Its late 2018 . A young coach shakes his head in despair , wondering if he ’ s made a mistake . Wondering if all the effort put into building a kids paintball team will be wasted . There ’ s a dozen or so members on the newly formed Swamp Monkeys team , which officially began back in March , but they ’ re not cohesive . They ’ re not coming together as a unit , or as friends , in the manner he hoped . Starting a youth team from the ground up has taken way more energy than anticipated . But he ’ s not giving up .
Flash forward to today . The Swamp Monkey kids scenario paintball team , a 501 ( c ) 3 nonprofit organization for kids ages 10 to 16 years old , is thriving . With over 40 active members and dozens of supportive parents , coaches , and volunteers , the team celebrated its five-year anniversary in March 2023 . They ’ ve played 20 + scenario games since inception , including several events outside their home state of Florida . The team is sponsored by Dyzana , Social Paintball , and its home field Outdoor Xtreme Battlefield Orlando . They receive generous donations from local businesses and supporters . They host raffles to raise money for team friends and family members going through tough life situations . Last year , parent volunteers even created the newly minted Swamp Monkeys Speedball faction , which played their first major tournament at the 2022 NXL World Cup Youth Division . The kids are building lifelong friendships , skills , and morals .
The Swamp Monkeys team is committed , first and foremost , to investing in the youth , and helping young people develop into compassionate and well-rounded adults . The paintball portion , though an integral part of the team , comes second .
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