Playing In Your First Paintball Tournament

Playing In Your First Tournament

by Sean Takeda

Publication Date: July 2000

Tournaments for inexperienced, younger, and rec players, can be an intimidating step towards the next level of paintball. Though they were created more or less for competition, they are meant to be fun, just like any other sport. With different series such as the Great Western Series, NPPL, APL, etc., how do you know which one is right for you and/or your team? It all boils down to being prepared and knowing what to expect when you get there.

Getting Prepared

The first and most important thing you need to have before you even think about playing tournaments is committment. You must have a full committment from each and every player on your team for things to work successfully. Always have more players than you will actually need. If it is a five man tourney, take at least six or seven. If it is a ten-man tourney, take at least eleven or twelve. You have to expect the unexpected. First of all, you have to make sure that all of your players show up on game day. Then, you should always have alternatives in case someone gets hurt, gun goes down, or you need help getting ready in-between games. Remember, these are all things for which you have to be prepared.

Always have extra equipment available - Guns go down, masks break, batteries die. Take plenty of carbos with you to keep your energy up. Make sure you have lots of liquids to keep you hydrated. Take spray bottles and paper towels to clean off your goggles and equipment between games. Just remember, your gun may break, you might have to clean your goggles, whatever the excuse, the refs start penalizing and disqualifing late teams. So make sure you are always prepared and on the field when you are supposed to be. The last thing the refs want to hear are excuses.

Practice Makes Perfect

After you have the committment, you have to be ready both mentally and physically. Practice is something that should be taken very seriously to help shape the playing style of your team. You need to know who can play what positions, who can play left/right handed, who your fastest guys are, who are your most accurate shots, and who can provide the best coverfire. Once you have these things ironed out, you should come up with some simple codes you can use to communicate to each other on the field. Communication is crucial in tournaments. Without it, you might as well not even be playing, because a team that communicates well will know just how to beat you with your team not having a clue.

On game day, you and your players should be focusing on the game. Don't waste your time arguing and complaining, but rather on what went wrong or right, and how it will possibly affect you and your players during the next game. Arguing will only make you fustrated, upset, and out of focus. Speaking from experience, most of the people I play with (including myself) don't do well after we get in non-constructive arguments.

Codes, drills and plays

Simple codes such as a letter, plus the number of the opposing team shot out, is a good starter. You should also come up with a code for your team, so that you know exactly how many of you (and them) are left. Some other important codes are:

· for when you (or the opponent) is going for the flag

· when a player (yours or theirs) is crawling or moving up on you

· when your gun is down (or perhaps when you are cleaning your gun)

· when your whole team needs to start pushing

· to know how much time is left in the game.

These are only a few codes, however, probably the most important one's to be able to communicate to your players. Knowing these things when they happen are very important to know when you or your opponent is making their move. These codes can mean the difference between winning and losing.

Drills are another important key in the success of your team. Just like any other sport, it is best to be prepared with plays to counter your opponent. You should practice drills that best simulate the tournament environment. Play three on two, with the two trying to capture the flag. Play drills with the last two minutes of the game to see what happened. Do drills where your players need to move while being heavily fired upon. You should try to recreate the situations as best as possible. Another excellent suggestion would be to take your team to watch a local tournament in your area. You don't need to play, just watch other teams, refs, and the game to see how others react.

So which is the right tourney for us?

If you have never played a tourney before, that's fine. Look for a smaller, local tournament. Try looking for ones which are for "rookies" and first time tourney players. This is the best way to get exposure to the tournament scene without fear of being crushed by the more advanced teams. Also, know the difference between the classifications. The order is Rookie, Novice, Amatuer, and Pro. Alot of tournament series are also picking up Kids divisions, which give the younger generation a fare shake at the tourney scene, without having to play against adults.

Tournaments can be quite expensive as well. You want to try and play in one where at least you have a fair chance of doing well. Just rememberit's not all about winning, but playing as a team and having fun. Winning comes with experience. Play in the smaller tourneys to gain experience, knowledge, and the feel of the game at the tournament level. Just give it your best shot, and do the best you can do. You will eventually learn the do's and don'ts on the field. You have to be willing to lose, before you can win.

Extra Pointers

To make things smoother and easier for you and your team, here are a few pointers:

· Make sure that you fill out all of the entry forms, waviers, etc. and get them turned in as soon as possible. This more-or-less will assure you a spot in the tournament, and makes it easier for the people running the tournament. Teams that turn in entries late are sometimes put in harder brackets as well.

· Know all the rules and regulations before the tournament. Print them out and give to all members of your team. Read it, learn it, know it. This could be beneficial in a controversial call in the tourney.

· Get matching shirts or jerseys for your team. This takes alot of the confusion out of being able to distinguish between your players and your opponent. They don't have to look like you are all pro players, just easier for you and your team.

· Have timers, stopwatches, whatever, so that you know how much time is left in the game. Most teams end up not winning their games because the time runs out.

· Get plenty of sleep. Through my experience in tourneys, the ones that I had plenty of rest for were the ones we did fairly well in.

· Carbos and Hydration. Even if you are not thirsty, be sure to drink a little water or something so you don't pass out, especially if you play where it gets really hot!

· Walk the fields on the day of the tournament. Get out there early, setup, then go and take a look at the fields so that you and your team have a little idea of whats good and what isn't. Better yet, try and practice on the field a few times before the tourney. Even try and setup a scrimmage between other teams that may be competing.

Tournaments are alot of fun. Although there is some stress and anxiety involved, they are very exciting. They are the true test to see how you and your team work together in a competitive environment. As your skills progress, start playing in the harder tourneys. However, a word of caution, remember that you can always move up the in level, but you can't go back down. Make sure that you move up accordingly, not before you and your team have had a chance start doing well in the tournament scene.

Sean Takeda is the founder & president of The Monthly Newsletter, a free web-based paintball webzine. He is an avid amateur player on Southern California-based "Team Broken Arrow." Sean has been involved in the sport/industry of paintball for about 15 years, with experience in the machine, retail, and competition-side of paintball. He donates a lot of his free time to help with local teams, players in tournament series across the US. For more information on The Monthly Newsletter go to their web address: http://www.thempn.com