| Paintball is a popular sport where players shoot at | | | | Paintball, like any other sport requires the use of safety |
| each other with guns that fire balls of non- toxic paint. | | | | equipment to prevent injuries. A very important piece |
| This sport started about forty years ago and it is | | | | of equipment is the paintball mask. This will protect |
| estimated that over five million people play each year. | | | | your face and your neck from being injured when hit. It |
| The most popular game is called Capture The Flag. As | | | | is required equipment if you plan to play on a real field |
| with any sport proper clothing and protective gear is a | | | | and most smart players will not play with anyone who |
| must! | | | | does not wear one. |
| Back in the 70's the forestry departments began using | | | | Another important piece of gear is the vest. A good |
| paintballs to mark trees for trail planning and for | | | | vest will act as a shock absorber when you get hit by |
| research. Many ranchers also changed from old | | | | a paintball. One thing to remember is this is an extreme |
| fashioned branding to marking their herds with colored | | | | sport and can be dangerous if you are not properly |
| paintballs. On the weekends they would all get | | | | protected! It is also a good idea to wear elbow pads |
| together and play "war" with each other! In 1971 the | | | | and knee pads to protect those parts of your body |
| Daisy Manufacturing Company patented and produced | | | | also. |
| the first official paintball gun. | | | | Paintball has come a long way since its beginning. |
| The first paintball field was opened in Rochester, New | | | | Today there are professional teams just like any other |
| York in 1982. Today there are both outdoor fields and | | | | sport. These teams play tournament games to win |
| indoor fields. Soon people began forming teams to play | | | | large sums of money and trophies. The game has |
| "capture the flag" which is a game where each team | | | | spread in popularity to many countries around the |
| starts at the opposite end of the field and tries to | | | | world. There are rules and regulations that are |
| capture the opposing team's flag. When a player gets | | | | enforced by trained referees when playing on a |
| hit he is considered "out." | | | | professional field. |