Elmo, how did you get your nick name?

Ryan Westphal actually gave me the nick name. I used to wear a two pod carrier in front of me to protect my twig and berries and have my Jersey hang over it so it used to bounce around a lot when I ran around. It was right when tickle me elmo was big and Ryan said it looks like tickle me elmo is giving Jon a BJ. So everyone made fun of me and started calling me Elmo I hated it at first but it kinda stuck

When did you start playing paintball?

When I was 15 at az indoor. When I was 17 in 1997 we made the original team them it was me Eric , Noel, Rich we met Ryan a week before the Tournament. We got 3rd place out of 8 teams, we lost to Cypress and Lostboys. That’s how it all started

Why don’t you play anymore?

Main thing is the cost of paintball and time that paintball eats up. Unless some amazing oppurtunity comes up.

Have you thought about getting back into the game?

I think I will always miss it. I hope to play some locals coming up here soon. It has only been two years since I have played any tournaments.

What is your greatest memory from playing?

The making of team Them the second time. I was on cypress at the time and was not getting much playing time, getting demoted more and more so I left the team and called up Ryan and Todd. They left division and we were just gonna have a 5 man team but then I talked to Marcus, John Coa, Mike Tang, Viet to play and with Marcus came all of the kids! The next thing you know I had 15 peole on a team and Mike T got me hooked up for some money so we could do two nationals. The reason why its the greatest memory of paintball for me is because no one thought I would do anything the second I left Cypress and the same people who were hating wanted to be my friend after just because they wanted all the kids to come play for them
I pointed this out to the kids and we used it for our sponsorship from Walley at NS.

Whats the funnest local tournament you have played?

NLPL in menomonie 2003 we had two teams in it Them for am and strike force for novice and won it all just was fun all around tournament winning helps to.
Tell us a funny story about someone in the paintball community.
The first time I met Brent K was at division cup in splat your out. We had two team them teams in it Brent was on cream at the the time and we just lost to cream and he over shot one of my players a little bit so I flipped my lid just to try and get them some penatly points and Brent came over to say he was sorry because his glasses where fogging up and he could not see, as I was explaining to the ref that should be a penalty for over shooting I looked at brent and said are you the the captain of your team? Brent says no then i say why are you talking to me? He trys to be nice and say that he was sorry again explaining his glasses to me again then I end the conversation with maybe you should get some new glasses. Then brent walked away sad and I felt bad because i thought i made a person twice my size cry from yelling at him. Now Brent K has become the King of MN smack talk and i think its great.

Are there any funny stories about you?

When I was on cypress I started calling my self Elmo Da Warrior just because I knew people on that team did not like me so I added more to my nick name and would not respond unless they call me by my full nick name.

What was your favorite team to play for and why?

Team Them because I made it and its still known by people and has not been around in years.

In your opinion what was the best year to be playing paintball?

03-04 just because there where so many more am teams at that time and more and more people wanted to play am. But I have not played in couple years so maybe its better now but i doubt it.

Finally what MN Paintball player (Past or Present) would you like to see featured next?

I pick Jamison Chop just because I knew who he was on magnum and he was not very good now he is very good and full hate and has less hair kinda like me.