W
hen autumn rolls around in St. Louis it brings out the best in people. The weather is mild, the fall rains are short and far between, and everyone is gardening and prepping their lawns for the winter. Or they are finally getting to the yard work because the summer was too hot for those to finish. However fall just means get outside and play! When I was ten years old I was shown the game of paintball by my older brother. It didn’t take me long to get addicted. I was using all of the money I earned at every job I had from middle school to high school to buy equipment and play. Some fanatics take their hobbies to the extreme and when they get hooked, they really take it to the limit. Hunters hunt for trophy bucks and spend thousands on trips and gear, fishermen buy boats, rods, reels, and lures by the ton, and sports players travel around paying thousands for hotels and entry fees. Paintball players are no different; the sport just hasn’t made it to the popularity of the Super bowl or the Stanley cup. But professional paintball has been around a long time and doesn’t show signs of disappearing… yet.
To really understand our story you should have some sort of background of the sport. It all started in a cow pasture in Kansas in the early 70’s I think. The cattlemen learned to make a contraption to mark the cows with paint instead of having to brand them with a hot iron. The paint markers were soon in the hands of eager youths just waiting for their fathers to leave for work to get the markers out and start shooting at each other. As the 90’s rolled around the markers had evolved enough for casual play and businesses started forming based around the sport. The games got more interesting too. Taking the traditional game of capture the flag to something adults could enjoy. Going from the woods to man made inflatable bunkers, from hoppers that only held 40 rounds to 200 rounds from C02 to Nitrogen powered markers, and from fully mechanical pump markers to digital boards and LED screens, from scuba tanks to gas through grips. The game of paintball has come a long way. Just like any other sport leagues were formed to create structure for the sport. Each sport favoring it’s own way of play but each just as popular in the world of paintball. It started with the NPPL then PSP then X-Ball. Other countries adapted their own leagues and the system of the sport grew globally. But the popularity of the sport and the nature of having to have so much equipment really narrowed the field of who the players of the game were. As most of you have probably played or know someone who has you probably know that those who play are typically young and have really great parents who support them. One of the biggest struggles in the sport is being able to afford it. Shooting those paintballs up to 2000 per day at about .08 cents a ball can really add up. Especially for those players playing multiple days at tournaments. Most teams in the sport are self sponsored but some are fortunate enough to gain some help as they go. But the goal is to be good at shooting people with paint. If you’re not, no one wants to give you money to do it. In the 15 or so years I’ve played I have met a handful of players who have made it out of the minors and into the pro circuit. For the most part all it takes is money, but if you don’t have the funds you better be good enough for someone to want to give you money and the opportunity to play. Well Brian Ferrari is that good.
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Exist Volume 1 issue 1