Paintball is one of the most fun sports to evolve in a long time. It really started in the 1970’s but didn’t gain widespread popularity for awhile. It is challenging both physically and mentally but for many, it is also highly rewarding.

Paintball is played by hitting opposing team members with gelatin, paint-filled balls. They are shot out of guns that powered by carbon dioxide or compressed air. The guns are typically called paintball markers.

The object is usually for one member of either team to travel across enemy lines and steal the other team’s flag. If a player is shot by an opposing team player with paint, they are eliminated from that round and must go to the sidelines. While teams will often start out with 10 to 25 people each, it’s easy to see how that number can decline rapidly.

Of course you must wear some protective gear when playing paintball. A helmet and face mask are essential. While they don’t inflict great pain, getting hit by a paintball is not exactly enjoyable and paint on one’s face would be a disaster.

Paintball became very popular in the United States in the 1990’s. While it has since lost some of its initial luster, there is still a large number of die-hard fans. They have formed many leagues and tournaments. For some truly paintball addicts, they’ve made it a life-long passion by opening businesses that offer gear and supplies to all numerous players.

If you’re looking to get involved in paintball, you should probably rent some equipment first and see if you truly enjoy it before spending money on anything you will own. Once you’re sure it’s for you, dive in head first and become another happy weekend paintballer!

This entry was posted on Friday, June 13th, 2008 at 2:15 am and is filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.