Huddle up: Paintball on the Key Peninsula is exciting

Marques Hunter

Huddle up

There are many ways to get your adrenaline pumping. One of the most intense experiences I got to enjoy this past weekend was paintballing on the Key Peninsula.

It was the weekend before my birthday — no, I’m not 30 yet, but it won’t be too long before I get there — and my best friend Tony invited me to go with a bunch of his co-workers to his boss’ property just past the Purdy spit.

We didn’t play on the entire 40-acre property, because that’s way too much ground to cover. Instead, we played on a downsized course to feel the action right away.

If you’ve never been paintballing before, it’s an extreme rush that can’t be replicated unless you’re really in the heat of a gun battle.

The pellets, which travel upwards of 300 feet per second, leave welts on your body. I can still feel a couple of bruises on the top of my head from two that hit me.

The format of the game is like capture the flag: You start on your own side, and the object is to reach the other team’s flag station, take it, and be the first team to return without being pelted.

After we were given a quick tour of the course, both teams started.

It had been about 10 years since I played paintball, so I made sure I popped off a few rounds to check my gun’s accuracy. With a group of men and women on each team, I was getting excited and nervous at the same time.

What does it feel like to get hit by a speeding paintball? What does it feel like to let loose a few of my own?

Tony and I decided to defend our flag station. Mission accomplished.

After Tony unloaded a flurry of paintballs — hitting one of the enemies — it was my turn to test my aim in the heat of battle.

Thick brush and trees surrounded our flag station. We had the advantage of being able to hear and see people moving around the perimeter. And because the enemy wore pink stripes, they were easy to spot.

After Tony dealt out some punishment, I saw someone creep around the backside of the flag station. I waited until I had an open shot through the bushes, and noticed his pink stripe.

I fired my semi-automatic paintball gun about five or six times.

Some guy yelled out he was hit!

Minutes later, our team took our enemies’ flag and returned it to our flag station for the victory.

After defending our flag with honor, I decided the next game I’d go on the attack. I ended up being struck by a paintball — and a hornet.

I jumped into a pile of bushes and noticed I stirred up what appeared to be a hornet’s nest near the bottom of a tree. I didn’t pay a lot of attention to them, knowing that at any time I could be under heavy fire.

Seconds later, one of those angry hornets stung me on the leg. It stung me even before a paintball hit me.

By the time I had to leave to go to the Little League 9-10-year-old state tournament, I had been shot twice and had taken out two enemies.

Those who enjoy watching war movies should try paintballing. It’s certainly not an event I’d do on a constant basis, but I can’t wait to do it again in the future.