PaintballX3 Magazine July 2014 Issue | Page 24

24 What is your background and personal history in paintball? How did you get started, what teams have you played for, etc? I moved next door To a paintball field when I was a young teenager and worked at the snack shack for a few summers. I made friends with the refs and one day they threw me on the field. I was hooked. Six months later I was down in Florida trying out for the Femme Fatales. After competing nationally for a season with the Femmes I learned about Destiny and Bea Youngs. I came out to Cali to try out for the best co-ed team in the nation. I made the team and moved to California when I was 17. We went on to Win 1st place in division 2 in 2006. 2008-2012 I took a break from paintball t focus on my business. In 2012 Norwegian team, poison ivy, invited Bea Youngs, Katie Kelley, and myself to play NPPL Huntington Beach with them... our fire and passion for the sport was reignited! Destiny has been back and stronger than ever since 2012. shoulders would burn, legs would fe lethargic and fatigue [set in] easily. Men are naturally more muscular than women so I started working o to offset that difference and make myself a better paintball player. Have you played any events this season? Do you plan to play any? This season has been a bit unique. I have played events but not half as many as 2013. I got into bodybuilding and competing for that and have had to prioritize my time. Destiny competed in the Huntington Beach event earlier in April. What are some of your career paint ball highlights? • First place, Division Two, 2006 • Player of the year in 2007 • First place at the West Coast Wome paintball event in 2012. This was th first ever, all female, paintball comp tition in the USA. • First place at NPPL Vegas 2013- ma ing history as the first all female tea to win a non segregated event in th USA. How did you get started in bodybuilding? I started lifting weights to offset the natural disadvantage women are at physically on the paintball field. My gun always use to feel heavy, my July 2014 It turned into a passion... an addiction of sorts. As I built more muscle the next step was to compete to dis play it, so to say. What are your goals in bodybuilding and paintball, long term and short? My goal in bodybuilding is to go pro and compete professionally. My goa in paintball is to promote women in the sport as actual athletes that are taken seriously. I hope to bridge the gap between these two sports. Show that bodybuilders can also be successful, functional athletes as well as show that you can improve your paintball game significantly by deve oping your athleticism. I hope to inspire more people, women specifica ly, to want to work out! And of course, competing in countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, and Europe.