With the tournament paintball season winding down we here at the CatShack Reports wanted to touch base with a few of our favorite pro players and other industry names to get their personal highlight of the year and to see what might be in the works for next season. We hope you enjoy this little piece and enjoy your feedback on this and all of our articles.
Kirill Prihidni Russian Legion
What was the best memory/highlight of the game from 2009, for you personally?
The moment when in the second match against Philly I have moved through their taco side right of the break and killed all five guys in about 10 seconds including Fedorov.
What are your future plans for the 2010 season?
We will keep our squad which has managed to win two events in a row. All of our pro players will be playing in the Millennium and GT series for other teams to get more experience. But the main goal will be to repeat our success.
What do you think next season will be like with the economy?
We think that it should be growing slowly, our budget will be the same like in this year but we have proved that we can win with less money spent.
What team should everyone keep an eye out for?
If you mean other teams, I would say Aftermath they have very good players and as soon as they get used to each other they would become very dangerous.
Ollie Lang LA Ironmen
What was the best memory/highlight of the game from 2009, for you personally?
I am going to have to say winning Huntington Beach was nice to do again and with Arsenal.
What are your future plans for the 2010 season?
We really have to revamp and make this team young again.
What do you think next season will be like with the economy?
I think its going to be slow year again but at least we will be prepared unlike this last.
What team should everyone keep an eye out for?
Well I’m going to have to say the Ironmen.
Billy Bernacchia New England Hurricanes
What was the best memory/highlight of the game from 2009, for you personally?
Well 2009 was a rough year for the Hurricanes. We were forced to change our team completely around. Best memories are playing with the guys who stuck around rather than give up like some of the others. Everyone including Jeff Stein (team owner) who stuck around helping rebuild the team and adding some of my good friends to the roster like Bart Blonski and Frank Connell. Bart and I will be a power house snake tape in 2010!
What are your future plans for the 2010 season?
I plan to stay with the Hurricanes for 2010. We put a lot of work in rebuilding the team and we are so close to getting over the slump we were in. We plan to not take an off season and practice 100% all throughout the winter to become a top team once again. Other plans will be playing in South American in the LAPPL series traveling around the world doing clinics and continue to work hard on my game.
What do you think next season will be like with the economy?
Hard to say, Let’s cross out fingers and hope for the best.
What team should everyone keep an eye out for?
The Hurricanes for sure will be a competitor next year. Other than us Tampa Bay Damage is getting some new players from Philly and I think they will be a strong team again next year.
Gary Baum www.paintballphotography.com
When asked what his favorite memory of the year had been to date?
For me, being at the World Cup, I watched and photographed the event as it unfolded. As the final battle took place between the Philly All Americans and my own sponsored team The Boston Red Legion, I went on the field to take photos carrying a sealed box. As the finals came to an end with The Boston Red Legion emerging victorious, I approached the owner of the Legion and opened the box to produce 34 hats with the words “Russian Legion – World Cup Champions 2009. The owner and team were ecstatic and also presented me with my own Russian Legion jersey with #1 and my name on the back and had photos done with me, I am considered very much a part of the team. This is something I will not soon forget, for me, this years World Cup was one of his more memorable moments in all my years of paintball photography.
Memories made through the bond of little round balls of paint, a bond shared by all of us no matter what level you play at or where you play. Who would have thought a game as simple as paintball would give us so many memories for so many people across the world? I am sure no one who played this game back in the day in the woods of New Hampshire would have envisioned all of what has happened in such a relatively short period of time. Fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, brothers and sisters all enjoy this game. This is not just a game, but a lifestyle as I have said before, for those of us who cannot wait to get out on the field we cherish the memories we build on the weekends.
Paul Forcier
