In paintball today, the cutting edge is producing equipment which is faster, cheaper and lighter. As we've seen by the new releases of markers at the recent PSP World Cup, the newest products from Tippmann and TechT, Dye and Planet Eclipse, are all huge steps forward in these realms. Certainly, light and fast aren't always ideal qualities. I'm a huge fan of gorgeous brass sheridan-valved pump markers. But when you are looking to squeeze every bit of performance out of what you've got, lighter and faster is the way to go.
Unfortunately, the changing times have hit the paintball industry hard, and RECON has not been immune to this. RECON has always been a labor of love, not a money-maker, and as such, the "ship of state" has finally scraped up against financial shoals, far sooner than we had hoped. Due to these financial difficulties, RECON will soon be moving to a free, all-online format, to be called RECON Online. We'll continue providing informative and useful articles, and great paintball photos, now at the touch of your keyboard (how's that for fast?).
Obviously, this was a hard move to make. It's tough to beat the feel of a great woodsball picture in a glossy magazine. However, this is the manner in which we at RECON feel we can best serve you.
Of course, we won't leave subscribers hanging out to dry. Our close friends at Special Ops Paintball have very generously agreed to issue to each subscriber a gift certificate of greater value than the currently remaining balance on your subscription. Details for these will follow.
Thank you all again for your support of RECON magazine, and we look forward to continuing to serve the woodsball community in our new online venue!
Ian "Lo" Ebersole
Editor-in-Chief
Edit: Check out RECON Online here
11.06.2008
11.03.2008
Paintball - Hobby or Sport?
Is paintball a hobby, or is it a sport? Sounds like a funny question coming from an avid paintballers, but the more people I talk to, who don’t play paintball, the more this question comes up.
To the people who play, there is no doubt that paintball is a sport. When you consider that there are more than 11 million players worldwide who also consider paintball a sport, how can the general public think of the game as a hobby?
Part of the confusion may arise from the definitions of each term from dictionary.com. A hobby is defined as an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation. Sport is defined as an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature. According to the definitions, paintball is both.
Most people have their first experience with paintball at a birthday or bachelor party or corporate outing. The purpose of these paintball games would clearly fall within the definition of hobby - go out, shoot some paint, have some fun.
After playing a few times most people start getting a little more competitive, moving into speedball or competitive woodsball. Or, they just play walk on days at their local field.
Both types of game require quire skill and both are played for pleasure. Since the world champion Los Angles Ironmen and SPPL champion Smart Corp have full time jobs to pay the bills, including paying for paintball, the players must be doing it for pleasure. By the same token no one can argue that the members of either of these teams aren’t athletes.
Is paintball a hobby or a sport? Those of us, who play, at any level, know it is a sport. If others think paintball is a hobby that’s fine, as long as they come out and play, at least once, and see for themselves that paintball, unlike many other sports, can be whatever you want it to be.
When people realize that paintball is customizable to any participate at any skill level. That the game can be as competitive or relaxed as you want it to be, they to will see paintball like we do. A great sport, or hobby, or pastime that can be enjoyed by anyone.
..:: Visit the Tippinators Official Website - www.tippinators.com for up to date news and official information about the team. ::..
To the people who play, there is no doubt that paintball is a sport. When you consider that there are more than 11 million players worldwide who also consider paintball a sport, how can the general public think of the game as a hobby?
Part of the confusion may arise from the definitions of each term from dictionary.com. A hobby is defined as an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation. Sport is defined as an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature. According to the definitions, paintball is both.
Most people have their first experience with paintball at a birthday or bachelor party or corporate outing. The purpose of these paintball games would clearly fall within the definition of hobby - go out, shoot some paint, have some fun.
After playing a few times most people start getting a little more competitive, moving into speedball or competitive woodsball. Or, they just play walk on days at their local field.
Both types of game require quire skill and both are played for pleasure. Since the world champion Los Angles Ironmen and SPPL champion Smart Corp have full time jobs to pay the bills, including paying for paintball, the players must be doing it for pleasure. By the same token no one can argue that the members of either of these teams aren’t athletes.
Is paintball a hobby or a sport? Those of us, who play, at any level, know it is a sport. If others think paintball is a hobby that’s fine, as long as they come out and play, at least once, and see for themselves that paintball, unlike many other sports, can be whatever you want it to be.
When people realize that paintball is customizable to any participate at any skill level. That the game can be as competitive or relaxed as you want it to be, they to will see paintball like we do. A great sport, or hobby, or pastime that can be enjoyed by anyone.
..:: Visit the Tippinators Official Website - www.tippinators.com for up to date news and official information about the team. ::..
10.15.2008
Paintballing = Terrorism ?!?!?!?
My entire life I have been told that physical activity is vital to development in young people and to overall health of everyone regardless of age.
Government websites state that physical activity helps maintain a healthy body weight, and is associated with positive self-esteem, greater self-efficacy, improved academic and cognitive performance, and greater perceived well-being. Physical activity helps reduce a number of risk factors for diseases such as coronary heart disease by setting positive habits early on in childhood and adolescence.
The last time I checked paintball is a great physical activity that is enjoyed by people of all ages and from all walks of life. So according to the government paintball is good, right?
No necessarily. I recently came across this article from the Globe and Mail here in Canada...
Globe and Mail - 28/09/2008
JAMES CLARK
Toronto -- When I was a teenager, I sometimes "cut doughnuts" in icy parking lots with my parents' car. Paintball was before my time, but I sometimes went camping in the winter and spent much of the time horsing around with my friends in the snow.....
Does this make me a terrorist? According to Canada's anti-terrorism laws, it seems the answer could be yes. In his ruling, Mr. Justice John Sprout argued that "engaging in activities such as paint-balling, physical exercise and rafting is by no means inconsistent with the existence of a terrorist group." If casting a wide net is our government's strategy to fight terrorism, then expect more guilty verdicts. But don't think it makes Canada a safer place.
You have to be kidding me. John Sprout is a judge, which means he is an educated man. I guess education and common sense are mutually exclusive.
To say "paint-balling is by no means inconsistent with the existence of a terrorist group" is akin to saying "consuming solid sustenance, defecating and breathing oxygen are not inconsistent with being a serial killer."
There are 11 million paintballers out there right now. There are more paintballers than some country's have people. According to Justice Sprout that would mean there are 11 million potential terrorists running around. Psssst... Hey Homeland Security.... If this is true your job just got a little harder.
Asinine statements like the one made by Justice Sprout go to show how little, he, and the general public really know about our sport. I am willing to bet if he put on the goggles and came out for a day he would change his, misinformed opinion.
It is up to you, and everyone out there who loves paintball, to educate people about our great sport. To let people know that paintballers aren't warmongering, ultra violent, terrorists, despite what Justice Sprout thinks. Paintballers are international brotherhood of people who have, positive self-esteem, greater self-efficacy, improved academic and cognitive performance, and greater perceived well-being because of outdoor physical activity.
Government websites state that physical activity helps maintain a healthy body weight, and is associated with positive self-esteem, greater self-efficacy, improved academic and cognitive performance, and greater perceived well-being. Physical activity helps reduce a number of risk factors for diseases such as coronary heart disease by setting positive habits early on in childhood and adolescence.
The last time I checked paintball is a great physical activity that is enjoyed by people of all ages and from all walks of life. So according to the government paintball is good, right?
No necessarily. I recently came across this article from the Globe and Mail here in Canada...
Globe and Mail - 28/09/2008
JAMES CLARK
Toronto -- When I was a teenager, I sometimes "cut doughnuts" in icy parking lots with my parents' car. Paintball was before my time, but I sometimes went camping in the winter and spent much of the time horsing around with my friends in the snow.....
Does this make me a terrorist? According to Canada's anti-terrorism laws, it seems the answer could be yes. In his ruling, Mr. Justice John Sprout argued that "engaging in activities such as paint-balling, physical exercise and rafting is by no means inconsistent with the existence of a terrorist group." If casting a wide net is our government's strategy to fight terrorism, then expect more guilty verdicts. But don't think it makes Canada a safer place.
You have to be kidding me. John Sprout is a judge, which means he is an educated man. I guess education and common sense are mutually exclusive.
To say "paint-balling is by no means inconsistent with the existence of a terrorist group" is akin to saying "consuming solid sustenance, defecating and breathing oxygen are not inconsistent with being a serial killer."
There are 11 million paintballers out there right now. There are more paintballers than some country's have people. According to Justice Sprout that would mean there are 11 million potential terrorists running around. Psssst... Hey Homeland Security.... If this is true your job just got a little harder.
Asinine statements like the one made by Justice Sprout go to show how little, he, and the general public really know about our sport. I am willing to bet if he put on the goggles and came out for a day he would change his, misinformed opinion.
It is up to you, and everyone out there who loves paintball, to educate people about our great sport. To let people know that paintballers aren't warmongering, ultra violent, terrorists, despite what Justice Sprout thinks. Paintballers are international brotherhood of people who have, positive self-esteem, greater self-efficacy, improved academic and cognitive performance, and greater perceived well-being because of outdoor physical activity.
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