How long have you been playing paintball and how did you get started?

I played ball around 8 years total. I currently do not play. It all started with the good old Kmart Brass Eagle collection of guns. One of my lunatic neighbors had a sting ray that he used to shoot at trees and what not. A few of us decided to go grab some gear and play at my grandmas farm.

What was paintball like back when you started, and how has it changed for you over the years?

Lets see, when I started there were no airball fields yet. I was all about woods ball until the first tourney I played in. It was at the Anoka fair grounds and it was the first time I have ever seen an airball field. I am pretty sure it was the first time an airball field was even in Minnesota, it was brought up here by the guys from Brimstone(Diablo). It has changed a whole lot since then. Guns, players, rules everything changed.

What was it about paintball that kept you playing? Do you think you’ll pick it up again?

The main reason I kept playing was because of the competition and being part of something. Most of the time I played with people I could actually hang out with outside of ball. I think about picking it up again all the time, but time is the big problem. Id love to play a local with some old teammates/friends.

What do people say when you tell them that you play paintball?

Same fucking responses over and over again. “Oh in the woods right?” “ Where you in the military? That probably makes a good paintballer” It was always some annoying question, so I tried to avoid it.

What tournament series & division did you play prior to quitting?

Prior to my last “quit” it was D3 nppl. The team probably would have stayed together, but since we suck and couldn’t seem to get better then 5th place(the two events we played) we ran out of money. The time I quit prior to that was played D2 xball

What teams have you played for in the past?

Impulse,Odyssey,Ignition,Team Them(2nd time around), Northside, Magnum, Demonic Factory, the Original Vintage, and of course the  best practice/reffing team to come out of the state, Team Division… Oh and MSU at the World Cup hahaha

Did you ever end up graduating from MSU?

Hahahaha no, they needed players and we were down there with Team Them so a few of us played some matches with MSU… My last name was Fabian for that day I think

Who were the orginal members of Vintage? How was the team formed and what ended up happening there?

Lets see, Ill probably miss somebody but …Myself, Tholey, Slugger, Munster, Doyle, John and Andrew Bjornstad, Shea W, Chris Karnus, Lance,  Pat and Paul Roberts, Ian, Jake E, Wuzzum and Syv.
I guess I am not sure exactly how it formed, but Im sure it was along the lines of Tholey wanted to make a team of youngin’s that would be able to go out and beat ass. We would have been able to at a national level if we all stayed together, but people started leaving to go play pro( and why wouldn’t they) . It was a blast while it lasted and Im sure every person on that team would have agreed.

So Team Division was the best reffing team, did you ever get to actually play an event? What was it like for you playing for Brad Gruett?

I never played a national event with Division, and only one local. We just kept reffing and practicing…Brad is a good salesman, convinced me to go play for him. Everybody on the team was good shit, practice was fun. No regrets there. Brad has knowledge about the game no doubt. It was a little bit oldschool at the time, but it seemed to make sense. He had a design for the team that he was gonna stick with and not let anybody tell him otherwise and I have respect for that now, but back then I thought it was nonsense.

Tell me about Team Them, how was it form, who did it consist of?

Team Them…Good shit… It formed when Elmo left the Cypress/8-ball organization. I was playing with odyssey at the time with some of the kids and some turds. Elmo called me up and told me the scoop. I left odyssey and  most of the team other then Jay Shelly and the turds (im not a jackass, but they were truly called turd 1 and turd 2, ) followed.  Team Them had pretty much all the kids that started on impulse and oddballz. It was a riot.

So you’ve pretty much played with the same core group of guys on every team, why dont you think you all just stayed together as one team?

I don’t know…. Money was probably the main issue. We should have all stayed together from the start and a few of us talk about that all the time. We were all young and dumb and wanted the best deal around. I know a few of us jumped from Impulse to Division a few different times. I was dumb back then.

So basically the grass was always greener on the other side?

Im sure at that point in time it seemed greener. Obviously that wasn’t always the case.

How did you hear about demonic, and what was it like playing for them?

The way I heard about Demonic was I sold a gun to a guy that played on the Jesters(?). He told me about how the owner of demonic wanted him to put together a team to play 10man and asked if I was interested. I was like ya why not and the local team I was playing for at the time was not playing PSP’s. I ended up playing 3 events with them. I got Elmo to play the 2nd one with me and that was probably one of the only times I ever found myself laughing before, during and after each game. That team was filled with some “special” individuals.  The 3rd event, Elmo and John Cao played with.

What was your greatest achievement so far in your paintball career? What events have you won?

I have never been part of a team that has won a national event. A couple 3rds, and 4th at the national level is about it. I have played with teams that won a whole shitload of local events, could not remember how many.


What was the best prize package you’ve ever won?

Hmmm.. Id say the guns we won at an NLPL or the Airball field we won at another NLPL.

What is your best memory in paintball?

To many best memories. Something I still laugh about every time its brought up was the LA 10man Elmo and I played with demonic.. Probably could have made a documentary of that event and made millions. Or maybe it was in the finals in a PSP Chicago 5man with vintage when Pat and Paul Roberts decided to bring a broken gun, and a gun with no air in the tank on the field that was a fun loss.  Also the NLPL’s Vintage would play. We would show up with no money and give our gear as collateral if we did not win. We won every event we played locally. Again, im talking about the Original Vintage not the Vintage that had the little kids that wanted to tattoo Tholey on their chest. How about playing in the sup air bowl. Myself, Felegy, and Fat Tony played all through prelims and semi’s. Come finals Brad puts in Tholey and Ryan W and tells fats and I that “they have more exp and are better so they get to play, its from a business standpoint” . We sat on the sideline and watched them get destroyed by every team. It was an uplifting moment

Are there any people who have been influential on your playing style? Who are they and how have they impacted your game?

I‘d have to say the people that influenced my playing style would be Aaron Tholey. He came up to me at one of the polar bears when he was known as “pinky”. From that point on he transformed how I played. He pretty much taught me most of the shit as far as playing style goes. Brad G also taught me a grip load of stuff that affected my style. Jay Shelly tried to show me how to be a complete spaz, but that never really rubbed off.

What do you think needs to happen in Minnesota to develop divisional teams that will be able to compete nationally?

Have players dedicated to a single team and have the bankroll to back it.  Also not expect to win a national event after only having 2 practices. The best players at the time have to be on the field. Cant play favorites or sit one of the killers because he missed a practice. If a team wants to win the best have to play.

Outside of paintball, what do you do for a living?

School, Bartend, and Construction, and drink beer.

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

Brent Syvock!!!!