Aiming for fun

Paintball is making a comeback, particularly among the teenage crowd.

The last few years have seen a resurgence in the sport's popularity.

"(Paintball) is exhilarating and one of the fastest, most intense games out there," said Ryan Grimmet, a freshman at Central Valley. "In paintball, it's me, you and the other guy in all-out warfare."

Paintball fans say some people have a misconception about the game involving warrior-types in the forest, randomly shooting at each other. In fact, the sport involves a lot of skill and strategic planning.

"This has become a youth sport," said Thad Dunlavy, one of the owners of Camokaze Paintball Supply on North Monroe. "It's not the Nazi-Rambo type. That mentality doesn't last long in the sport ..."

In fact, "it's a humbling sport," Dunlavy said, noting that players who think they can win by brawn alone usually get splattered in paint.

Paintball can be played several ways.

Most participants play a game called "Capture the Flag," where two teams work to eliminate their opponents. This is the game played in most tournaments.

Other paintball devotees play a survival-type game where a player's only goal is to eliminate the other team's members.

Like football, paintball participants play positions. Back players generally stay near the back of the field, firing paintballs almost continuously. At the professional level, some back players fire nearly 2,700 paintballs during a game.

Mid-players roam near the middle, moving to the front or the back as needed. And front players try to move forward and gain key positions on the opponents' field.

Paintball is slowly making its way into the mainstream sporting world. Several networks, including ABC, Fox and Outdoor Life, are considering airing professional paintball on television.

The Spokane area has three paintball fields that attract teen players: The Paintball Shak downtown, and Tactical Assaults and Virtual Assault in the Valley. Neverwood Paintball is located in Chattaroy.

The cost to play paintball may seem daunting at first, but Dunlavy said it's about the same price or less than many mainstream sports.

"It's comparable to any kind of entertainment," he said.

A complete paintball package costs about $130 at Camokaze, Dunlavy said. That includes a mask, gun and carbon dioxide tank. A case of paintballs costs about $45. Renting a field for four hours costs about $25 a person.

"Face and eye protection are the most important thing," Dunlavy said.

Aside from fears about eye and face injuries, some people may be scared the paintballs hurt when they hit. All local fields limit how fast the paintballs can be shot, so most of the injuries involve bruises or small welts.

Despite worries about pain, Dunlavy said the sport is "very addictive."

Dale Price, a professional paintball player from Salt Lake City, agrees.

"Paintball is different than any other sport because it involves so many younger demographics than any other sport, and the younger demographic can compete equally with the older demographic," he said. "Fourteen and 15-year-olds can play a 30-year-old person and compete evenly."

Nathan Paul, a Running Start student, finds that element of the game particularly attractive.

"I like paintball because I can go out and shoot my dad, and he doesn't get mad," Paul said.

Paul also likes the way the game makes him feel, he said. It's "the rush, the adrenaline rush."

Copyright 2004 Cowles Publishing Company
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.