As you got closer, you heard it: a series of low pops coming out of the inflatable course. Inside, people in fiberglass masks hid behind obstacles or ran nimbly between them with the intention to shoot and not get shot. That was Paintball on the Lawn, a warm but not muggy Saturday. A line of people and the call to remove the gun's two safeties, "Muzzles Off," and "Safeties Off." It was a day of great failures and startling success: a time of rebirth almost as resounding as spring where the elixir of life ran thick and orange.
The event was developed thanks to the efforts of Lancer Production's Lauren Ginder and the three man staff of Phantom Entertainment, who both instructed and moderated the goings on. Ginder explained that so far the day had been very favorable with about 100 waivers signed and stacked on the table. When asked if there were any improvements she could think of making to the event, Ginder said she would consider bringing music and a grill out to the next paintball event. She also remarked on the fact that Phantom Entertainment's paintball course was a trial arena giving new significance to the event's success. Though Ginder thinks she should increase the advertising on campus next time, she also perceived that "campus has been very responsive to interactive campus events." Other events, such as her Welcome Back Bingo and the Price is Right, garnered attention that validated the presence of such events.
Caitlin A Hagarty,thepublicity chair for the event , was on hand to talk
about her involvement making posters and her opinion of the event. Hagarty said, "It's been a great event. I think people are having a lot of fun." Suggesting that next year included DJing by WMLU, water and other refreshments, Hagarty said, "I think a lot of people would never expect a paintball arena in front of Stubbs, and it just shows that LP is willing to put on events that are different from the usual weekend movie. It's been a great event. I think people are having a lot of fun."
On hand to speak as well were players Amanda Davis, Aaron Fisher, and April Thompson. As a first time player, Davis' impression was basically that it was both satisfying and what she expected. Davis said that the administrators should re-inflate the covers, but not really. She also thought, "It's a lot more fun than HvZ," and that the high pressure guns were "a little bit more serious than nerf darts." Fisher commented before his round that the paintball "seems exciting." Fisher also said, "I like shooting people. [It's] something my brother and I do a lot." If it were possible, Fisher would have also liked for the line to be sped up. Compared to his previous encounters with paintball, Fisher said this was a "smaller operation, but seems to be put together pretty nicely." As for Thompson, she said the paintball was "completely satisfying [because] you can shoot people and not get in trouble." When asked if it was she expected, Thompson said "Oh heck yes, it's what I expected, [but] I'd like to see more people moving around … I was one of the only people moving around trying to get people." Thompson also said that that Paintball event was a " pretty cool set up" compared to when she had played before. However Thompson's first experience was playing paintball "in the woods [where they] had more room."
After a long and exciting day, the paintball terminated at 6:00 p.m. By that time the course's covers had largely deflated and fallen over and the paintball guns had run out of air. An important reminder that the best way to play is to do so until your toys break.
