Paintball For Parents

So, little Johnny wants to take up the extreme sport of				fortified position of the opposing team.
paintball. As a responsible, protective parent your first				As a parent it is comforting to know that the sport of
reaction is a categorical "no". Various scenes from A				paintball has an outstanding track record when it
Christmas Story pop into your head with the familiar				comes to safety. That record is the result of rigorous
refrain - you'll shoot your eye out.				safety enforcement in the game. Some of the most
But kids being kids, little Johnny will be relentless in his				common injuries in paintball are the same you would
quest to wear you down, until in a brief moment of				find in any outdoor activity - sprained ankles, scraped
physical fatigue and mental weakness you give in.				knees, minor cuts, and other bumps and bruises that
Then you have that panicked, oh my God what have I				come from running around and tripping and falling
done moment. Don't worry. With a few pointers and a				outside. Proper footwear and padding should be used
lot of common sense, paintball can be a fun, safe				to minimize these common ailments.
enjoyable game fro your little Rambo.				When it comes to paintball specific injuries, really the
The first step is purchasing the right protective gear				only thing of concern is the paintball itself. That's why it
for your child. Buying a package of equipment at a big				is imperative that you make sure your child wears
box retailer, giving it to your child and telling them to				goggles and other protective gear at all times. Being hit
have fun just won't cut it. Take the time yourself to				with a paintball does sting, and will leave a bruise on
read and follow all the safety instructions included. You				unprotected skin, but that should be the extent of it.
need to be well versed on the safe and proper use of				The paintball industry mandates that the acceptable
the equipment, and make sure your child understands				maximum velocity of a paintball is 300 feet per
the safety precautions also.				second, or 204 miles per hour. That may sound like a
Next, familiarize yourself with the basic principles of the				lot, but that is the velocity as the paintball leaves the
game. The most common game is a variation of				barrel. Goggles and other gear are manufactured to
capture the flag where two teams compete to try				perform up to this velocity. This velocity and lower also
and retrieve a flag from the opponent's side of the				keeps that bruising on unprotected skin to a minimum.
field and return it to a home base. During play, any				Paintball can become a fun, lifelong sport for your child.
player hit by a paintball is eliminated. Other variations				Just do your homework and follow the safety rules.
include elimination where the objective is to simply				Who knows, you may just join them out on the field
shoot all the members of the opposing team, and				one day.
attack and defend where one team attacks the