paintballing. The first is that everyone chronographs their guns to be equal to everyone else’s guns. Secondly always wear goggles. Eye injuries are the biggest injury risk of playing paintball and wearing goggles will prevent it. Always keep the barrel plugs in your weapon. That way if your finger accidentally pulls the trigger the barrel plug slows down the velocity of the paintball and likely will not cause an injury.
The playing fields have many different themes. The most common are courses with tires or tubes for bunkers. Fort and western city themes are also common across Texas. After walking to the playing field everyone is given armbands to wear meaning a different color for each team. They then divide into the appropriate teams and each team heads to opposite ends of the playing field. Organization is one of the key factors in playing. Be certain everyone on the team knows which bunker they are going to. Most of the time it is not a good idea for several people to crowd into a single bunker causing them to be seen easier by the opposing team. Typically, the referee will count down starting the match once all the players are set on the opposing teams. After the referee says go three times the players then run to their bunkers. Try to observe how the other team runs to their bunkers and relay this to your
