SUNDAY APRIL 5TH – APRIL FOOLS 3 MAN
* BLIND DRAW *

SUNDAY may 24th – WTS
3 MAN OPEN CLASS and 3 Man Newbie Class

SUNDAY September 6th – WTS
3 MAN OPEN CLASS and 3 Man Newbie Class

ENTRY FORM HERE

More information at http://www.swatpaintball.com/forum/ or call 228-872-1459 or 1-877-511-1459

Click “more” for Rules, Eligibility, and Prizes

* Open Class Restrictions / Rules:
1) All guns in Semi auto only, guns must pass a safety test as follows
a) the gun must not fire more than one shot per pull, this will be
tested both by sight and hearing and be at discretion of His imminence
the all knowing, all powerful and most merciful Gerwin
b) the gun must not fire when the bottle is slapped from the hand

2) All Players of any skill level may participate, this event is about
competition and fun, the better the talent the better the field will
play and step up.

** Newbie Class Restrictions / Rules:
1) All guns in Semi auto only, guns must pass a safety test as follows
a) the gun must not fire more than one shot per pull, this will be
tested both by sight and hearing and be at the discretion of His
imminence, the all knowing, all powerful and most merciful Gerwin
b) the gun must not fire when the bottle is slapped from the hand
c) ALL GUNS WILL USE A GRAVITY FEED LOADER to be issued by SWAT
Paintball, this is our attempt to put the guns on a more level playing
field for the newcomer to the Tournament aspect of our sport. Also the
more experienced players with the High end guns will not be as
interested in this level of play.

2) Players with limited local Tournament to no Tournament experience are
eligible to play in this division. The purpose of this Division is to
bring those players interested in testing their skills and get a feel
for the tournament aspect of paintball and hopefully produce the NEXT
Level of Talent from the Gulf Coast Area. We bring this ideas of
restrictions in a attempt to further our cause.

Prizes:
As stated in the introduction to this years WTS, we want to make it fun
and affordable again for players to compete, We want to see if it can be
both profitable and affordable.

Trophies will be awarded for placement down to 3rd place in each Division.

Prizes will be:

Open Division:
Entry to the Next WTS and 5 cases of paint for the Open Division 1st Place
Entry to Next WTS and 3 Cases of Paint for the Open Division 2nd Place
Entry to Next WTS for Open Division 3rd place

Newbie Division:
Entry to the Next WTS and 3 cases of paint for the Newbie Division 1st Place
Entry to the Next WTS and 1 case of Paint for the Newbie Division 2nd Place
Entry Only to the next WTS Newbie Division 3rd Place

http://www.swatpaintball.com/forum/

Yet Another GREAT day of practice, I tell you there has been a metamorphosis at the field, the arguing and bitching from players during practice is almost extinct– I should not even say anything to ruin it It’s been really fun! Great games, great match-ups, and players just mixing in– both old to the game and new, of tournament paintball.

The rain held off and the temperature, for you yanks that happen to be reading, was a comfy 70 deg. on December 28th….It’s wonderful down south in the winter!!

Congrats goes out to some of our regulars who have made the Palm Beach Vipers, a recognized Xball team in both Div. 2 and D-1 and Semi Pro. I hope I still get the chance to help train them as they go on to bigger things.

And, to FSU, who again drove over from FL to get some practice in, I get so tied up in playing and forget to tell you guys if you ever need help or advice all you have to do is ask…I will do the best I can.

And, of course, the reliable and loyal Sig 47 guys and their families. Especially the little ones who clean the store up while they wait for Dad to finish playing! The new paintgirl in the making.

Well, I thought I would type all this just to say Thank You everyone for another great year of paintball as we go into 2009. I will be celebrating my 25th year as a player… yep it all started in 1984… wow it seems only yesterday I was getting shot by a paintball for the first time, I wonder how many times I have actually been hit in 25 years? Scary to think about it in a way, imagine to feel all that at one time..whoa! Or how many times have I had the pleasure of shooting someone else? Or how many Ibuprofens I have consumed because of the game or how many yards of tape I have used for my ankles and wrists? Ha, sometimes I joke these days telling people I am only a few wraps of sports tape from being a Mummy! How many cans of Tiger Balm I have gone through or how many of my teammates I have shown how wonderful it is and now they use the BALM.

I have enjoyed every moment of time I have spent playing this sport with my wife, my son and my friends, and even after playing my opponents (whom I want to destroy for about 2-5 minutes), I am happy to have had the chance to play against them and love the talks afterward.

This truly is the greatest sport, it is a shame it is not cheaper so more could experience it, we truly are the LUCKY ONES.

(click on a pic)

Rates - Warped Sportz / SWAT Paintball Park

Mandatory safety briefings will be given on the hour.

55 Caliber Package
All Day Play * All Day Air
.55 cal. Paintgun * Goggles
1000 Paintballs
$35.00 tx included

68 Caliber Package
All Day Play * All Day Air
.68 cal. Paintgun * Goggles
500 Paintballs
$40.00 tx included

FIELD PAINT ONLY (FPO)
In local language, “If it ain’t bought here, don’t shoot it.”

Got your own gear?
$25.00 to play, includes ALL DAY HPA OR CO2

Don’t need air?
$15.00 Greens Fee (fee to use facility)

CO2 AND AIR by the fill

CO2
7-9oz = $2.00
12-16oz = $3.00
20-24oz = $4.00

AIR
$1.00 per 1000 psi

Need to rent a:
Paintgun? = $15.00
Goggles? = $5.00
200 round ammo belt? = $3.00
200 round loader? = $3.00

***ALL PAINTGUNS MUST HAVE A BARREL BAG***
If you do not have one, they are $5.00 and you keep it.
and did we mention? FIELD PAINT ONLY!

And so came that memory…they come and go, I mean lets face it I have
played a day of paintball more than 1000 times now! so I cannot
remember them all, but a few stand out.

There we were Joe and I, at my first field off Hwy 67. It had a pond
and a hill with trenches on the top. We were engaged in a hostile
takeover of that hill when we decided it was time to pop off 35 bux.
Joe and I discuss the plan, it was time for an all out frontal
assault up that hill! After the smoke was thrown and filled the area we
would run up that sucker and shoot those clowns point blank in the side
of their unprotected ears (remember we only had goggles and frontal
mask(optional) no ear protection, no cheek protection…and only 10
shots. oops back to the story….

“Ready Joe? ” GO, GO, GO , we’re off running through the white curtain
of protection side by side, this was our moment to be HEROs in the
outcome of the game, when all of a sudden I hear a THUD! and a kinda
moan sound, as I could see nothing around me, I remember glancing up
and that’s when I noticed in the less thick smoke of 10ft and above a
pine sapling sort of moving backwards at the top…well I put the
three together, THUD + Tree movement= Moan

So what did I do? well of course I kept running and yelled back I would
tell his family he loved them Hell I had some ears to blow off
Oh, come on, you know I went back after the smoke cleared to
make sure he was alright or take his boots. I did not get those boots
but I still have a friend and now his kids! So it all worked out.

Hope you enjoy this artifact from the past.

Pod Thievery: Code of Conduct
By Curtis Ronning

Pod thieves, those chumps are everywhere. I should know because I am one of the worst of them. However, I play by the rules…the pod stealing rules.

A friend once told me that he paid for his flight to an event by selling 64 used pods. Yes, you heard correctly, he paid for his flight with 64 used pods. You might be thinking that he sold a bunch of pods off to help pay for his trip….no, he actually gave someone 64 used pods to pay for his flight. The best part is, he stole every single one of those pods! So you are probably thinking, ‘I hate bastards like that who always steal my pods’ but what if this guy was playing by the rules? What rules?? Those rules constitute the Pod Thievery Code of Conduct.

The Code of Conduct is fairly simple, but for some reason the younger generation of today does not even know of this code, let alone follow any of the guidelines. I am not really sure what happened in the last few years at the field, maybe the older generation didn’t pass on the knowledge? I mean it is not like these rules are written down (well,
until now) for people to read at their leisure. The lack of players following the Code also seems to only appear in local players. Perhaps the local baller lacks sponsorship and therefore pods have a deeper monetary value. However, how precious can a pod really be? Ask me for
one the next time you are at practice, depending on the size of my stash, I will give you one or many. Anyways, the rules, okay, here goes:

The Pod Thievery Code of Conduct

Section 1: Responsibility to Purchase Pods
Each competitive paintball player must purchase as many pods as their first
buttpack, harness or ball hauler (whatever you want to call that thing on your back) can carry in the main sleeves. If you purchase a 3+2 style pack, you must purchase at least 3 pods. If you choose to purchase all 5 pods, the pod thieving community thanks you graciously
because you will be less likely to keep an eye on all 5 pods. Be happy, you are never required to purchase pods again

Section 2: Pod Availability
A pod can be stolen when it is no longer in a person’s possession. This would include anywhere on the ground, even beside the owner’s gear bag (although that might be a risky theft). It can be on the field, in the staging area, or in the parking lot. A pod can also be stolen when it is left unattended on a solid object (other than the ground of course). This might include a chair, bench, table, fill table, registration counter etc. A pod is still available for theft if it in a person’s butt pack, but this is a very risky move and only the best of the best can get away with it. However, if you are successful, by all means, take that pod and any paint contained within.

Section 2A: Restrictions to Availability
The gear bag is OFF LIMITS. A pod thief must refrain from pilfering pods that are contained within a gear bag. A gear bag, for the purposes of this code will include any bag-like container that can house articles of paintball equipment. A person’s vehicle is also covered under the definition of gear bag, as many players stage out of the trunk of their car or truck.

Section 3: Transference of Ownership
Once a pod has been stolen, ownership of the pod does not automatically transfer over to the pod thief. The thief must place the stolen pod into his or her own gear bag to claim ownership of that pod. Alternatively, the thief can fill the stolen pod with his or her own paintballs in order to claim ownership. Transference of Ownership is instantaneous. If a player recognizes a stolen pod, later, on the same day of the theft or on another day, and this pod has transferred ownership, the previous owner cannot reclaim ownership unless he or she has followed the Pod Thievery Code of Conduct. Simply stating, “Hey, you stole my pod, I am taking it back” is not acceptable and at this point you will look very petty and most likely lose any friends you have around you. A much better response of, “Oh you bastard! I’ll get my pods back, you just wait!” shows that you are playing by the rules, are not weak or pathetic, and might also show that you do not live near the beach.

Section 3A: Limits of Section 3
This section allows for Pod Theft Prevention Tactics or PTPT. PTPT can include simple phrases such as, “Hey, what are you doing?” or “You jerk, that is my pod” or even more diplomatic responses like, “Excuse me sir, I believe you have misplaced my pod as your own.” A pod thief caught in the act of pod thievery shall surrender the stolen pod upon request.

3A(i): A stolen pod placed into a thief’s pack is not covered under Section 3: Transference of Ownership.

Section 4: Complaints About Pod Thievery
Complaining about successful pod thieving is strictly forbidden. If you do complain about a successful pod theft, expect to be looked down upon by the rest of the pod stealing community. Hang your head in shame and report to your nearest pro-shop, you have just been assigned to purchase more pods for your buttpack.

So remember everyone, if someone steals your pod and is following the Code of Conduct, you cannot complain, you cannot get angry, but you can get even! Keep an eye on your pods, because now every player out there who did not know pod stealing was an option is going to be all over it.*

Good Luck, and Happy Thieving!

*The author of this article does not condone stealing. The author is not
encouraging the theft of any personal property and reminds readers that theft is a criminal offence. This article is simply stating unwritten rules from previous generations and the code of conduct does not exempt any person from criminal sanctions. Pod Thieving should be undertaken at your own risk.

So my G theory of the day is…

“Sideline Coaching is for Dummies”– maybe a book called Sideline Coaching for Dummies should be written.

Eww, yes that’s right, I went there. Yep, its true you can take a dumb or inexperienced player that can shoot a paint gun and listen and tell him where to look, when to go, who to shoot, and where everyone is and make him look like a good player! Not the case in 7 man, you better be smart and sneaky.

What about the gun skills you learn in Xball? Oh that’s a good argument! NOT!

Do you think running and gunning is a skill only used in Xball? Hah, you need that in paintball period! Xball may have brought it to the forefront of skills but Ollie and Dynasty have been doing it forever. Truth be known, in my mind, is the rest of us Neanderthals just got around to doing it because it takes LESS skill to run and gun in 15 bps ramp mode, so even the untalented monkeys of the sport can act like Dyanasty and XSV .

What about snap shooting? Again, non-ramping guns need more skill behind the wheel, I can’t tell you how many players I’ve seen in PSP get their guns ramped up before they even look around the prop so balls are already flying as soon as they come from behind the bunker. Oh yeah any dummy can shoot left handed with ramp mode as well. (just thought I’d throw that in as well, so I could say Dummy one more time.

Oh but in Xball you get to go home after you play your one game! Yeah well my team stays out there to watch their opponents or coach friends or watch pros so I’m there all day anyways, what’s the difference? Matter of fact, 4 games in a morning or afternoon bracket spaced about an hour apart go pretty damn fast, by the time you air up, clean up, fix, readjust a plan, look at a field layout and walk back out, your up. So to me it’s a moot point.

Some other thoughts,

It’s harder to track 7 players than 5.

The only valid point I can think of that makes Xball a better venue is not player-oriented at all, but business-oriented.

Good for TV and spectators, I mean you got scoreboards, coaches, lines of players, 15-30 minutes of solid action with built in commercial breaks.

Well there is one team thing about Xball I like, and that is the better of the two teams will move on, in 7 man format that is not always the case.

Now this does by no means say I don’t like Xball, I love that game but hell I just like paintball!

What I do hate about both of the venues and more towards 7 man is the COST! It’s insane.semi-pro entry $2750.00! Now let’s say you don’t make quarter finals or better. Well it cost your team $350.00 each time you step on the field with a paintball gun, not counting hotels, rental cars plane tickets yada, yada, yada.

And for me tournaments are a test, a sense of measure if you will. What I mean is, I always wonder where do I rank as a player? How much better is the rest of the players in the sport compared to me? What can I learn? Of course today the question is more “Can I still compete at my age in a new division and be a asset to my team?”

I never thought in my wildest dreams it would cost so much to get the answers to those questions.

This week has been a huge week for me……..my boys are going to be in matching gear (thanx to Gerwin) for the first time! I have to share this story:

April 1st will be Code Blue’s one year anniversary as a team…..I almost wonder what the heck I was thinking when I took them to Cup in 05….I remember showing up and all the other Young Gun teams were loaded with team sponsors, matching gear……well, this was about the start of my nervous breakdown of “OMG, what did I get my boys into”….

Nevertheless, they were warriors, didn’t care about the other guys’ shirts and did their very best. I learned so many things at Cup, but just like from the very beginning of this team, I’m constantly trying to figure out “how do I get them to the next level, and yes, how do I get them in cool gear….j/k……not really

When we came as a team to SWAT, that was the turning point for this team. I remember how scared we all were the first day we came knowing the caliber of players they grow out there…….I remember the drive home with the team like it was yesterday, they were so excited to get better, and they’re doing it. One of my boys said, Ms. Debby, they treat you like you’re a baller here, I just love it………

Without Gerwins help, this team wouldn’t have any assistance at all, it has been a life saver, especially with our size. Thank you would never be a broad enough term to cover what it means for his generous sponsorship to me and this team.

The FRIENDSHIPS we have with our SWAT family, I’d slay any dragon for any one of you all. It is such a pleasure to share the field with all of you!
My dear friend, DEB, girl, you’re the greatest, I’m so blessed you are in my life! Playing XPB with you was the best day of paintball for me I’ve ever had. BECCA, you’re the BOMB! Your heart is bigger than you are! Keith T, I’m just keeping you Keith H, you take the best care of me and this team and our guns, YOU ARE LOVED!

What I’m trying to say is, thank you for opening your arms for me and my boys, you are all helping them achieve their dreams. I still wonder how we’ve gotten where we are, but I know we wouldn’t be going forward if it wasn’t for SWAT, Gerwin, Roger, Deb, and EVERYONE of you.

So, THANK YOU, for helping me help my boys!

Love to you all, Debby