Come visit our website

I just followed a few links back to our own blog and realise we didn't update the blog with a notice about our new site (well since August 2008) We are still blogging and have our very own website filled with tournament news, stuff about the team, personal comments on pb etc etc.

In the short time we've been playing speedball we've managed to create enough hype to get sponsored and are about to take up the next challenge of learning how to play properly, with better skills and enough on field knowledge to take on the best teams in Division 3. This is not going to be easy for the middle aged team of misfits and gamers but the entire team are committed and are still have a great time playing...

Come visit out new site and check out the latest posts http://www.teamdamnation.com

The training continues

Ok update on our training schedule...

Most of the team have been trying to do some personal mid-week training during the week and we have been doing weekly fitness training to build endurance and core muscle groups. At the end of the day we play paintball not only for fun but because the end result is that we all become fitter. And for 30+ year old adults this is pretty important if you want to live a healthy life.


When you're running around RD, the size of the field is not an issue in terms of your fitness but on a tournament regulation sized field where the bunkers are further apart and the field is a lot bigger - fitness, speed and agility are going to be an issue especially after 7-9 games of a tournament. Not only that, for a 2 day tournament, if your team does make it into the Sunday play-offs pulling up fresh the next day ready to do it all again is going to be very important. This is not even taking into account the fact the everyone's using electronic markers and there is much more paint flying in all directions so the adrenalin levels are on overload. It comes down to this... if you are tired you don't think clearly... if you don't think clearly you are useless to the rest of your team during a game - that few seconds reaction time and slower adjustments to become aware of what's happening on the field could mean the difference between winning and losing...

A few of the guys I've jokingly given weight loss goals... this is more like a personal goal for themselves to take up...

As the reps for the fitness training increases we'll be working more on basic paintball skills... because the fundamentals are all important - until what we practice becomes second nature our team will not improve...

Last Sundays training was great... although all players showed up at different times everyone still put in their fitness session before we ended having some skirmishes with other local teams. My main aim for the skirmishes was to train the guys to get to spots off the break... they did this quite well and as the games went on their confidence to take pre-planned positions increased. Comments from players from other teams also helped work out why certain players were shot...

Next stage will obviously be how to work as a team to take advantage of good field position... the mental side of speedball is probably the hardest part of speedball to master. To be able to play the game as a team, co-operate and to play with purpose will take some time. Keeping your form in game and being able to second guess your opponents moves is something that only seasoned players can hope for. For now we're taking a leaf from the Warfreaks playbook to simply have fun and not concern ourselves with winning so much.

This week we're going to stick with personal training and doing our own drill sessions - a few guys have new family members on the way and we have to be careful about our spending. I think our families will appreciate that we spend one entire weekend with them (seeing that every weekend after that will be a paintball weekend lol)

NEW TEAM DAMNATION WEBSITE

If you're wondering why you're getting re-directed to new pages, we are currently in the process of setting up new servers to host a more comprehensive Team Damnation website. For now the blog will reside here until we work out some tech issues.

VICE, VICE baby

As the designated tech guy for the team, I've been doing alot of reading and catching up on the sport of Paintball. One of the areas of great interest to me has been E-Markers. I'm constantly watching videos, reading reviews, checking up on prices and generally asking others for their opinion and recommendations.

I won't go into detail on the numerous makes and models of markers I've been checking out but I will mention one particular model that has stood out for me and that is the BOB LONG VICE.

I'll admit I know next to nuts about E-markers but having read the reviews for the VICE and with superlatives like "AMAZING", "UNBELIEVABLE", "SUPERB", "PHENOMENAL" being used, I am intrigued and would like like nothing better than to meet someone who has shot one or better yet be that someone.

What is more intriguing tho... why isn't anyone using the VICE?

Maybe I am blind, or ignorant but I've seen a hell lotta EGOs, DM8s and what have yous being used.. just no VICE! What gives?

Anyway, look for the BOB LONG VICE reviews and maybe it will astound you as well.




14 pods on a single fill... shoots amazingly accurate, cheaper than any other high end marker and on and on and on... can anyone set us up with some?

Sometimes things just don't go to plan...

Team Damnation trained hard Saturday - made even harder by 32-33 degree temp, high humidity and glaring sun. 5 minutes into our warm up jog Daud showed his dexterity by tripping over flat on his face... this resulted in a very sore foot but he soldiered on.

Training consisted of:
5 minute warm up jog
10 minute stretching - quads, hamstrings, calf and back muscles
core strength plank routines - 3 reps x 30 seconds
sit ups - 3 reps x 30 sit ups
sprints
left handed and right handed snap shooting routines
3 v 2 bunker running routines

Most of the guys had to leave after this but I stayed on the have some skirmish matches with some of the other regular tourny teams like XXL & Wargh later in the afternoon.

Victor and I were looking forward to travelling to the Desaru the next day to check out the Asian Invitational. Let's just say this didn't go according to plan and by 11pm Judas and I had to both had to drop out. Needless to say I was more than disappointed with my situation and am still angry about it today - a once in a lifetime chance to watch and meet international players... and I had my video camera ready to film some of the action to share with those who couldn't make it. Oh well, I'll just have to cringe at others documentary on the event and spend the day not speaking to my significant other. Another day in the life of an married paintballer...

Oh by the way, Daud's injury sounds like it is a little worse than he first suspected and he is going for scans today as the doctor thinks he may have fracture his foot!!!

Paintball Weekend

We're gonna be pretty busy with weekend with plan on both Saturday and Sunday. Supreme Dictator Houdini is planning a two-hour training session tomorrow and no one knows what he's got lined up.

Our trip to the SX Sunday Match in Johor last week more or less highlighted what we needed to improve on. We've been busy discussing this on MSN during the work week and hope to rectify some of issues that have been pointed out. Sad to say there probably won't be any time to skirmish with the other teams this weekend but as we've all agreed, training comes first.

Houdini and I are also going to be heading to Desaru on Sunday to catch the Asian Paintball Invitation Tournament at the Bandar Penawar Stadium. We're gonna try and hook up with some people from the Malaysian paintball scene and also catch a glimpse of some of the top Malaysian, Asian and American paintball teams in action.

Sunday, Bloody Sunday

It's D-Day and I'm all excited at the prospect of playing in my first paintball tournament. Being a complete noob and not knowing what to expect, I fill my head with all the different things I should do and how I should play. Run fast. Stay low. Communicate. Pin the opposition. Stance. Snap shoot... STAY ALIVE!

The one cardinal rule as a front player... STAY ALIVE. I could not manage that long enough to be of any help to my team.




















I tried stopping short. I end up being pinned by the 2 corner men.

I tried sliding into the snake. I end up taking one on the loader.

I tried sliding into the snake. I end up taking one in the face.

I make it to the snake and battle 1 in the back can, 1 in the center dorito. I end up taking one on the knuckle.

I make it to the snake and battle 1 in the back can, 1 in the center dorito. I end up taking one in the face AGAIN!
















Granted that as a front player the odds of getting hit are going to be higher but it still is a bitter pill to swallow knowing that I couldn't stay alive that little bit longer and maybe take out 1 man or help my team gain some kind of advantage before my demise. To get hit and then watch my team mates get taken out 1 by 1 is not my idea of fun. Worse still getting hit early in the game!

I'm ultra competitive and I play to win. I may be gracious in defeat but I F#@%ing hate losing. I'll be the first to admit it tho... I GOT PWNED! ROYALLY!! Regardless the reasons, I got my arse handed to me on a silver platter, no doubt about that.

Still, the day wasn't a complete waste. I got to learn ALOT today. Thanks Desmond, Nizam, DT, The Marshals and the rest at Southern Xtreme. (If I didn't mention you here, its only because I don't know your name... heh) The advice and pointers were a great help! I got to learn about being tight in bunkers, shooting stances, field awareness, strategy, movement, timing, diversion as well as having hands on experience with a MacDev Droid and Planet Eclipse EGO. Not to mention the difference between lobbing and straight barrels.

I come away from this with an even greater desire to play well and so its time for drills drills and more drills boys.