How to Start a Paintball Team?

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Please keep in mind while reading, this is based on my opinion and experience. I am writing this because I see some players trying to start a team and not sure how to do it, then their teams collapse. I had originally started this article in the Paintball Command forum, and some of these ideas were contributed from another member of the forum. I hope this article helps in the creation of successful teams.

When Gang-Green started, we were just a group of friends and family that started playing in some local woods. We were a team in the making without realizing it. We then started going to scenarios and got some notoriety and over time people seeked us to join. They saw how we played and how we had fun on and off the field, and wanted to be part of that.

What is written below is to help guide you as if you are starting with just yourself, but will also help you if you are already an established team.  Like I said before, we were just a group of friends having a good time. Everything else just kind of flowed. We didn't have to force anything.

 There has to be open communication and good leadership. And just reassure your team that winning isn't everything in scenarioball, just have a good time and play your hearts out, and other players and teams will see that and respect you for it. It is important to be good losers as well as good winners. You will get recognition whether you win awards or not.

But like I stated earlier, camaraderie is the key. Take your time, don't take just anyone who asks. Some bad apples will slip through the cracks and get in, just be ready to deal with them. Don't get caught up in setting and designing stuff like - jerseys, dues, practices, websites. That will come in time, but don't take too long. All these things will help your team's growth.

Okay, so in my opinion there's steps in this process which I have listed below. Hopefully these steps could be of some kind of help to you. You will need a great deal of energy and a little bit of luck, too. I want to warn you that it's never as simple as I'm about to explain it. Each team is structured differently so these items must be designed to your team's needs.



1. Idea -  You need to sit down and ask yourself, "Is starting a team what I really want to do?" I know that sounds like a no-brainer, but you really need to think about the blood, sweat, and tears that you are going to have to invest to make the proposed team go from a thought in your brain into reality. Blood, sweat, and tears are only the beginning. The other two major investments are going to be time and money. Let's face it, paintball is not the cheapest hobby in the world.



2. Values  - You need to decide what this team is going to be about. What will your team stand for? This will basically be about your team's values. Will your team value honest play, friendship, sportsmanship? It can be anything you want, and it can be more than one thing. These values are your line in the sand, so to speak. If you pick up any new players, these values and expectations need to be explained to them so they know what the team is about. If they can't stand for what your team stands for, don't bother with them.

* Be forewarned, if you choose the wrong values, others will eventually see this and that impression will stick with your team name and the individuals known on the team, even if they leave the team. You will only have what can loosely be considered respect of others of the same values.



3. Recruiting - Now you get to go out and find teammates and it's best to set out on this journey with friends. What I'm about to say, I want you to take to heart. DO NOT TAKE EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO BE ON THE TEAM. Don't just start making posts to get people to band together and form a team. If you force it, you are almost sure to fail. Meet other players and become friends. When your team is a close group of friends, it is like being a family that WANTS to hang out together, not just do their own thing and then "Hey, I'll see you next scenario".

Go to your local field and scout players, or post a bulletin at the field and on the internet (in forums like PBC's). Make sure you set up some sort of interview process and use it to get to know all of your potential candidates. I know that sounds weird, but, believe me, if you ask the right questions you can find out a lot more information than you bargained for from a player. So, when you think you've found one worth adding to the team, take the time to explain to him or her what the team's goals and values are.

I also highly recommend a probationary period. For us, there was not set period of time. It was all determined how much time those potential new recruits spent at the field, helping with mainentance, and how fast we get to know them. In our case, we never searched for members, they all approached us. We did not look for good players, we looked for compatable personalities. That was more important than how good a player is. A player can get better over time, but it is harder to change a personality if it doesn't mesh with the team's personalities or values.



4. Government - I would recommend establishing the team's government early and before the team gets too large. In our case, I opened too many things up to team voting which greatly delayed the advancement of certain issues. Some things need only the officers to vote on and others need the entire teams. It is you and officers to decide which. The more trust your team has in your decisions, the tighter your team will be.

In my opinion, This can be any number of ways. Vote on a captain (like a pure democracy). Or even have the team vote on set number of members that will vote on everything (like a republic). Use your imagination if you have to, but make sure the system works. On my team, we use both. An issue comes up and everybody has equal say in how to resolve it. Again, it's up to you and your team to decide this.



5. Logistics - Alright, you've got a team together. Next, you want to start getting some other aspects hammered down now that you have people that can vote on these aspects. What are the team's colors? What's the team's dress code? What's the team's name if it doesn't already have one? If you look like a team, people will see a team. It will also create a sense of pride and passion among your players, which is a must-have in my opinion. This is also a good time to get a facebook or website going that is dedicated to your team. This will all help get your team's name out there.

Other things to consider are minimum requirements to remain on the team such as; maintenance days, minimum amount of home and away events to participate in, team dues and what they cover?



6. Practice -  I don't like the term "practice" when it comes to rec / scenario ball. Just go out and get some play time in with your team. One thing you need to know is that a new team of great players isn't nearly as good as an established team of mediocre players. Why? You need time to gel, or learn how to play with each other. It takes some time, but you'll notice that your team gets a bit more crisp every time it steps on the field. Your players will learn to compliment each other in their playing styles. You'll become more efficient and effective as a team as time goes on, I promise. You'll get noticed more and more.



7. Sponsorship - This part is always last for me. This is where you go and look for sponsors. I'm going to tell you right now, the best sponsors you will find are outside of paintball. You'll find out what I am talking about later. Just trust me, look outside of paintball if you want sponsorship. It will go much much further. Keep in mind you have to have something to offer the potential sponsor, too. I know it's cool to have sponsorships in this sport, but I'm telling you that sponsorships do not mean "free equipment". If you get one, you will owe your sponsor something. Many times the headache is not worth the sponsorship. Many major paintball companies that offer sponsorship require the entire team to use their gear, wear their clothes, or something else exclusive to their products. I rejected the idea of seeking these sponsors because I was not going to force the team to use equipment they might not like. Each member has their preference in equipment, all the way from guns, to harnesses and gloves.



8. TRUST, TRUST, TRUST!! - This is probably the most important thing. You need to trust your teammates on the field and off. You need to know your teammates have your back. This is what keeps your team together. If you don't have trust, you will never have cohesion.

You will have to trust me on this. I've had former teammates betray this trust. This caused me to question everyone's integrity and it hurt the team structure for quite awhile. These were more than just teammates but what were considered close friends.



I know this is long winded, but forming and maintaining a team is no small task. Best regards and I hope this helps you get started, and stay successful.