Why i LIKE paintball + MY NPL 09

Aside from the happeing logo above, here's a few reasons why i LIKE paintball + MY NPL 2009

#1. I get to meet up with old friends, some meeting for the first time in like 6 YEARS, and of course, making cool new ones!

First of all, MUST be the one and only Simon Chang, one year my senior back in St. John's. I have my chance in the Prefectorial Board all thanks to him for sacking rejecting me in my Librarians interview back in Form 1. OMG. lol

And there was another senior from St. John's, was in Form 5 when i was in Form 3. Adrian. He plays for the Team Sinar FM because he works with ASTRO. :-)

Plus, another abang, around Simon's batch too, i think, Khairul. I still remember the 1st thing he told Simon when we met during our crash course the Sunday before NPL, "Oh, i ingat dia.. pengawas kan? haha.. its payback time!!" And he just left and entered the field. He was a librarian, just like Simon, and guess what? Apparently librarians not so ngam with prefects lar that time.. LOL. But he's a cool guy! XD

Also, Ritaudeen, my junior (or same batch, can't remember, sohree..LOL) from St. John's too! It was on the final day, when Din and i headed back into the players' paddock hoping to sell our left over pallets to Team Infidelz (yea.. i know the irony.. tell me abt it... hahaz), and we crossed paths. He yelled, "Marcus!!" and i went, "Heeeeeyyyyyyyy.......... (thats what i do to buy time to recall the names of ppl i forget, i pull my greeting.. LOL), you're.... OMG.. i can't remember, but your so familar..." *then suddenly something clashes in my head, and i went...* "RITAUDEEN!!!!"

Haha. That was seriously what went down that time man.. LOL. He's a dam chun guy. Been in paintball for awhile now. Was heading off when we met. Even offered to buy our left over pallets! What a nice guy that fella.. :-)

Edwatd and Ritaudeen aka Reet

Then there was also Nabil Adib, my schoolmate of the same batch of 2002. He said hi to me first, but when i saw him, i instantly knew who he was! Woohoo!! Coincidently, his team is Black Pearl (after the infamours Capt. Jack Sparrow's pirate ship) in D$ in the same tourney! Too bad didn't get to face off with him. LoL

Nice pic leh? Snagged it off his FB albums. LOL

Not to mention a dear friend of mine, who also happens to run the Putra Paintball Park in Putrajaya with a bunch of other paintballers, Adiman. He was team captain of Team Kejahatan. Too bad to pics of the good looking blokes. LOL. It was indeed a pleasant surprise to have meet him AND gone up against Team Kejahatan, to which we triumphed. :-D

Of course, i nearly forgot, Khoo Kah Jin, a friend from the Kendo Club of Malaysia!! We trained together at the Japan Club years ago, and havent been in contact since, untill MY NPL 09!! Woohoo!! He's in D3 or D2 already, btw.. dam terra this guy. :-D

All in all, a pleasantky unexpected reunion! XD XD XD

Also worthy of mention, the few NEW friends that ive made throughout MY NPL 09:

Andrew "Viper" and Edward

Both were seasoned paintballers. During our crash course, we needed to skirmish with another D4 team, but there were non around, and they volunteered to team up with Simon to train us. So it was like 3 against 5 of us. And all on their own pallets mind you, okay?! Where can find people like them? Who's all in for the LOVE of the game?

Viper went in the field with shorts and suffered a bruise on the right knee delivered by Josh, and yet, wlaking out of the field, he had a smile on his face which spelled "For the LOVE of the game.." Ouch! :-D

Really nice guys. And im glad to have made their efforts worth wild by making it as far up as the Sweet 16. Thanks guys!

The ALPHA MARKSMAN

L-R: Tony "Icecool", Man, Marnee, Kay Yo, Faz, Adli

And finally, the team we all feared before, and are respected now as friends. Their sportmanship is dam chun and that's of the many things i admire about them. GO Alpha Marksman GO!! XD

#2. There's a new parking experience!

I only heard about this from my friend who was living in the SPPK flats in Pantai Dalam, that when people double park at the flats (its a nessecity at the flats, mind you), they leave their hand brakes down so that others may PUSH THEIR CARS FORWARDS OR BACKWARDS TO MAKE SOME SPACE TO GET OUT. And sometimes, the car may be parked at the start of the road, and will end up at the end of the road after a day long of pushing forwards and backwards...

I laughed at it. And i didn't imagine i would live to see the day i ACTUALLY had to push an unidentified car who was blocking my Grease Lighting.

My heart sank when i caw this from afar. I was like, "AYIOK!! Die lor this time...!!!" I frantically looked for a number over the dashborad to call, but there were'nt any!! PANIC!!! PANIC!! Oh, then i remembered the SPPK flats. So i tired to push the car backwards. And it MOVED... Thanks goodness! XD XD XD

You see lah how near it was parked to my car!! And the fact that my car didn't have the right side mirror made it possible for the car to be at such an impossible distance from mine!

Yea, i put the camera on the top and posed. So what? I actually did push it before that okay?! LOL

And another thing, just when i thought that cars parked at the venue would be summon-free (becaus usually the authorities will close on eye be more understanding during big events like MY NPL), how wrong could i be...

Summoned and Splattered! XD

And no matter how far you park, your car may just be the lucky one to be splattered by rogue pallets which bounce off the field and onto everywhere else -- yea, including you cars.. LOL


#3. Most, if not all, paintballers take the game seriously. And they're very helpful too.

You MUST see the other, more seasoned paintballers. They take the game so seriously, you thnk there's moneyto be made! Their aura and team spirit really makes you feel like you're a part of them. Best giler! XD XD

Siap with team's banner sumore. Dam die hard sia.. :-D

And luggage bags.

And mats! They know better that two tables and 6 chairs aren't enough.
(mental note: get Japanese bamboo mat for Team Yakuza next time round! =P )

I wish i could say more, but you've really gotta see it to feel it for yourself. Then during our last game with Team Infidelz, while i was rushing to fill up our loaders, a paintballer who happened to walk by noticed a hissing sound, and suggested we check for gas leaks. True enough, one of the marker's gas tank was faulty, and gas was leaking!! I mean, he was just walking by, and with all the noise in the atmosphere, how could he have heard that?!! And so nice and sportsman-like of him to inform us too!

I've experienced first hand in a paintball tourney. WOW. :-D

#4. I get to meet a 'special' breed of people. :-D

These 'special' breed of people are non other than the referres in a paintball match!!

They look cool.

They are fearless.

And they have the power to rule over all in the field.

But these people also live a dangerous life, metamorphically speaking. :-D

See? Must TWO to check a player sumore.. XD

They RUN INTO THE LINE OF FIRE JUST TO CHECK OF IF A PLAYER GETS HIT!!

I mean, like whao kan..?! Here we are, playing the most exciting extreeme sports on the planet, and even we are dodging pallets, but not the referres. They're steadfast to their mission: check a player and justly shouts "OUT!!" with left hand on head and right hand pointing at player when the player is hit.

I saw one ref got hit right in the neck while we was rushing in to check a player. These people braver than pengebom berani mati lar.. hahaz. And sometimes, when the results are disputed, they also have to put up with dissatisfired players who are fuming and all.. All in a days work, i guess?

Doesn't this pic just screams, "Yeah, we love it!! Hit us more!" :-D
(you hit us on purpose, and we'll disqualify you..LOL)

Still can smile even after being hit by pallets for absolutely NO REASON at all... Hats off to them man! Besides, i bet they'll say its for the LOVE of the game.. haha!

Why they're a 'special' breed you ask? Because they get the thrill is getting hit by pallets. So much until if tak kena, not syiok! hahaa...

#5. I get a full workout and sweat like a dog person who sweat alot after workout. XD

This one leaving the players' paddock. STILL sweating and all. Lucky thing for the hallowed army shirt. LOL. But in all seriousness, paintball works you all over. Once the adrenaline strats pumping, you will feel more alive than ever before! Your legs need to be stretched out well before a game because you will need to run, slide, and dive into bunkers -- at the same time avoiding pallets flying at you! XD

Then, to be able to snapshoot, you will need to work on your right and left abdomen muscles. Learn more about snapshooting here. Being agile and flexible is a must. And hey, you get to train your communication in paintball too!! Especially the shouting part... LOL. Mental control and preparedness are also tested in paintball. So, its a all rounder! XD

#6. They allow you to use 'creative' photos for your ID tag. :-)

Yours truly, ME!! LOL
(don't you just wana pinch my cheecks?!! haa..)

#7. MAPAAC people rawks! Esp the Boss, Mr. Wong! :-D

A photo for the marketing effort. lol :-D

No kidding man. He may look like a typical Chinaman, but he's no Chinaman when it comes to building strong lasting relationships. Other places, money first, then you may talk. Or better still, NO MONEY, NO TALK. But not here, not at MAPAAC, at least not when Mr. Wong is around. ;-p

He understand what us players go through (mainly because he's a player too.. in D1 sumore know.. haha), so he tries to make it easy for us. He discusses to find the best win win situation for both parties. Car parked too far, but need to urgently buy a box of pallets, but RM200 in the car, nevermind, you take first, record down, pay later. What a nice guy. And his brother, Ah Wei, is also exceptionally kind and generous. In all ways and means.

I personally experienced his generosity during my crash course. Can you believe i came all the way to ASTAKA, and found out i forgot my SHOES?!!!! Bugger! @_@ I just happen to mentioned my predicament to him, and in 20 mins, he loaned me a pair football boots!! Like OMG..!!! Thank you Wei!!!

Mr. Wong and Ah Wei are never trifty about any information when paintball is concerned. They can, and they probably will, talk to you about paintball until the cows come home, IF you're as passionate and turned on about the sport as they are. Try them, and you'll see what i mean. :-P

Well folks, thank you for coming this far with me. My post about MY NPL 2009 ends here. Do look out for more paintball updates when i go for more tourneys in the near future! Thanks for reading. :-)

And for those of you who are as turned on about the sport as i am, you know what to do:

Contact:
YP Wong @ 016-332 3370 / 019-983 3370
WY Wei @ 016-332 3372 / 012-337 0775

Malaysian Paintball Academy (MAPAAC)
Kompleks Sukan Astaka
46200 Petaling Jaya, SDE
Tel/Fax: 03-7960 4724
Email: info@mapaac.com
Web: www.mapaac.com // www.my-npl.org

"For the LOVE of the game", some one once told me... :-D