How long have you been playing paintball and how did you get started?

I started playing in 2005. I was getting bored watching others play and decided to give it a try.

What was paintball like back when you started, and how has it changed for you over the years?

The biggest changes I’ve seen in the last few years is in the quality of the paint and markers. Back when I first started the paint was very inconsistent. Barrel breaks were common, and typically you had to spray water in each bag and mix it in to give the paint some resiliency. The Dye DM4 had just been introduced and Bob Long’s Intimidator were the best markers on the field. Back then all the markers were semi automatic, soon after ramping came out, and changed the game forever.

What do people say when you tell them that you play paintball?

The most common question I get is “doesn’t it hurt?” My reply is always the same, Yes it hurts, it’s called losing.

What is your home field, and what does it have to offer?

Currently our home field is MNPRO in Lakeville. It’s a very professionally run field, great staging area with really good people behind the counter. I’m impressed with all the local fields. Air Assault, APPG and Northside, all have a tremendous amount to offer the rec and tournament player. Last year our home field was Annandale paintball, brilliant management and ownership, a real class act. Unfortunately it was too far out for many of our players to make practice on a consistent basis.

What tournament series & division does your team currently compete in?

We are moving out of PSP D4 and into NPPL Super 7 at the D3 level. Our team is comprised of young players who want to work their way up. After competing at the D4 level in PSP for two seasons I saw the players were ready for a move up. The decision to move from PSP to NPPL was a difficult one. It came down to the venues offered. NPPL has better locations for their events. Huntington beach, Las Vegas, DC. Chicago. A tournament is a vacation of sorts, there should be other activities nearby to enjoy and take part in.

How did you recruit members for your team, what made you decide to start the team?

I was watching a team practice with a couple other old guys and practice wasn’t going very well. The conversation drifted to “we can do better than that”, and the team was formed. I volunteered to put things together and the team was formed. For our first event I went to the free agent forum and picked up a couple young players that were hungry for a chance to show their skills. Things worked out well that event, we made it out of prelims and all had a great time.

What teams have you played for in the past prior to building your organization?

None. I jumped in as a guest at a couple of practices and one tournament when the team was shorthanded but that’s all.

Do you coach other sports outside of paintball?

Yes, our baseball team just finished up their season.

What has prompted you to take a mentoring role over playing yourself?

This is a sport that demands the very best from great athletes. I can help the team more from the pits and sidelines than I will ever be able to contribute on the field.

What do you think qualifies you as a good coach for your players?

I started coaching 12 years ago in the Elk River youth hockey and baseball programs and have been coaching pretty much full time since I began. I took tons of classes and seminars that taught me a lot of principals that apply to all sports. I still go out and continue to learn new aspects of the game every week that will help the team.

What drills or aspects of the game do you focus on?

It’s a long list beginning with basic and advanced gun skills, player confidence, agressive play and game planning.

What is the most important thing that you want to teach paintball players?

No matter what, always have fun.

Your team is strickly forbidden from drugs, alcohol, and partying which is obviously different the lifestyle often portrayed of paintball players, how has this effected your team? Have you had any issues with players in the past that have prompted these rules?

Everyone who participates, or has participated in youth sports has agreed to the same code of conduct that we have. Every organization needs to have rules in place to insure the safety and welfare of everyone involved. We’re no different. We started out not having it in writing. That was a mistake on my part, players didn’t know what the rules were and almost everyone went a little over the line. Now that we have it in writing, the benefits are obvious to everyone. It’s opened doors to us that in the past were impossible for us to get into. Doors like parent support, vendor and field benefits.

Do you think paintball is a family friendly sport? what changes do you think need to be made in order to attract more players & fans?

The sport can do a lot to improve it’s public relations image to the parents and players. And I see the industry as a whole slowly moving that direction. Look at the successful operations in Chicago and other parts of the country to lead the sport to a new level of popularity.

Your son is now a professional paintball player, what kind of support did you provide in order to help him achieve that goal?

Dan made the decision to play paintball instead of youth hockey and youth baseball. Cash wise, paintball was about the same cost per year, maybe a little less. First year on an organized team he was at World Cup at DisneyWorld instead of Elk River arena. The decision to support was easy after that experience.

Do you think there are other players in MN who could make it as far as Dan? What seperates Dan from the rest of the herd in MN?

Certainly. Minnesota has produced many great paintball players in the past and will continue to do so in the future. It takes hard work, dedication and heart.

How often does your team practice a week, and how far do you have to travel?

This is a devasting year economically for everyone. We used to practice twice a week, that has been cut drastically to once every two weeks and the travel has been cut by 50% or more. Hopefully, this will keep our players financially sound and able to play events. Not an ideal situation at all, tough times call for tough measures.

What was the best prize package your team has ever won, what do you do with the prizes?

$1,000 for Midwest Area High School Champions. Prizes are won by the players, they decide what to do with them. Anyway, if you are in this sport for the prizes, you’re are going to be really disappointed.

Is there any particular memory you have of paintball in which you were very proud of anyone you’ve helped out?

Last year, World Cup Orlando. Mike Paxson, Bobby French, Nicky Cuba and the Dye staff brought in team guns, five of the new Dye NT marker set ups for us to use and helped coach the team. Then our guys were asked to pit for the Ironmen in their match against the Russians.

How important do you think equipment is to the player? What would you say the most important thing to have on the field?

Equipment is crucial, it’s everything. Have everything and if possible, bring out a backup. Most important is having equipment in perfect working order. Doesn’t matter what brand, how new or how old, it just has to work and properly fit the player.

What suggestions do you have for new players?

Start out playing with your friends, have fun and learn the game by watching more experienced players. Stay in groups at your own skill level until you build enough confidence to move up.

How do you prepare players mentally for a big tournament?

Great players don’t need much influence from a coach before a big tournament. They take care of that part themselves. I help by taking care of the small details that free them up to focus all their attention on the event. Then you lead by example.

How do you deal with the frustrations of watching a player make a mistake from the sidelines?

I’ll talk with them if necessary, after the event and things have calmed down. Good players know they made a mistake and don’t need much encouragement for them not to repeat it. For the younger players, I’ll go over and talk with them right away, quietly, and suggest ways to avoid getting blown up.

What do you do with players who consistently make the same mistakes after having the problem pointed out to them?

All you can do is remind them, and explain the consequences their actions have on the outcome of the game. Eventually they will get it.

How do you handle players whom have huge egos?

It’s a team sport. You can’t have a huge ego and expect to get the respect and cooperation of your team mates. It’s a well defined line between self confidence, and a huge ego. Pretty easy to spot, those players have trouble staying with any team for very long. The problem always seems to take care of itself.

Are there any people who have been influential in your paintball career who may have changed the way you think about the game?

That’s a long list, and a list of All Stars starting right here in Minnesota and continuing East to Chicago and Indianapolis. I won’t name their names without their permission but they know who they are. On the national scene the first names that come up are, Thomas Taylor, and Nicky Cuba. They set a high standard for their love of the sport, both on and off the field.

What do you think needs to happen in Minnesota to develop divisional teams that will be able to compete nationally?

Minnesota has several teams that already are very successful in Divisional play. They did it by hard work and dedication. To take things to the next level they need to keep up the hard work and learn from the organizations that are already there.

Outside of paintball, what do you do for a living?

Engineering and coaching are the two main things in my life right now.

Finally what MN Paintball player (Past or Present) would you like to see featured next?

Jay Shelly. He deserves recognition and respect for what he has accomplished in Minnesota paintball.