Spring Break
Paintball addictive to players
Kristina Peters/Verge Editor
Issue date: 9/28/07 Section: the Verge
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Norman was 13 years old when his father gave him his first paintball gun as a Christmas gift. His father also bought one for himself and Norman's brother. It became a family sport.
"We were hooked - the three of us," Norman, now 25, said.
Paintball is addicting for Norman because he said it gives him an adrenaline rush and is a fun way to relieve stress.
Norman said that's how others who play the sport feel as well.
"That's the crazy thing about paintball. You'll either love it or hate it," he said.
Norman was one who loved it. After playing for years, he decided he wanted to own his own paintball field, which is how Norman's Paintball, east of Charleston, began.
Before Norman's Paintball, Norman managed a paintball field in Georgia while he was in the Air Force. When he returned to Charleston he opened the field that he, his dad and his brother used to play on to the public.
Norman's Paintball
The sport of paintball can be split into two subcategories - woodsball and speedball - and Norman's Paintball has areas for both.
Woodsball is played in the natural environment and spans across a large area.
"It may be 10 to 15 minutes before you find someone to shoot at," Norman said.
Speedball, on the other hand, is faster-paced and more of a combat mode.
"Speedball is what gets your adrenaline pumping," Norman said.
Of those who play paintball, Norman said 50 percent prefer woodsball and the other half prefer speedball. Norman likes both games, but enjoys woodsball a little more.
"I love woodsball because that's where it (paintball) started, in the woods," he said.
Paintball-goers at Norman's fields have a wide range in age. Regulars are the Eastern Paintball Team.
"The awareness level of paintball has grown because of the EIU Paintball Team," Norman said.
The team, 2007 winners of the Class AA National Collegiate Paintball Association, often helps Norman manage the field.
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