Many students use coffee to get themselves out of bed on a Saturday morning, while some prefer caffeinated tea or perhaps a pastry. Others prefer having gelatin capsules of dye fired at them at 190 miles per hour.
To each their own.
For those that fall into that last category, finding a likeminded group is as easy as searching “Paintball Club of Michigan Tech” on Facebook, the group’s preferred method of communication with members. The group has weekly meetings on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. usually held in Fisher 132.
The club is part of the National Collegiate Paintball Association [NCPA], and last year was tenth in the nation at the NCPA national tournament in Florida. All that success doesn’t come without a lot of work.
“On your average Saturday morning, we’ll probably have eight or nine people out there,” said club member Keagan Fortier. “We do physical and firing drills, but the majority of our time is spent scrimmaging against each other… . We have an advantage over some other teams in that we have the Multipurpose Room [in the SDC] where we can practice with reballs year-round. We stay outside as long as we can, but when other teams have to call off their season we can keep going.”
The team attends NCPA regional tournaments throughout the year to qualify for nationals. Games are generally five-on-five capture the flag, with points awarded for kills and completing the objective. The team’s next tournament is being held Oct. 1 in Little Suamico, Wis.
Students can still get involved with paintball even if they don’t want to be pros though. No one starts that way.
“I got started playing in high school,” said Fortier. “I competed locally after a while and then looked for a club once I got up here.”
One way students can get experience paintball is by taking the Paintball class offered by Tech as a co-curricular credit. The class usually has around 30 people and gives new and experienced players an opportunity to get on the field and earn credit.
The Paintball Club also hosts events for private groups. The team has a fleet of rental gear sponsored by Valken Sports which lets them accommodate large groups. Rental prices vary based on the price of paint, but most recent numbers are $8 for an all-day rental package and $12 for a bag of paint. Contact the group of Facebook for more details.
“It’s kind of a lifestyle,” said Fortier. “Paintball Club is its own animal. The bruises and welts keep some people away, but honestly, that’s the way we like it.”
Do you live for the paint? Do you have an organization you think the Keweenaw should hear about? Join the conversation on the Michigan Tech Lode Facebook page!
