Paintball Mainstream

Contrary to the belief that paintball is nothing but tough young men playing "war" wearing camouflage in the woods, the popularity of the sport has increased to the point where some nine million Americans have played it. Paintball versions of Capture the Flag, and Elimination have become popular pastimes for every kind of group from church groups to sororities.

Paintball venues have hosted birthday parties and bachelor parties. Corporations have held team building exercises involving paintball. There are paintball clubs and events for almost every age and skill level. Kids as young as 10 can play paintball, and this is due to the sport having strict safety regulations and a good safety record.

But, doesn't it hurt to be hit by a paintball? The sensation has been likened to being snapped by a rubber band, stung by a bee, or hit with a wet towel. However, the general consensus among paintball enthusiasts is that after getting hit the first time, adrenaline takes over, and the sensation of actually being hit fades into the background.

The most common paintball game is Capture the Flag. While there are variations, the basic object of the game is for one team to capture the opposite team's flag, while protecting its own flag from being captured. Players are eliminated from the game after being hit by a paintball.

Simple games of elimination are also popular. These games are played until there is only one player still standing. Sometimes there are different rules, such as pretend "medics" who will examine a player who has been hit and decide if he or she is fit to return to the game. Part of the popularity of paintball is that it is not a sport in which success depends on physical size or age.

And while it is possible for the paintball fanatic to spend hundreds of dollars on equipment, for the casual player, $25 to $30 will rent the proper safety and paintball equipment for an afternoon of fast-paced fun. Commercial paintball parks feature different themed fields, such as woods, cityscapes, or replicas of famous battlefields. Such parks usually also feature speedball fields, which are populated with inflatable bunkers. There are even indoor paintball fields, making it an all-weather sport in places lucky enough to have these facilities.

Commercial paintball fields also offer perks such as locker rooms, picnic areas, and concessions. They are required to meet strict insurance regulations and employ referees to ensure the players' safety. In addition, commercial paintball parks monitor the velocity of paintballs with instruments called chronographs. The velocity of the paintballs depends on the ambient temperature for markers (guns) that use CO2 for propelling paintballs. This problem is less pervasive in indoor, climate-controlled settings.

With improved safety features and an improving public image, paintball has gone from being somewhat of a "fringe" sport to drawing grandparents, kids, and everyone in between. Part of the appeal is the stress relief of firing off a round of paint, and part of it is the strategic and tactical thinking that is involved in the game. Paintball is also a sport where size and youth do not necessarily confer success.

Because teamwork and communication are so important, clubs, church groups, and even corporations have enthusiastically embraced paintball games as a way for people to learn to work together and where everyone contributes. The large and growing popularity of paintball facilities and teams attests to its broad appeal.pa