Now That You’ve Heard What/Who I Don’t Like…

If you read my first two posts, by now you’re probably thinking “Man, this guy whines a lot. What in the world does this guy like about paintball?” Honestly, there is nothing like this game. Taking the adrenaline rush of being shot at (and shot) in a safe, enclosed environment with a multitude of people, what is not to like? I have been around to quite a few paintball fields in the Midwest and there seems to be the same loveable cast of characters (staff) at every one.

Every field has, of course, an owner. The owner is usually a guy in his early to mid forties that may or may not still play the game. The owners of each field always possess the quality that I admire most among anyone that is affiliated with this sport. Every owner tends to have that sort of ere of the struggling business man that still loves his job. Running a paintball field is not easy or cheap, but somehow the fields stay open through the tireless efforts of the determined entrepreneur that took a risk on paintball.

Of course, every field seems to have the sponsored team that also serves as the refs at all of the home tournaments. While each one of them has their own personality, ranging from genuinely nice people to jerks, there is always one that stands out the most. This person is usually the best player on the team and most respected and revered person at the field. I call this person the all-star of the field. The all-star is always the friendliest person on the staff and usually the most trusted by the owner. The thing I tend to like most about the all-star of each field is that even though they are good enough that they could be a total ass to everyone, they never are. They are always the person out on the field giving younger and new players tips to improve their game in a very non-condescending way.

The last character that you will probably meet at every field is the big fat ref. This guy is always the funniest person on staff, with his jolly demeanor and “Santa Claus like” appearance. He is usually the least intimidating person to talk to and therefore the most approachable. I guarantee you that if you go to a new field and see the big fat ref, you will learn his name before anyone else’s (except for maybe the owner). And remember, Clocktapus says “Don’t mess with the big fat ref when it comes to a one on one gun fight, big guys can shoot!”