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48 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, January 27, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend June 9, 2002 Dylan Bourke, 15, bears the mark of a direct paintball hit. All players must wear eye protection during matches. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Splat! You lose, if you’re fighting this war Paintball tournament pits teams of three against each other for the honor of capturing a flag By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune Combine 22 teams and 66 players with 200 capsules of paint in each gun and you’ll wind up sporting countless purple, puffy welts the size of quarters. And you’ll get a colorful wardrobe complete with a rainbow of paint-splatters. Teenagers competing in the Southern Oregon Paintball Association’s beginners tournament Saturday proudly displayed their "war" wounds to others like badges of honor. "Naw, it doesn’t hurt," boasted Brian Adesman, a 12-year-old student at St. Mary’s while craning to see a blood-flecked bruise on the base of his neck. "It’s something to be proud of." But even worse than the bee-sting pain of a paint ball connecting with bare skin is the taste of paint in your mouth, said Ashland middle school student Kirt Siders. "Sometimes it gets through your mask. It tastes awful, like rubber celery," Siders, 14, said with a grimace. "The paint tasted so bad it didn’t even hurt (when I got hit)." For most youths, Saturday’s event was the first tournament of their paintball careers. Many of the newcomers say they’re hooked on the adrenaline rush. The game revolves around firing at the enemy, dodging "bullets" and hurtling across an obstacle course to capture and re-hang the flag. "It’s the closest way to be like Dirty Harry without killing anybody," said Rick Aarons, a North Medford High School student. "It’s like you get to go to war without all the violence and death," said Kyle Rosburg, also a North Medford student. "It’s such a rush." But it’s also a game that requires thought. "It takes strategy. You can’t just go out there and play," Rosburg added. Welts and the occasional sprained ankle are the only injuries reported at events such as these, said organizer David Mitramy, owner of Splatt Paintball Rentals, Sales and Supplies in Central Point and north Medford. That’s because of the strict safety rules, he adds. Masks protecting the face and eyes are required on the field. A barrel guard that keeps a paintball gun from accidentally discharging must be in place at all times when the player isn’t practicing or competing. "The sport’s really evolved from people dressed in camouflage playing in the woods," Mitramy said. "It’s an active, high-speed sport." Two teams with three members each attempt to steal the opponent’s flag from their enemy’s side and re-hang the item at their own base without being pelted. An obstacle course of tires, tubing and various structures stands in the way. If a player gets hit and has a paint-splat, that person’s out. The game is based on a point system, and the winner is the group with the highest score. The paintball tournament took place on an open field off Highway 62 near White City. The land is leased by the association and the obstacle course was put together through donations from private businesses. In the summers, the course is supervised and open seven days a week for practice. The association’s 30-plus members pay a yearly $35 fee to use it. "We’ve created our version of a skateboard park for paintball," Mitramy said. The next tournament is in July. It’s open to all levels of players. Teens and parents who are interested in participating can contact the association’s field office at 890-7865. Despite the occasional welt and painful bruise, Griffin Creek student Chris Tryber said the excitement of the game makes it all worthwhile. "I got hit in the arm and the butt and it doesn’t even hurt now," Chris, a 12-year-old Medford resident, said. "It’s just so cool to be out there." Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers