Paintball – Alive and Well On the Space Coast
By Brevard Live // June 23, 2012
RECREATION
(VIDEO: Setitenut)
BREVARD COUNTY • PALM BAY, FLORIDA – Paintball is a worldwide phenomenon that has long captured the minds of people interested in martial games.
Paintball is a sport in which players try to shoot each other with small dye capsules referred to as paintballs. This sport has a series of safety precautions including protective facemasks and safety netting that encloses the course.
This game closely resembles war in that player’s dash around a field with guns in an attempt to eliminate each other.
Although paintball guns shoot capsules full of colored dye, which are relatively harmless, they can still hurt.
Because of this danger, players must wear protective masks in order to protect their face and eyes. Game variants include “capture the flag,” complete elimination, base invasions, and much more.
One major event at the Hurricane Paintball Park is called “The Valentine’s Day Massacre.”
The game of paintball was invented in the 1980s. However, the first paintball pistol was invented in the 1970s as a way to mark trees for excavation.
Charles Gaines and Bob Gurnsey, who were inspired by the short story called “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, first created the sport in New Hampshire.
Bob Gurnsey was the first person to sell paintball equipment commercially.
Primary Pieces of Equipment
The average paintballing enthusiast can be found with three primary pieces of equipment: a protective mask, a paintball gun, and paintballs.
There are many paintball arenas scattered throughout our county. One paintball park in Palm Bay, Hurricane Paintball, has been the heart of the craze for paintball in our area for many years.
This park is currently run by the Fillion family, which has been leasing the property for about two years. The business is comprised of husband and wife, Kim and Tim Fillion, along with their son Allen Fillion.
One paintball enthusiast, Jonathan Farlow, enjoys paintball because it allows him to have the “thrill of being shot at.”
While currently attending Viera High School as a junior, Farlow finds great pleasure in playing paintball on the weekends.
‘The Valentine’s Day Massacre’
One major event at the Hurricane Paintball Park is called “The Valentine’s Day Massacre.”
Many important people came to the park for this spectacular event, including Billy Wing, a professional paintballer who played on a team called Iron Man, and a famous paintballer who goes by the nickname “The Skeletor262.”
During this event they even had one of the creators of paintball, Bob Gurnsey, come to their park to participate in the action.
Hurricane Paintball Park has a group of referees consisting of players from two different competitive paintball teams called “Total Kaos” and “War Machine.”
Allen Fillion leads the team “War Machine.” People have said that this team is a force to be reckoned with in competitive paintball competitions.
A man who only wanted to be referred to as “Richie” leads the other team “Total Kaos.”
This team focuses primarily on the fundamentals of paintball. This team consists of both men and women ranging from age 10 and up.
One of the many important things this team does is a fundraiser called “Paintball for Tots.” This helps raise money for people on life support.
The head referee at Hurricane Paintball Park, Darnel Logan, enjoys every aspect of this sport.
“I enjoy getting to work with others and the feeling of self accomplishment that is associated with being the head referee at Hurricane Paintball,” said Logan.
The park promotes the philosophy of the Palm Bay Parks and Recreation, which emphasizes family fun.
For more information about how you and your friends can participate in this fun and exciting sport, call Hurricane Paintball at 772-553-6461 or visit their website at HurricanePaintballPark.com
