| So you want to go to college, but you're thinking about | | | | "The NCPA consists of two distinct classes which |
| starting a lucrative professional paintball career | | | | competes separately across the United States. Class |
| someday, too. How can you do both? Easy. Just join | | | | AA is an open-class division where any college may |
| the National Collegiate Paintball Association. | | | | enter and compete in regional and national |
| According to the NCPA's Web-site, "The National | | | | tournaments. On the other hand, Class A is a |
| Collegiate Paintball Association is an incorporated, | | | | closed-class division where only certain colleges may |
| non-profit organization comprised of college paintball | | | | compete after securing a bid in the previous season. |
| clubs and teams across the country. The NCPA | | | | Class A represents the best talent of college paintball |
| facilitates the creation and growth of college and high | | | | and includes universities such as: Drexel University, |
| school paintball activity and national coordination | | | | University of Maryland, Illinois State University, Purdue |
| amongst college and high school clubs and teams. | | | | University, University of Connecticut, Penn State |
| These clubs and teams work in concert with the | | | | University, plus 10 other teams across three |
| national organization to create and develop new | | | | conferences all fighting for a national title." |
| athletes for the sport of paintball." | | | | Also, the NCPA Web-site proudly boasts that the |
| Not surprisingly, The United States Military Academy | | | | national college tournament run by NCPA has been |
| (West Point), was the first college to start a paintball | | | | covered on Fox College Sports for five years running. |
| club in 1986, and less than 10 years later in 1994 the | | | | The NCPA National Championships for 2009 will air |
| first inter-collegiate competition was held at Sherwood | | | | through the end of July and into late August with the |
| Forest in LaPorte, Indiana. Schools participating included: | | | | last airing date scheduled for August 28. Airings will |
| Purdue University, West Virginia University, Carnegie | | | | take place on various occasions, and the full TV |
| Melon University, the University of Michigan, | | | | schedule is listed on the home page of the NCPA's |
| Washington University and Wright College in Chicago. | | | | Web-site. This year's tournament took place on April |
| First Place went to the University of Michigan. | | | | 17-19, 2009 at Central Florida Paintball in Lakeland, |
| The NCPA, since its founding by current NCPA | | | | Florida. |
| President Chris Raehl in the summer of 2000, | | | | There are 458 total college clubs listed as NCPA |
| developed into a very solid organization that now | | | | participants. All clubs receive access to the NCPA |
| offers college and high school paintball enthusiasts all | | | | benefits package, and being an NCPA club is |
| kinds of resources to help them get into organized | | | | completely free. All you have to do is fill out an entry |
| competition. From gear and field-use discounts to free | | | | form and on the same page you will find the list of |
| online registration setup for tournaments, the NCPA | | | | colleges who already have clubs. |
| has it all covered. They'll even help you organize | | | | So, while it might be tough to get yourself a full college |
| events and get school administrators to see the big | | | | paintball scholarship, it's totally possible to keep playing |
| picture. | | | | paintball all through your college years thanks to the |
| The NCPA even has a Wikipedia page, which explains, | | | | folks at the NCPA. |