12
From the Prez
issue 67
05/2014
I’ve Seen the Best & worst of Times
Welcome
I’ve been in paintball for 29 years
and I’ve seen the best of times and
the worst of times. I’ve seen the
game grow and flourish and I’ve
seen it in sharp decline. I’ve seen
the best tournament games ever
played and unimaginable cheating
and even game fixing at the pro
level. I’ve seen business success and
I’ve seen failure. I’ve seen the paintball community reach out to those
in need like no other and I’ve seen
the destruction and theft of property. I really have seen it all.
in Myrtle Beach.” It surprised me
a bit to see so many bikers riding
without helmets as the law permits
in that state. Like paintball, the
motorcycle community has had its
share of PR nightmares and scrutiny over the years - wearing a helmet even when you’re not required
to would give people one less thing
to complain about.
And that’s what I love about the
paintball community - you’re
not required by law to carry your
marker in a case or bag but most
The thing that continues to amaze players do it because they know it’s
me is that this game and this paint- the right thing to do. It’s not reball culture seem to bring out the
quired by law to play paintball safebest in most. Most of the people
ly but the great majority of players
that play this game nurture and
do. Most people in our community
take care of it. You’ve seen it a
know that we may be a few just a
million times - a newbie removes
few dumb mistakes from having
their goggles during a game and
some restrictive marker regulations
everyone within 100 feet becomes a held over our heads, so we self-poref. Or someone is walking around lice.
in the staging are without a barrel
cover on and someone is always
That’s why I love this game!
there to point it out. That’s nurturing the game by keeping it safe
Thanks for reading!
and self-policing so someone else
doesn’t have to.
John Amodea
I was recently in South Carolina for
a mini-vacation that just happened
to coincide with “Harley Week”
Editor/President
May 2014