A Top Sport with Little Respect

Paintball is often thought of as a game where a group of guys go find a spot in the woods and just shoot each other. This is the scenario for some games but the biggest part is far from that.  You don’t criticize soccer as kids in Somalia or some third world country playing soccer in a dirt field as the essence of soccer, so why use this as a stereotypical game of paintball? Most games played are well organized and contain set rules. For this ill use speedball as the prime example, the rules are extensive and penalties are issued as in every other game. They can be complex or simple. Examples of these rules are located at http://www.thecfoa.com/files/PSP2009RulesGeneral.pdf. With such a complex set of rules you cannot take this as just a hobby. Paintball is played in over 110 countries with 15 million players seeding it a spot as the next biggest sport on TV after hockey. Playing this sport builds skills that are fundamental for individuals such as leadership and teamwork. No team is successful without teamwork. Working with others is a struggling quality in the world today but those that play have to learn how to accept one another and cope as a team, not an individual. Leadership is built with the integrity and dignity that most players show on and off the field. With so much this top sport has to offer why is it often shot down as an undignified game? The lack of respect for the game and its players is an odd situation; you don’t down soccer players for playing soccer or doubt what the game has to offer so why should paintball be any different? They are both top sports building individuals as a group to become a better person in society. This is why I believe paintball should gain more respect as a prestigious sport rather than the redneck game it’s often associated with.