2008 Woodie Awards
Paintball addictive to players
Kristina Peters/Verge Editor
Issue date: 9/28/07 Section: the Verge
No matter what their skill level, anyone who visits Norman's Paintball must listen to safety rules before play.
"Even if they have been here 20 times, they have to listen," Norman said. "Safety is number one at Norman's Paintball."
Despite the paintballs flying at speeds of about 200 mph, Norman insists it is a safe sport.
"There are more injuries in golf in a year than there are in paintball," he said.
The main rule people are informed of at Norman's Paintball is not to remove their masks and in three years, Norman has not had any injuries.
Norman's Paintball is not only safe, but also cheap.
"Norman's Paintball is so popular because it's the cheapest in Illinois," Norman said.
A group can play for $20 per person, which includes a mask, 500 paintballs and a paintball gun. The field is open Saturday and Sundays for reservations and between 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays there is open shoot.
Because the field is outdoors, Norman's Paintball is open from March to November.
With an outdoor field, the business season is short, Norman said. If it's below 40 degrees, the filed won't open because the shells can break in the barrel.
Fly 'n Colors
Although Norman's Paintball is outdoors, Fly 'n Colors, located west of Charleston, is building an indoor field for year-round play.
Fly 'n Colors owner, Tony Shriver, started playing paintball in 1999 and, like Norman, became addicted.
"You do it and can't quit," Shriver said.
Shriver compared it to playing a favorite childhood game of his.
"I played Cowboys and Indians when I was young, now you can actually hit people," he said.
Shriver continued to say that paintball is a sport of strategy.
"It's a game of chess," he said.
He also said paintball players need to know angles and have hand/eye coordination. When Shriver began playing, he was unaware of what it takes to play, and before 1999, never heard of the sport.
"Even if they have been here 20 times, they have to listen," Norman said. "Safety is number one at Norman's Paintball."
Despite the paintballs flying at speeds of about 200 mph, Norman insists it is a safe sport.
"There are more injuries in golf in a year than there are in paintball," he said.
The main rule people are informed of at Norman's Paintball is not to remove their masks and in three years, Norman has not had any injuries.
Norman's Paintball is not only safe, but also cheap.
"Norman's Paintball is so popular because it's the cheapest in Illinois," Norman said.
A group can play for $20 per person, which includes a mask, 500 paintballs and a paintball gun. The field is open Saturday and Sundays for reservations and between 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays there is open shoot.
Because the field is outdoors, Norman's Paintball is open from March to November.
With an outdoor field, the business season is short, Norman said. If it's below 40 degrees, the filed won't open because the shells can break in the barrel.
Fly 'n Colors
Although Norman's Paintball is outdoors, Fly 'n Colors, located west of Charleston, is building an indoor field for year-round play.
Fly 'n Colors owner, Tony Shriver, started playing paintball in 1999 and, like Norman, became addicted.
"You do it and can't quit," Shriver said.
Shriver compared it to playing a favorite childhood game of his.
"I played Cowboys and Indians when I was young, now you can actually hit people," he said.
Shriver continued to say that paintball is a sport of strategy.
"It's a game of chess," he said.
He also said paintball players need to know angles and have hand/eye coordination. When Shriver began playing, he was unaware of what it takes to play, and before 1999, never heard of the sport.
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