Part I of the series:
Introduction
What You’ll Learn In This Edition of "Your Kid Plays Paintball?"
- Paintball is big… really big
- Why boys (and men) really love paintball
- That girls can kick butt in this game
- Anyone can play
- That paintball is really safe if played within the established industry guidelines
Ten Million Players Strong (and counting)
And it’s safer than bowling… really
For about twenty years paintball was described by many in the mainstream media as the fastest growing sport in America, and with good reason. First played by eleven men in the woods of New Hampshire in 1981, just twenty one years later there were more than nine million people playing the game at least twelve times per year, according to the Sporting Goods and Manufacturers Association (SGMA). In that short time the game of paintball grew into a thriving half billion dollar industry. Now in 2009 the game is played in more than 100 countries, by millions of people each year. According to the SGMA more people participate annually in paintball games than racquetball, BMX, surfing, and scuba diving.
Paintball is a phenomenon that is almost indescribable. For teenage boys (and men) it brings back the memories of childhood games of army but it adds the elements of competition and realism that playing with toys just can’t duplicate. Paintball, especially at the recreational level, has a natural way of equalizing the playing field so almost anyone, any age, any size/shape and gender—can compete. Like a game of chess, paintball is very strategic. Those that can think and act quickly have an advantage. While athleticism is a plus, it’s not a must to play even competitively at a high level. A long time friend (and former on-field foe) Dale Price, who lost most of his left leg in a motorcycle accident, played paintball at the highest competitive level, captaining and playing on a team that competed nationally—and with great success. Girls play too. The Femmes Fatales were one of the first internationally competitive all-female tournament teams. Now there are several teams that have followed in their footsteps. There are many girls and women that play on mixed (men and women) upper level and professional teams as well.
Paintball is safe… very safe. According to The National Injury Information Clearinghouse of the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in Washington D. C. (say that ten times fast), paintball is safer than bowling, golf, fishing and handball. I’m not making this up. We’ll cover a lot more on this later.
So if you’re reading this I’m assuming you have a kid, or kids that want to play paintball, or already play. I’ll also make the assumption that you’re looking to learn more about the game. Maybe you’re concerned about the game’s safety. Maybe you’re wondering if your child is old enough to play. Maybe you’re just wondering if the field your kid wants to play at sells hotdogs. I don’t know. My goal is to answer those questions and about a thousand more in the next 150 pages. So…
Here’s what series will not do
It won’t teach your kid how to play the game from a tactical perspective. That’s another book for another time.
But it will help you understand the culture of the game. It will teach you a bit about paintball equipment and how to safely use and store it. It will cover everything from what you child should wear to the paintball field, to the cost of a day’s play and everything in between. If you’re nervous about allowing your son or daughter to play paintball I hope what you read here helps you to understand just how safe, fun, organized, and beneficial paintball is or can be. In the end it’s my goal not to sell you on the game, but to help you become informed enough about it to make educated buying and playing decisions with your family. Enjoy!
See Part II next Friday, January 30, 2009
