When was Warbirds created? Who came up with the name?

The Warbirds were created in the winter of 2003.  At that time the teams main focus was in the high school league that existed at that time.  At that time the entire team was from the same school.  The school’s mascot was a Cardinal, and we wanted to stay with a similar theme.  The name was thought of by Steve Grundy.

Has the roster changed much over the years or is it pretty much the same core group of guys?

We have been very lucky to have some dedicated players choose our team.  Most of our roster has been the same from day one.  We have lost some players as any team will; but of those that leave most have left to pursue college out of state, physical injuries, and those that needed to focus on their career.

Who designed your jerseys?

Our first jersey was designed by customsportsgear.com
Our second jersey was designed by animalpaintball.com
Our third jersey will be designed by xternalsports.com
With all of our jerseys I (JT) look at what templates are available and what stand out as clean professional looking.  At that point I have the guys weigh their thoughts in on the templates I had narrowed down.

How has the team expanded and changed over the years?

The Warbirds have expanded over the years.  We have gone from a small local high school team to a team playing national events and performing well.  The team has stuck together and been able to play many events together.  This is something very important to our team.  If you are not playing with friends; your not enjoying the game with your friends, the game is no longer the game we became addicted to…

What are some major accomplishments of Warbirds?

Some teams find their major accomplishments to be how many events they have won, or the sponsors they have.  It goes out without saying that we are all in this sport to win events, but I feel the Warbirds biggest accomplishment has been being able to keep a stable roster together for so many years.  This is something that is a struggle and many teams have a turn over in players that’s faster then the very grass we play on is.  In 2007 we had placed very well in the PSP series and in individual events.    Since then we have focused on local events.

What tournament series do the Warbirds play? and what division

The Warbirds don’t have a single tournament series we play.  Every season we sit down look at our teammates schedule’s for the summer.  We then look at what events the TEAM wants to play.  We begin with that process; and select events that work best for the team.  Local events we play D4-D3 depending on the rules and the players able to participate.  Nationally we play D4.

What would you say is an area that the team excels at?

Our team excels in a very basic area, team work.  Our teammates help each other out from getting equipment ready to how to correct errors on the field.

Are there any weaknesses that you have or are trying to over come?

The biggest weakness the Warbirds are faced with, and working on overcoming is building our roster.  We have been very lucky to have players stay with our team for some time, but gaining players would be beneficial.

Who are some of your sponsors? How do you support each other?

Annandale Paintball is the Warbirds home, and is the biggest supporter of the team.  The team is able to practice on regulation fields, in the PSP or the NPPL.  We are able to mirror national layouts or change a layout to be similar to one of a local event.  The team supports the field by simply being at the field and playing. Teammates help out when extra refs are needed or when a new building is being built on the Paintball City Field.  Angel has treated us very good throughout the years and has quality products that have worked well for us.  I would look for Angel to be apart of the Warbirds and Annandale Paintball for years to come.

Who does Warbirds consider thier rivals?

I don’t know that we consider anyone a rival at this time… In previous years we had gone up against Air Assault teams in practices, scrimmages, and tournaments. AA has consistently been one of our harder teams we faced, but one that we enjoy playing against.

Where does the team typically practice & play?

The Warbirds practice at Annandale Paintball.  Annandale Paintball is where we have built our home, and the field has accommodated us very well.  Annandale Paintball has a regulation size NPPL and PSP field.  This allows us to prepare for national events as best as possible, and prepare for local events as well.

What does the future hold for the team?

Without a magic 8 ball hard to say
Right now the focus for 2011 is for the team to play several local events, build our roster, and participate in a couple NPPL events.

Is there anything else about the team that you’d like to touch on?

To our teammates that have moved on to do other things, we enjoyed playing with you and you are not forgotten.
To the players/teams we have played against, thank you for your hard work and dedication to the sport.
To the fields/tournaments over the years, thank you for the hard work that goes unnoticed way to often.  You have helped make our team what it is.