kiwigat

Paintball is not an extreme sport. People don't like it when I say that. We have this idea in our heads that paintball belongs in the same realm as skate, bmx, freeclimbing and snowboarding in the Xgames. We love to say that paintball is "the only team extreme sport". It isn't, because it's not extreme. Now before you get all uppity let me explain myself. Paintball is definitely a sport, there is no question about that. It rewards physical endurance especially in the Raceto style formats, requires quick reflexes, communication, teamwork and speed. Better teams will normally win, just like any other true sport. But it's not extreme. In fact, treating paintball as an extreme sport will do more harm than good. First up, the pain factor. Rugby is not considered to be an extreme sport, but almost everything in rugby hurts more than getting shot with a paintball or even many paintballs. Simply being in the scrum hurts more than paintball. If you tackle s...

This is an info post for those who are considering developing a speedball problem, but even if you're not many of these skills will work well in a scenario game. I'll run through a few of the major differences you'll find in the way that speedballers play, the gear they use, and what you need to be competitive. I'll assume that people are already familiar with the safety and gear aspects of paintball. Me: Trained weekly with team Wellington Hybrid for a year or so under the tutelage of Martin Dannefaerd. Captained the end result of the Hybrid secondary team - EQM - for a year. Coached Nelson team Nurv for an event. I've played four or so of the "big" New Zealand events and a whole pile of local 5man events, as well as the HB triples and coaching an xball lite event in Chch. I'm nothing special by nationwide standards, but I think it's enough to know the basics. This article is essentially a mish mash of standard techniques I've picked up...