Paintball makes a splash on campus

The Penn Paintball Club is making a big splash on campus -- but don't worry, it's machine-washable. Students are rushing with paint-capsule loaded guns in hand to play the popular new sport, according to Engineering junior Philip Shie, one of the Paintball Club's founders. "It's the sport of the '90s," said Shie, who has been playing paintball for the past four years. "It's kind of like 'Capture the Flag' except that you have a gun. Just shooting at people is fun, but it's also about strategy." Wharton junior Jonson Chen, who is also a founder of the club, said he trained with the professional "California Bushwhackers" team before bringing his skills to the University. "It has a lot to do with teamwork," Chen said of the sport. "It requires a lot of patience, good wits and a pretty fast trigger finger." The Paintball Club will be taking on teams at Carnegie-Mellon, Drexel and Lehigh Universities this semester, Shie said. The team is also planning a trip to New Jersey next month for a big paintball showdown, he said. Although the Paintball Club is pursuing Student Activities Council recognition, Intramural Recreation Sports Director Robert Glascott said it is too early to say whether the team will be recognized. But even without SAC recognition, students are flocking toward the new club because of their own experiences on the paintball battleground, Shie and Chen said. Andy Rudnick, a College of General Studies student, said he joined the Paintball Club because playing the sport is a "cathartic experience." "It's almost like living out some kind of a fantasy," he said. "It's so powerful that afterwards you feel cleansed. "People tend to describe paintball in spiritual terms," Rudnick added. "It's sort of like surfing." College freshman Dave Adekman said he decided to join the Paintball Club simply because he enjoys the sport -- which he has been playing for more than five years. "It's unique and a lot of fun," he said. Adekman's zest for paintball enticed College sophomore Paul Levin, a newcomer to the sport, to join the club. "I heard it was an addictive sport," Levin said. "I wanted to give it a shot." All of the hype about paintball -- which, according to Shie, has become the recreational game of choice for young people across the country -- also made Wharton senior Lauren Probst curious about the sport. "I'm interested in it as a sport and as entertainment," he said. "It's a way to get your competitive feelings out."

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