Team Name: Ironmen Location: San Diego, Ca Position: Mid/Insert Years Playing: 18 years/11 Pro Profession: Production Manager/Product Designer
Billy Wing is one of the quiet guys in the sport of paintball. You will often find him by himself lost in quiet thought inside of his own skull. Unfortunately for his opponents, when he takes the field that quiet man everyone knows on the side lines is no longer quiet. He opens up his marker like an angry god throwing lighting bolts down upon the unworthy peons of the world. Like an unleashed tiger he chews up his opponents and spits out their bones while playing this game at the highest level on one of the teams that has shaped what is known as professional paintball. Let us take a walk in the mind of a paintball maniac, pull up a seat and join us.
I guess we should start off with the standard question of how you got into the sport, for those that do not know.
I started playing 20 years ago with my friends, out in the wood behind our houses. Back then 200 paintballs cost $25.00 so it was a good thing we didn’t have electronic guns and full auto. After that we started going to the only field in the area (a 2 hour drive). I played pretty much every weekend for about 4 years before I really got into the competitive side of paintball.
So, the visor…Why?
It cuts through the air like a knife blade, lowering my over all wind resistance, making me faster. How about that I wear it as a tribute to Todd Adamson? It’s mainly because old habits DYE hard.
After the last year paintball has experienced what can we do as players to correct the issues faced by our sport?
Well as players we have to make an effort to support the local stores and fields. If the brick and mortar stores go out of business then Paintball’s main exposure to the public is gone. Tournaments are not the big exposure to the masses that some leagues want you to believe. It’s the day in, day out field and store operators that give a face to paintball.
What advice would you give to a new player wanting to get serious about playing?
Don’t go into it with your hand out looking for what you can get out of paintball. Be ready to pay your dues, and grind it out.
To date, what has been the most defining moment in your paintball career?
There are several moments that stick with me. Winning World Cup for the first time with the Ironmen in 2000, winning 2004 NPPL Commanders Cup with a pick up team of a friend, and back-to-back championships 2007, 2008 PSP World Cup. But those are just special moments for me I don’t really know if they define who I am as a player or person.
I feel my loyalty to the Ironmen, and my determination to drive the team forward. I was on the team 2004 when we had only 3 players and needed 14 to compete, and we were able to turn the team around in only 3 years to a championship level team. Also the level of respect my piers show me in the league and earning the privilege of being the captain of one of the most successful and historical team in paintball, I feel that these are accomplishments that help define me.
What is your play list like on your MP3 Player? 
Not very impressive, I really only listen to music when I work out, and that is mainly to keep people from bothering me at the gym. Mainly house, hip hop, stuff with a good beat
What do you drive and what does it say about you?
I drive a BMW 325I, and a Honda 600 CBR RR. Not sure what it says about me. Maybe I’m an over grown kid who likes big toys.
You are stuck in a you vs. four situation (paintball of course hehe), what do you do?
Hope you are in a corner or at least on one of the tape lines, so they can only angle you out on one side. They would have to run you down on the other. Focus and try to contain the most immediate threat (generally the bad guy trying to get past you on the other side of the field) Hope they are playing individual paintball, and every chance you have to wrap and look inside, do it. Most of the time you will catch someone out in the open moving lazy or trying to be sneaky.
Do you have any pre-game rituals?
I get pretty quiet 20min before a game, that’s about it. I’m just getting my gear ready, getting focused, and warming up.
It is 11pm and you are stuck at the hotel and very bored. What do you do to amuse yourself?
11pm, I’m asleep most nights before 10, but on an off night I’m rarely bored. Before I have time to think about being bored one of the guys on the team has more than likely gotten in trouble with the Hotel staff and I have to go down and smooth everything over. But if I’m up, and bored, and not cleaning up someone’s mess that just means I’m about 30 sec away from trouble myself. Idle hands truly are the Devil’s playground.
Who would you choose to make up your 5 man dream team?
You can only choose one guy from your team. Mikko Huttunen, Ryan Greenspan, LB, Mishka, and me (it’s my dream team I should get to play on it).
Tell everyone about what you do behind the scenes at Dye/Proto.
Right now I am focused on international sales and marketing in Central and South America. We are trying to grow paintball down there right now, so we are getting involved with a lot of the tournament series throughout the region. In the past I was directly involved with all gun design work and production.
Cats or Dogs, why?
I’ve had both as pets. I like both. We had a pet pig once also he was cool too.
Who is the craziest guy on the Ironmen?
It is a toss up between Oliver and Brandon.
Brought to you by Paul Forcier
Are u married or do u have any kids?