Alyssa Grossen | Dixie Sun

There are several different sports for people to play but paintball is not your typical option. The thrilling, adrenaline rush sport is for anyone at any age to have to have fun.

as balls of paint are flying your direction you hide behind a propped up board and hear your breath hitting against your facemask.

your teammates are telling you to move forward as they shoot at the opponent. you move into open area and feel your heart pumping faster and faster with both fear and adrenaline. you duck into cover at the next shelter when you hear the sound of paint soaring toward you. Finally, the splattering of bullets stop, and you decide to take your shot at the person wanting to bean you.

you slowly creep out of the cover and look around to find where your enemy might stay. Just as the thought of safety runs through your mind you hear a trigger being pulled hundreds of times. as you turn to see where this is coming from, ten, twenty, 30 paintballs hit you right in the chest, leaving welts and bruises all over your body.

Paintballing isn’t just a sport—It’s a passion.

“It feels good when you feel like you’ve got something going on,” said Samuel Jamison, a freshman communication major from St. George. “When you’re sneaking around to get all of them, or you see their backs turned to you you’re like, ‘This is it. I got it.’”

Adrenaline, talent and brains run the sport of paintball.

“When you’re being fired at it’s a different feeling,” Jamison said. “It’s like, ‘Shoot man, we have to take control of the situation,’ and you yell at everyone telling them what to do. you take commands and get it figured out.”

There are different types of games players can participate in with the world of paintball. There is the common elimination game where teams are selected. when the horn sounds you shoot as many opponents as you can. There is capture the flag where there is a flag at each end of the arena, and you do your best to get to the flag without getting hit. There is also the occasional football game, but instead of tackling each other you shoot each other.

“You have an arm band … which represents your team,” Jamison said. “And you just kind of go out there and try not to get shot and try to shoot them.”

There is also the social aspect of the game that draws people to the sport.

“It’s not just my family … all these guys are my family, so it’s fun,” said Damien Karimi, the owner of Battle Ball Paintball at 420 West Addie Lane in Washington.

It brings people together with the same love for excitement.

“What got us started, of course, is the love for paintball,” Karimi said. “I watch all these kids come up in something that I love, and it’s incredible. I took a hobby and turned it into more than that, so that’s fun. And to get even more people excited about it, that’s even more fun.”

Jamison said it’s a great activity with friends.

“[My favorite part] is just getting together with my friends and having fun,” Jamison said. “This is a lot of fun to move around and think about what you need to do, and it’s physical. There are a lot of good friends and people here, so it’s just a good environment, and it’s a lot of fun.”

Playing at Battle Ball Paintball is free entry with a $20 rental fee. This fee gives you a gun, facemask and unlimited paintballs for the use of the whole day. People are welcome to bring their own gear for a day of free paintball. This venue’s open hours and costs may vary. to get more information go to battleballpaintball.com. 

Paintballers get smacked in face with paint