| 4/19/2011 |
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STR8BALLA
By Marc Gottfried
It’s kind of like professional wrestling; if a guy can bring out an aluminum extension ladder and win a match using it, then why can’t I?
At my home field, Xtreme Paintball Park in Millstadt, Illinois, we’ve always tried different methods to get people “into” playing straight. Sal Briguglio and his son Tore, the field owners, came up with something they called “The League of Gentleman Paintball Players”. The League is simply a code of conduct that we support at the field. It involves things like helping out newbies, not overshooting, sportsmanship and overall care for the positive side of the sport. They rewarded some deserving players with tee shirts that said, “Clean up your act!” on the front and “Play at Xtreme!” on the back. These things worked well, but they were very localized and we wanted something that would capture the entire industry’s attention and get them into it at a fundamental level.
I arrived at the field one morning and Sal took me aside. He outlined this great idea for something he called “Str8balla”. There’s a very basic problem that our sport suffers from; it’s easier for younger audiences to become enthralled with the “bad-boy” image than it is for them to embrace a more positive path. I hate to make a general statement like that, but it’s human nature. It’s kind of like professional wrestling; if a guy can bring out an aluminum extension ladder and win a match using it, then why can’t I? The saving grace in that example is that kids can’t be pro wrestlers. They can be pro paintball players though and just like ladders shouldn’t be a part of wrestling – and winning – neither should be wiping and playing on in paintball.
This negative machine in our midst is fueled by propaganda. Marketing experts call it “a sense of belonging”. It’s the feeling you get when you join a team, club, or any private group. In a brilliant accident, one group has created an “army”. This is nothing more than a club with no fees, membership cards, or by-laws; kind of like The League of Gentleman Paintball Players but with an organized and merchandized attempt to gain members globally. They are saying in not so many words, “If you believe in what we believe and what we stand for, then put this sticker on your hopper, and throw us in your forum board signature, and let the world know that you run with us.”
There was no ying to this yang until Str8balla. The Str8balla concept has evolved into a competitive machine supporting straight, honest play, respect for others, and dedication to positive reinforcement of the sport of paintball. We launched a website, str8balla.com, and received a flood of response. It’s a spillway for those who hated the “army” mentality and had nowhere else to turn other than simply being a stand-up player. There are no membership fees, and only a foundation code of conduct that our members add to everyday. You may become a member by sending an email to join@str8balla.com. Your name will be added to the grand list of Str8ballas who have joined the fight against the negative paintball mindset.
When the site was in its infancy, we could tell that we needed something more than just a member list. Sal had a groundbreaking idea that would put us over the edge and we’ve just now started to implement it. The “army” sells headbands, stickers, and lanyards to the public who wish to represent them. Being not-for-profit, we decided that we would have a small line of items made to sell on the website. After covering our cost, we would take every surplus cent and put it into an account for the purchase of sportsmanship awards at our tournaments. The goal would be to eventually gather enough money on a consistent basis to purchase sportsmanship prizes that are notably better and more valuable than what is offered for first place. We feel that we finally have a way to encourage good sportsmanship that will actually work!
A possible challenge with that plan is that it would only benefit local teams. Why should contributions from the whole world of paintball just benefit teams that frequent one field? It shouldn’t. We thought about “sponsoring” qualified events, but didn’t think that we would be able to fund very many. The solution is to open up the Str8balla concept for free “franchise” anywhere in the world. Anyone who wishes to form a local chapter of Str8balla may do so. They may use our logos, website, and buy items at cost just like we do. They must promise to make no profit, and use all of the money they accrue to support sportsmanship prizes at tournaments in their area. Eventually we hope to have chapters all over the world, each supporting what we stand for and working towards cleaning up the sport, and alienating cheaters.
“Don’t think for a minute that I wish that everyone played stock class, or in the woods, or walked over and hugged each other after each game.”
I am obviously very passionate about cleaning up the sport, but why does it matter and why should you care? I am sick of punk kids who think cheating is cool. Don’t think for a minute that I wish that everyone played stock class, or in the woods, or walked over and hugged each other after each game. I love the lightening fast action of the X-Ball fields just as much as you do, but I don’t want to hear a string of swears and see a marker flying through the air because some sixteen-year-old got marked off the break! It’s a sport and you won’t always win! Get used to it! So readers, if you believe in what we believe, and stand for what we stand for, then roll with us. Be a Str8balla. Do it by playing straight, and doing what’s right, and if you happen to want to join a club, then you know where to find us.
Marc Gottfried has been playing the sport with Total Greif Paintball
Team (totalgreif.com) since 1989 and his home field is Xtreme
Paintball Park, Millstadt, IL (xtremepaintballpark.com). Marc is a
world champion Brewmaster who operates a state of the art
brewery/nightclub in St. Louis, Missouri (morganstreetbrewery.com).
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