Hey everyone. I've been out of paintball for the better part of a decade. I was very active on the now-defunct A5/X7/98 OG series of forums for quite some time and was a moderator there. I also ran a paintball field (very outlaw but well-organized and popular in the local community) for around 6-7 years. Unfortunately, I had some very tragic personal life circumstances happen surrounding my involvement in the sport which I won't go into, and was struggling financially and professionally. I got burned out on it all, sold or gave away all my markers and gear, ghosted my involvement in the community and turned my focus to surviving. A few years later, I enlisted.
Fun story. When I went to my rate's aviation "A" school, my class had a morale event at a paintball field near the base. I wasn't enthused, but warmed up to the idea. The thing was, despite being healthy and active I was absolutely terrible at our weekly morale sports like football, ultimate frisbee, volley ball, baseball, etc. I was always one of the last students picked. I resolved to stave off the insecurity of sucking and to be a team player/have fun regardless, but I still got sneers and nasty comments about it on and off the field. I guess I was just that bad... but a lot of students also seemed to be using school as an excuse to relive their high school days. I figured this could finally be my moment to shine. So with the exception of a few buddies, I kept my experience quiet.
When we showed up at the field, I struck up some conversation with the staff. They gathered I was experienced based on seeing me help other students with their gear, but I asked them to keep it quiet as well. I told them how I was out for surprise redemption after getting my butt handed to me for months, and they agreed not to say anything. I was again one of the last people picked when forming up teams, but I could barely contain myself from grinning and laughing under my mask. The first game I went easy to get reoriented and add to the perception of being a newbie. I was one of the first people out and didn't hit anyone.
Then every game after, I zoned in and showed no mercy the rest of the day. It looked like I went from a zero to a hero after just one game. By the end of the day, there wasn't one student who hadn't been fairly hit by me at least once, and multiple games where I took out the majority of the opposite team by myself. The staff totally played along until everyone started figuring it out, and were getting the biggest kick out of it. My instructors were laughing hysterically at me wrecking the field and giving me high-fives because they'd all seen first-hand how terrible I was at other sports. Almost all the other students were getting a huge kick out of it too, and I quickly went to being the first person picked. A few students who didn't like me personally were visibly pissed. I was a legend for weeks after, was never picked last again for team sports no matter how badly I sucked, and started getting asked to help pick up teams myself (which I actually hated doing and declined when able). When I saw one of my instructors over a year later, it was the first thing he brought up. It was glorious.
I served six years of active duty altogether. I did my job well, kept my nose clean, and got to see, learn and do crazy stuff that not many get the chance to. I got out a year ago, and have been using the GI Bill to pursue my dream career since.
I never thought I'd come back into paintball, and I still have some bad vibes wrapped up in it. At the same time, I've been feeling the urge to find a way to redeem my crappy past around something I truly enjoyed and was confidently good at. My partner has also expressed a desire to play, but I've always turned her down. Something I never got to do though was play pump. After playing with semi-autos for years, I was leaning in the direction of picking up a pump like a CCI Phantom with one of those sick anodizing jobs to make playing more of a challenge. I also thought it would be cool to do pump+pistol only games at my field to change things up and make it more economical since paint was getting expensive. Sadly, I got out altogether before I ever got the chance. So here I am, looking around to see if any of the old online boards from my youth are still up and I find mcarterbrown!
Anyway, I'll be lurking/researching here to explore my next steps and see all I've missed over the last decade, and see if this is something I want to do again. Also will probably start looking for some used markers/gear. I still really want my dream pump, like a CCI Phantom or something similar... maybe there's even better stuff out there to be had now. My spouse is thrilled and wants one too. I think getting into the sport this way will help me reintegrate in a very new and unfamiliar way that won't be as reminiscent of my past experience. I'm also a disabled vet now... maybe this is my inexperience of the pump world showing, but I'm hoping I'd be able to take it a little easier on my body in games where there aren't walls of paint being slung everywhere.
Anyways if you read my introduction, thanks. You'll prob see me around!
Fun story. When I went to my rate's aviation "A" school, my class had a morale event at a paintball field near the base. I wasn't enthused, but warmed up to the idea. The thing was, despite being healthy and active I was absolutely terrible at our weekly morale sports like football, ultimate frisbee, volley ball, baseball, etc. I was always one of the last students picked. I resolved to stave off the insecurity of sucking and to be a team player/have fun regardless, but I still got sneers and nasty comments about it on and off the field. I guess I was just that bad... but a lot of students also seemed to be using school as an excuse to relive their high school days. I figured this could finally be my moment to shine. So with the exception of a few buddies, I kept my experience quiet.
When we showed up at the field, I struck up some conversation with the staff. They gathered I was experienced based on seeing me help other students with their gear, but I asked them to keep it quiet as well. I told them how I was out for surprise redemption after getting my butt handed to me for months, and they agreed not to say anything. I was again one of the last people picked when forming up teams, but I could barely contain myself from grinning and laughing under my mask. The first game I went easy to get reoriented and add to the perception of being a newbie. I was one of the first people out and didn't hit anyone.
Then every game after, I zoned in and showed no mercy the rest of the day. It looked like I went from a zero to a hero after just one game. By the end of the day, there wasn't one student who hadn't been fairly hit by me at least once, and multiple games where I took out the majority of the opposite team by myself. The staff totally played along until everyone started figuring it out, and were getting the biggest kick out of it. My instructors were laughing hysterically at me wrecking the field and giving me high-fives because they'd all seen first-hand how terrible I was at other sports. Almost all the other students were getting a huge kick out of it too, and I quickly went to being the first person picked. A few students who didn't like me personally were visibly pissed. I was a legend for weeks after, was never picked last again for team sports no matter how badly I sucked, and started getting asked to help pick up teams myself (which I actually hated doing and declined when able). When I saw one of my instructors over a year later, it was the first thing he brought up. It was glorious.
I served six years of active duty altogether. I did my job well, kept my nose clean, and got to see, learn and do crazy stuff that not many get the chance to. I got out a year ago, and have been using the GI Bill to pursue my dream career since.
I never thought I'd come back into paintball, and I still have some bad vibes wrapped up in it. At the same time, I've been feeling the urge to find a way to redeem my crappy past around something I truly enjoyed and was confidently good at. My partner has also expressed a desire to play, but I've always turned her down. Something I never got to do though was play pump. After playing with semi-autos for years, I was leaning in the direction of picking up a pump like a CCI Phantom with one of those sick anodizing jobs to make playing more of a challenge. I also thought it would be cool to do pump+pistol only games at my field to change things up and make it more economical since paint was getting expensive. Sadly, I got out altogether before I ever got the chance. So here I am, looking around to see if any of the old online boards from my youth are still up and I find mcarterbrown!
Anyway, I'll be lurking/researching here to explore my next steps and see all I've missed over the last decade, and see if this is something I want to do again. Also will probably start looking for some used markers/gear. I still really want my dream pump, like a CCI Phantom or something similar... maybe there's even better stuff out there to be had now. My spouse is thrilled and wants one too. I think getting into the sport this way will help me reintegrate in a very new and unfamiliar way that won't be as reminiscent of my past experience. I'm also a disabled vet now... maybe this is my inexperience of the pump world showing, but I'm hoping I'd be able to take it a little easier on my body in games where there aren't walls of paint being slung everywhere.
Anyways if you read my introduction, thanks. You'll prob see me around!
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