Originally Posted By SuzieQ Setting the stage.... My son plays tournament level paintball. Last year, he played on a team competing all over California. They were 8th in the state for age 15 and under, even though they missed half of the tournaments that contributed to their ranking. After we went to World Cup in Orlando last October, he took a break from playing and has only recently started to play again. He's working at a local field that opened up a couple of months ago. Begin today's story.... ++++++ This morning I decided today was the day. After years of sitting on the sidelines, advising, managing a team, etc., it was time for me to actually fire a paintball gun and learn to play. My son was working at the field today. I comandeered his gear, showed up at the field for the afternoon session and got ready to play. They take a break between 12-1, and I got there just after noon with my lunch. I sat at a picnic table and ate about half. I was nervous! LOL I had my awesome custom jersey with my name on the back and sponsor logos all over (compliments of the last year's team). I had a pro-level $1,200 gun. I had the Team Elcipse gear bag. I had a mask that matched my jersey. I looked good! I didn't even know how to turn the dang'd gun on. Everyone at the field knows me, of course. I'm a paintball junkie. I need a 12-step program. The guy working the desk was all smiles. He charged me the employee price Just after I got my wrist band, my friend showed up with her 10 year old, Wyatt. Wyatt has just started playing. This is probably his 5th time at the field. His older brother played on the team with my son. Woo Hoo! I had someone to play with!! Wyatt's 2 friends showed up, and we were good to go. I'd filmed them playing a few weeks ago to get the hang of my new camera, so they already knew me. My son filled the compressed air tank for me (he worked the air table all day today), and showed me how to turn the gun on. Another guy told me if I played on his side of the field in any games, he'd have my back. A 3rd walked me over to the target range so he could set the gun within the acceptable velocity range for me, and sent me on my way. I walked on a field, the ref checked to make sure the gun was programmed correctly for me. They gave me advice (stay low, don't get hit.) Um, yeah. Figured that one out. It's good to be the mom! Okay, so the first game didn't go so hot. I was the first one out. There was a big birthday party there of 10 or 11 year old boys, so me and my little troops headed over to the field where all the other "newbies" were playing. I took out two kids, then got pegged in the head. At the end of the game, a 10 year old in cammies walked up and said "I hit you!" "Yeah? What color did you paint my hair?" "Pink" "Cool! You got some other color paint for next time so I can look tye-dyed by the end of the day?" I pegged him in the face mask with orange paint in the next game. Heh, heh, heh I felt like the Pied Piper all afternoon. I had a legion of 10 year olds following me from field to field. Thank goodness there was an adult group of newbies there, too, so I wasn't only shooting children. In one game, we had 5 or 6 on a side. It was down to me and a team mate against one player on the other team, who was doing a good job of keeping us trapped behind our bunkers. I did a run-through. Sprint down the field letting the paint fly while the guy is looking the other way and catch him in your hail of paint. Go me! Yeah, I did a run through on a 10 year old. He pegged me in the back as I was doing my victory dance. I have the bruise to prove it. Wyatt convinced me to trade guns with him and play two 1-on-1 games. Wyatt's got an inexpensive beginner's gun, which is sufficient for a kid of his age and skill level. With my son's gun, you can shoot 15 balls per second using two fingers on a double trigger. First 1-on-1 lasted less than a minute. I pegged him dead center in the face mask. Switch sides of the field. That game lasted 30 seconds. Wyatt pegged me dead center on the chest. I have the bruise to prove it. I came home filthy, my hair was all greasy looking from the head shot I took (I only got the one!), I had to take my shoes off before I got in the car. But by the end of the day, I was on the winning side and still in the game when they called Game Over. I took four guys out in my last hurrah before I packed up. I played from 1 -4 today. I'm hooked. I'm tough. And I've got a half dozen bruises to prove it.
Originally Posted By chickendumpling Great story! I love it! DH and one of his best friends were totalllly hooked on paintball for a long time so I heard all the stories and saw all those bruises and welts. OUCH! I think it is really cool that you got out on the field today. And were on the winning team! Woohoo!
Originally Posted By friendofdd Sounds a great adventure. I do think your mid-life crisis may be a few years early, though.
Originally Posted By mousegrl Sounds fun! I would love to play after a really stressful day or week. (Have never played). What a great way to get your aggression out! Love it!
Originally Posted By SuzieQ LOL - I think that's one of the reasons the sport is so appealing to teenage boys.
