The crown jewel of that effort manifested in 2001 when the Iowa State University Paintball Club received $ 14,000 from the school itself to construct the first permanent on-campus paintball field ever, complete with netting, an airball field, and rentals. Over 8,000 students walked by the site each day, and it sparked a hotbed for growth of the industry in the plains states.
At its peak, the league would host more than 60 events each season with participation from a network of universities across the nation. Some of the best organizations in our sport were birthed out of the Collegiate League. For a recent example, the Noobies are a team that started their careers playing for Drexel University during their college years and carried on the team after they graduated.
The College program is an important one, targeting a demographic that is vulnerable for the sport in general. How many times have you heard the tale of a kid who fell in love with paintball, then went to college and gave it up because they couldn’ t afford to play? The
Collegiate League was a stop gap for the attrition that so often occurs with players in their early 20s.
But the program has floundered in recent years, fading from its former glory of nationwide competition to a mere three events last season. So it was good to see this level of competition honored at‘ Cup. A handful of intramural teams faced off on the Pro field for an exhibition on Friday.
The University of Central Florida Knight, U of North Texas, Texas A & M, and the Embry-Riddle Eagles played in a round robin X-ball competition. It ended with the Eagles topping the Aggies with a 3-0 win for gold.
The hope is that the event would inspire some interest in the league from competitors and spectators alike. Running an organization such as this one, promoting events, and expanding the sport to new arenas is a lot to manage, and it takes a village. If you or someone you know is interested in starting a club, seeking advice on reinvigorating an existing club, or promoting an event local to you, you can find more information on the league and its organizers NCPA Paintball on PBLeagues, social media, or at
1. ncpapaintball. com
www. paintball. media
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