Team members
It took the Tampa Bay Rays 10 years to reach the World Series-eight more than it took the Miami University paintball team to win its first National Collegiate Paintball Association.
Miami fielded two paintball teams Sept. 27, traveling to the University of Michigan Open, where one team placed first and the other placed fifth.
At the tournament, Miami competed against the University of Michigan, Central Michigan University and Northern Illinois University.
The team has 16 tournament players who play in five-man team competitions. The competitions involve two teams trying to eliminate each other with paint pain shots, according to team co-founder Max Elsass.
Twenty teams, such as Pennsylvania State University, Ohio University, West Virginia University, and Temple University, are expected to attend the Miami Open Paintball Tournament Nov. 8 at the All-American Paintball Park in Pittsburgh, according to CJ Deighan, president of the team.
Joe Martin, adviser for the team, said most of the club's expenses come directly out of the team's pocket.
Last year, Associated Student Government (ASG) gave funding to outfit the players and buy paintball guns for practice, but the team still pays for much of the team events itself, according to Martin.
Tournaments can cost up to $450 with the additional cost of $60 to $90 for practices each week, Martin said. The players also spend up to $2,000 on guns, paint, goggles, loaders and compression tanks.
Martin said the team raises money through Student Appreciation Days, which are randomly scheduled throughout the year. During the fundraisers, team members bring students to play at their practice center, Paintball Country in Hamilton, for a discounted price and receive a portion of dues paid.
However, the team is currently looking for sponsors and donations to fund the team during the regular season and to also reach long-term goals, according to Martin.
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"In the future, they want to play in nationals and win it," he said. "They also want to play X- Ball which is the next step up from the five-man event which we play now."
According to Martin, X-Ball is an invite-only level of competition.
Max Elsass, senior co-founder of the paintball team, believes the general public does not fully appreciate the paintball team.
"What we do is not the stereotypical thing that everyone thinks of when they think of paintball," Elsass said. "College (paintball) is a fun way for educated paintball players to hang out to do something they like doing."
Elsass said paintball is not just dodging the other team and running behind barriers-it is a game involving strategy and skill.
Deighan agreed that the club deserves respect for what it does, and hopes to educate students in the future.
"As a club team, we are going out and winning and representing Miami in a positive way just like any other club team-we go out and compete against any other schools like football or baseball teams," he said. "When we win we are bringing home the trophies to Miami."
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