A dangerous man with paint

It's probably good that the only thing coming out of Kirby Gartland's gun is paint.

He could be pretty dangerous otherwise.

Gartland picked up a gun and the paintball habit in fifth grade with some friends. Now a senior in high school, he's one of the most feared 18-year-old gunmen in Southeast Missouri.

"It's a sport you can shoot other people in, and it takes a lot of teamwork," the Cape Girardeau resident said. "The adrenaline rush is huge. I'm all into that kind of stuff."

Two years ago, Gartland joined Team Snipers of Blodgett Paintball Planet in Sikeston, Mo., which competes in both the Illinois Paintball League and the Southern Illinois Paintball Players League. Both leagues consist of 10 to 12 games in Illinois during the fall and winter. Although he rarely competes in league play with his squad, Gartland, the youngest member of the team, gets his fair share of shots in tournaments around the Midwest about every other month.

Tournaments just as fun

"The leagues are just so monotonous," he said. "It's the same thing almost every weekend, and it takes a lot of time. I usually just play in the local tournaments, and they're just as fun."

Gartland said that rules and playing fields vary by tournament, but most games are played on speed ball courses with inflatable bunkers. Depending on the event, teams can consist of two to seven players. Tournaments usually offer between six and 12 games per day per team. Points generally are awarded to teams for capturing a flag and for shooting opposing players, therefore eliminating them.

"Think of playing on a football field, and the 50-yard line is where the flag is," he said. "You start at the end zone, and you have to get the flag and bring it to the other team's end zone. The point system is always different, though."

Popular extreme sport

Paintball has earned a spot as one of the most popular extreme sports in the country not only because of its intensity, but also its safety. Goggles that cover the entire face, long-sleeved jerseys, paintball pants, elbow and knee pads, chest protectors, neck protectors and gloves are among the protective attire worn by most paintballers.

Gartland said that even with the safeguard items, the sport is not completely pain-free.

"You spend a lot of time on your butt, and the paintballs hurt if you're just playing around, but it doesn't hurt when the adrenaline rush is going so strong," Gartland said. "You feel it afterwards, though; it leaves about a quarter-size bruise on you.

"You feel worn out really bad after games. It's definitely strenuous, and you're all covered in dirt and bruised up. And then you have to go and clean your gun, which is a pain."

An expensive sport

Gartland has spent nearly $1,400 on his paintball gun and said it can cost up to $120 just to play in some tournaments.

Despite the cost, however, he plans to keep playing past high school. Several colleges across the United States, including the University of Missouri-Columbia, have produced paintball club teams, and there are now 56 collegiate club teams, some completely funded by the school and others not funded at all.

"There's actually starting to be talk of getting it as a collegiate sport if enough colleges can agree to it," he said. "I am definitely thinking about playing in college, and if I did get to play in college and ended up getting the chance to be sponsored by one of the professional teams, that would be even better."

Mark Unterreiner is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian. His Spotlight feature appears every Thursday.