Whether a military buff, a gamer that wants something more realistic, or one simply just wants to spend the weekend in the dirt with stories of heroism and the bruises to prove it, give paintball a try.

The basics of paintball involve teams of all sizes using air-powered guns, or “markers”, to shoot each other with small capsules of paint, hence the name paintball. All players are required to wear a protective mask with built in goggles to protect the wearer’s eyes from any stray shots.

Paintball, unlike many sports, doesn’t require much skill to begin with, nor is it gender specific. Men and women of all ages, such as children as young as 8 and adults well into their 50’s, can be seen at a paintball field, geared up and ready to play for the first time.

There are many ways to play paintball. The most common is capture the flag, in which two teams fight to take the enemy’s flag and return it to his or her base; getting hit by an enemy paintball results in elimination.

Those with more experience may choose to not “respawn”, or come back into the game after being eliminated. Usually the rules will change based on who is playing, typically based on the players’ experience.

Dragonman’s Paintball Park is a favorite among many players, with five large fields comprised of old cars, fences and pallets. The owner, Dragonman, lets players have the most amount of freedom by allowing the players to choose what to play and on which field to play on. There are no referees, so players are encouraged to play fairly and safely.

Contrary to popular belief, paintball is actually a very safe sport. There is plenty of gear designed for safety, such as jerseys to cushion hits, pants to protect from falls and slides, and a myriad of different masks for all kinds of looks and designs. Though it is a rough sport to play, it is one of the safest and most enjoyable to partake in.