| Tournament ball is played on a small field filled with | | | | Not only is it a fast-moving sport on the field, but |
| man-made obstacles, also called bunkers, that can be | | | | markers are continually being upgraded. Competitors |
| used to roll or stand behind while advancing up the field | | | | don't need to follow every fad, but it is a good idea to |
| towards opponents. Speedball is usually played with | | | | keep paintball gear up to date. |
| teams that are then set up to play in tournaments, thus | | | | The next step is to practice. There are lots of drills |
| the name "tournament paintball." To play this sport | | | | online that can be used at home to hone the players |
| competitors must be agile and have quick reflexes as | | | | competitive skills. Practice is important. Here are some |
| well as good hand-eye coordination. Players will be | | | | examples of practice maneuvers. These need to |
| running, ducking, rolling and diving all while firing off | | | | become second nature to the player in order for them |
| hundreds of paintballs. It's a mark-or-be-marked sport, | | | | to become a tournament-caliber player:. |
| great for adrenaline junkies. If given the chance, a | | | | Snap shooting |
| casual player is in danger of becoming a competitor in | | | | Quickly emerging from behind a bunker and firing off |
| no time. | | | | one or more shots before ducking behind the bunker |
| To play tournament paintball players need a few items. | | | | again. |
| First off, a quality paintball gun is needed. This will | | | | Playing as a team |
| become a player's best friend so it must be chosen | | | | This is seriously a team sport. A team will lose if they |
| carefully. There are required modes of fire for | | | | do not trust and rely on their teammates. |
| tournament paintball guns and it is necessary to make | | | | Running while shooting |
| sure the paintball marker that is purchased qualifies | | | | This may seem obvious, but it is harder than it looks. A |
| with tournament rules. If the player is not planning on | | | | player must become very adept at firing while running. |
| becoming overly serious about tournament play an | | | | Exercise |
| entry level setup will work just fine. | | | | Being in good physical condition is a must for this sport. |
| On the other hand, if a player wants to become a real | | | | Players will be moving constantly, as well as carrying |
| competitor they may want to check out the available | | | | gear. Cardio training is important. Time to hit the gym. |
| marker selection in a store, online or try out one from a | | | | If a player is looking to become a serious tournament |
| friend. Get a feel for the paintball markers. See what | | | | competitor, they need to become good enough to |
| fits. Talk to some other players to see what is on the | | | | catch some team's eye or good enough to start their |
| market and who is buying what and why. In | | | | own team and compete well with the other |
| tournament sports it is important to be in the know | | | | tournament teams. |
| about the equipment and what is going on in the sport. | | | | |