The great outdoor paintball experience is a special one for someone like me, a city person! To wake up early and get all geared up, then drive 45 minutes or longer in any direction to the nearest woods, is everything I expect it to be. The rough terrain, the trees and bushes and wild growth, the dirt and the smell, the heat and humidity, are all nature's test of my endurance. I felt like a real GI Joe all at once with my favorite Autococker in hand, pursuing and being pursued.
Just when I got used to nature's elements, the X Park indoor field nearby opened up in the Valley, so I gave it a try. What a drastic change it was! And what a rush it was! The arena is the former Kings' hockey team practice ice rink. The facility is huge and clean and air conditioned. We can play any time of the day or night, rain or shine. It seems like most of the players there are very experienced, therefore the games are so intense.
My adrenaline was pumping from the minute I stepped into the arena. Our team, the Arctic Monkeys, has been together for about six months. Chris Kershaw, Clark Gable and I played in our first tournament in San Diego back in February 2002. We were so excited, and can't wait to play in more tournaments because we truly learn a lot about the game and team spirit. B.J. Louie, Daniel Anaya, David Markheim, Taylor Graaf, and Scott Graaf are the rest of our teammates who will join us in the future tournaments.
A special thanks to Mike Schwartz, operator of Paintball USA (outdoor) and the X Park (indoor) for his generous support of the team, in opening his fields to these young players.
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