Team Desert Edge started like most, just a bunch of friends that loved the sport and wanted more structure in the game for themselves. They organized so that they could compete in the first SPPL tournament and have been going strong ever since.
Over the years Desert Edge have been to: Invasion of Normandy, D Day, SPPL 06, 07, 08, 09, UWL, Honorbound, Aliens in the Rockies, Smugglers Run, Red vs Blue, Castle Conquest, Battlefield Utah, Triad Challenge, Several Viper Games, Several Black Cat games, Blanding
They have played games from Pennsylvania to Hawaii, Chicago to Dallas.
2009 was an incredible year for Desert Edge. From Planet Eclipse releasing the 
first ever PL gun for a woodsball team, the DEEGO (Desert Edge Ego) to winning 1st place at the UWL. They have been blessed with incredible sponsors and support from players all over the world. This and the love of the sport has been the driving force behind the success of their team.
The XTreme Combat Weekend with Couture event was a blast and all the buzz behind it did not do it justice. It was a collision of all best of paintball and all the excitement of MMA fighting. There was just something surreal about playing in an event that is well run with incredible reffing and then realizing you are running next to Randy Couture attacking a building. You have no choice but to feel energized and a little invincible. Team Captain Dan Saunders was the general for the Planet Eclipse side and they won every scenario except one. Dan, the humble fellow that he is mentions “No real thanks to me but more to the incredible teams that were there supporting Eclipse. It was heart warming to see all the support from the 
paintball industry for Randy’s Xtreme Couture GI foundation. There were more sponsors and donations than I have ever seen at an event. Thousands of dollars in prizes were given away for the raffle. I think every player came away with something. With this being an annual event I am excited to see how this will grow. This will certainly be an event to add to the schedule year after year.”
Desert Edge has won countless MVT, MVP and Sportsmanship awards over the last 5 years. They are proud of their JR team (12 – 18 years old). This is their way of grooming young players with the integrity and sportsmanship they look for on their SR team. They feel bad sportsmanship has been the demise of the sport so far and they work to do their part to weed that attitude out of the sport as best they can.
One of the more unique elements of the team is its recruiting policies. Desert Edge does not recruit based on skill, or experience, but rather on sportsmanship, attitude, and commitment. They have learned that if a player is committed to the sport, and has a teachable attitude, the necessary skills will quickly follow. Each member of the team must be willing to accept suggestions from any other player regardless of experience. While Desert Edge does have players with over ten years of experience, it has also seen brand new players become tournament ready in only a few short months.
First and foremost, Desert Edge is committed, above all things, to safety and sportsmanship. The team was founded on the ideal that a paintball team could compete on a national level while maintaining impeccable sportsmanship. This is such a priority that each team member is required to sign a new contract every year, promising to maintain the highest standards of safe conduct and sportsmanship at all times. This includes everything from the small walk-on game to the large national tournament. Each member of Desert Edge is considered an ambassador for the sport on both a local and a national level. They firmly believe that the conduct of each individual will reflect not only on the team, but on the sport in general. They have worked hard to build a reputation of flawless sportsmanship, and they refuse to lose that reputation.
Desert Edge has been recognized with the Best Sportsmanship award at several events. Additionally, Desert Edge has often been complimented by individuals and referees who were impressed by their conduct. They often hear referees express their relief when they take the field because they know that their job is about to get much easier.
Desert Edge has always been extremely friendly to new players, and is committed to enhancing the paintball experience for everyone. Whenever Desert Edge attends a woodsball or scenario event, its members always try to spot a few new players to help have a good experience. (Each of us was new at one point, and most of us can remember at least one person who took us under their wing and helped us develop the love for paintball that has kept us playing all these years.)
In competition, Desert Edge is committed to becoming the best team in the nation. (Perhaps not the team that wins every time, but the best team overall.) While Desert Edge has always been a competitive woodsball team, their image has changed slightly as they have grown. Where they once used tactical mechanical markers, they now use tournament grade electros for the simple reason that they are better guns, and to be competitive they need to use the best equipment available.. They are less concerned about camo now because they have learned through experience that communication is more important than concealment. They practice speedball drills because those skills proved to be valuable in the woods. Everything they do is with the motive of being the best woods players we can be.
Because they incorporate skills and tactics from all forms of paintball, there are no speedball vs. woodsball prejudices on Desert Edge. As individual players they all love paintball in all its variety. Most team members regularly participate in woodsball, speedball, pump, CQB, and scenario games. (motivated by fun, not by prizes or fame. Trying to be an influence in the paintball community.)
Team Desert Edge Roster is
Dan Saunders
Tim Saunders
Kia Kamauu
Jayce Hall
Steve Manuel
Devin Wills
Mark Barrett
Rob Worthington
Brad Oakley
Summer Oakley
James Lance
Marc Mejia
Robby Spratt
Bobby Milbourn
Mike Nauta
Mark Clark
Josh Richards
T.J. Smith
Drew Thomas
Jesse Firth
Jordan Carol
Dakota Iverson
Broderick Ivey
Cody Duffin
Will Lagadon
Dave Pitman
Team Desert Edge JR
Mitch Clark
Davis Sturgeon
Eric Shelby
Nick Saunders
Jordan Tryon
Andrew Price
Mark Radwin
Team Desert Edge is sponsored by Planet Eclipse, KEE Action Sports, Ninja, Energy Paintball, Deadlywind, Paintball Addicts, Black Widow ATV
Whats on the books for 2010?
Team Desert Edge will be found at the UWL CA, NV, TX. The SPPL, Blanding, Castle Conquest, SCP, Battlefield Utah, Triad Challenge and Aliens in the Rockies with more dates to be added.
To visit Team Desert Edge or to learn more about this very impressive team please visit
