Starving College Student Paintball Players (CONTEST) WINNER ANNOUNCED!!!!

[raehl]

What? I don't get to judge?

I'm hurt!

I gotta say though, lots of schools showing up here - you guys need to be forming clubs and coming out to play. Also, to the student from Oklahoma State, there is a paitball club at your school, should you want to check it out... email [email protected].

- Chris

[cphilip]

Up closer to the top...

[AutoMaggot]

Sam Thompson '06
Elmira College, Elmira, NY

Showing up for summer orientation here at Elmira College, I was wondering most if I would find anyone else interested in the sport of Paintball. Coming from a tournament background, I had eagerly read about the college tournament scene, and was very impressed with Collegiate X-ball at this year's World Cup. Taking the proverbial "Bull by the horns" I set out on a flyer-campaign to promote the sport alongside the creation of a college club. Finding a few new members, we began practicing twice a month under the un-official name "The Elmira College Competative Paintball Team." Looking to gain sponsorship and recognition from our school's dean of athletics, we are constantly looking for that 5th member to join our squad in order to fill the required number of students to become an official campus organization. I can't think of a better incentive than a free marker for that fifth member. Gearing up for a presentation in front of the College President, we're hoping for the best... and being able to show such support from the paintball community would be an ultimate plus.

Thank you,

Sam Thompson
President, future Elmira College Paintball Club.

[raehl]

Class of '06?

Cancel the competition! It's making me feel old!

- Chris

[cphilip]

hehe...

Me the class of 74 and 78 knows a bit more about "Feelin Old" Chris...

[bsolomon]

up

[Dayspring]

Up for a good cause.

[[email protected]]

[email protected]

[tobz]

Entry

T.J. Albrecht
Currently enrolled at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN
Computer Science degree will be completed in May 2004
Mathematics Degree will be completed in Dec 2004

First off, I would like to say that what you are doing deserves a lot of credit. I have both given and accepted donations in the past, but for someone to be able to do that in the sport of paintball is probably unrivaled, until now. That said...

The summer of 2000 was one of the best times of my life. Not only did I meet my fiance, but I played paintball. I started out with a Spyder but that summer I was able to afford an Impulse. I put together a team and we had two Impulses and one Super Nova. Our first tournament went amazing.

The organization of a paintball tournament is great. We had only played recball before. We ended up taking 2nd place and even beat a novice team in :28 one round! But then I had to leave paintball. I ran into money trouble with it, and also started college after that summer.

I vowed that I would play paintball again someday, and I recently purchased a mag. After owning it for 2 months I fell in love with it and played only once. Again, I needed the money for college and sold the mag, just like I sold my Impulse 2 years before.

The school I go to isn't cheap, but don't let that make you think I'm rich. My family is made up of my mother, father, and 4 younger brothers. My dad works his butt off installing signs year round and my family makes a total of less than 45k a year. When my college tuition is 20k a year the math just isn't there.

I turned to the government and received a lot of help, and I even got a scholarship of 7k/year from a 3.6 GPA and 28 ACT score. That all really helped, but I was still a little short.

Since I'm first generation college-bound, it was important for my family to put me through college, so they helped pay for everything they could, but their secret would kill me in the end. Last year I found out that they had driven up over 20k in credit card debt by paying for their expenses with cards and mine with their hard earned money.

I am now working 20+ hours a week and still going to college. My fiance helps me out when she can, but that is a huge burden on her. My parents have worked their debt down to under 15k and I'm practically on my own for money. I can usually scrounge up the money to play when I can, but I haven't had a marker in a while.

I traded my computer away for a stock cocker and I realized that being a computer major I need a computer more. I cannot get past that initial investment of purchasing a gun, without putting myself into money trouble. So the cocker is no longer mine.

I would give this gun a good home, take care of it, and hopefully be able to repay you or keep the chain going someday. Thank you for your time!

T.J. Albrecht

[bsolomon]

up again

[bsolomon]

up again

[buck 50]

To cool! I am a college student but this is my last semester and I have a good job that pays fat so I wont be interring the contest. I have a combined 50+ pages to compose this semester anyway. I just wanted to say what a cool idea it is. You should call it the AO paint ball scholarship. Others should keep this going next semester and make it a tradition to fully arm one college student per semester.

[Bubonic Plauge]

College Automag

Craig Culbertson
University of Arizona
Bachellor of Science / Expected Graduation: Spring 2004
Major: Psychology w/ 3.6 G.P.A.
Minor: Humanities

Paintball has been very good to me. I started as a freshman in High School. I convinced my father to buy a VM68. Four years later, again a freshmen but now in college, scholastic expenses forced me to sell my VM68, and restrain "weekend warrior" renting. Now that I am a Junior/Senior with the acquisition of a job, I have re-submerged with dedicated players/friends.
Life has sudden and unxpected turns. After dating an amazing woman named Noelle for five years, my soul awoke. I engaged with hopes of wedding after graduation. After cashing my federal tax return of 2001, I purchased us BOTH spyders, air, masks, and gloves for her nails. "Heaven knows no fury like that of a woman's scorn."
Truthfully, I have been saving for an upper end marker. It is a slow process as I work and attend class. Most of my teammates use Cockers or Imps. It is gruelling, though she loves the game, to justify this paint investment as the spyders are "just fine" and "we need a washer and dryer." DOH!! Compared to the Imps, we can't keep up. I am hoping to use this mag as an upgrade for her and myself. With this mag we will grow, and soon start team competition. I can then keep saving for another mag, balancing us, and still get that washer.
Paintball has kept me out of trouble, I dont drink or smoke and neither does she. It IS expensive for us all, but is a wonderful addiction. I love the comradery, competition, and total exhaustion at the end of the day. Paintball has been very good to me.

[Bubonic Plauge]

P.S. That didnt post with my paragraphs and indents the way they were on my PC. =) /shrug

CraigEgg

[bsolomon]

up for the final week