By Diane Garcia

Students at Assumption College have found an exciting way to have fun while staying active.

Assumption’s Paintball Club, which was inspired by faculty and staff paintball outings, has been running for about six years. Currently, 65 recreational players of various athletic abilities and experience attend the club’s weekly meetings and participate in their off-campus games.

Greg Facteau, the club’s advisor, believes that “any type of person can play this [game], you don’t have to be athletic at all.” The club’s president, J.P. Watts, added that there’s a position for everyone and that the amount of exercise you get depends on your position and the type of game you play.

For instance, when playing Woodsball, part of the team will stay behind to guard their flag while others chase after their opponent’s flag and duck from flying paintballs. Speedball, however, is a fast-paced game. It’s much like dodgeball in the sense that its goal is to quickly shoot your opponents until they are all out of the game. Players exert much more movement and energy while playing speedball because they are on an open field and have nowhere to hide.

Greg Facteau admits, “Paintball is not a cheap sport.” However, “If you pay for a rental at the field, you’re usually getting five to six hours of paintball.” That means several hours running, darting past paint pellets, and having adrenaline pumping through your body
For those a little skittish about getting hit with a paintball, Facteau said that it does hurt, but “…when you get hit, you don’t even realize it because the adrenaline is flowing. It just leaves a little bit of a mark on you.”

In fact, Watts considers it “one of the safest sports around.” One of the most important field rules is that players must have protection, which includes wearing a facemask. Also, experienced supervisors closely monitor the fields. “Nobody gets hurt playing paintball unless you fall down or do something stupid in the woods,” said Facteau.

If you’re an Assumption student still debating on joining in a round of paintball, Facteau, who has been playing for nearly 20 years, said that those interested need to “get out and try it… it’s addicting. For people who like excitement, it’s exciting and a fast moving game.” Watts, who has been playing since the 7th grade, agreed and could not emphasize enough how much fun the sport is.

Stop by www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20817244997 to join the club’s FB group, or contact paintball@assumption.edu or JWatts@assumption.edu for more info or to be put on the mailing list.