Destiny – a predetermined course of events. A concept of a conceived predetermined future that you cannot alter. If this statement is taken as true then Miss Breanna Rinaldo had no choice but to fall into the never releasing clutches of this game, no life, we call paintball. Try as you might to wiggle free of the encompassing grip your struggle only gets the lifestyle drawn deeper into your soul.
Name: Breanna J. Rinaldo
Location: Millbury, Ma
Occupation: Full time student/Girly-girl
Team: Up in the air – Part of the FOX4 family
Team History: Countless teams but the most commonly known are Destiny and 187 Crew
So how did she get into the game you may ask? She started playing paintball in June of 2004 at Fox4 Paintball. A friend of hers invited her to play at a local field as she was afraid to go alone, she did not want to go. At the time of the invitation she was heavily involved in ballet and figure skating and wanted absolutely nothing to do with “getting shot” up. Alas, she was convinced to go and she believes it was the one of the best decisions she has ever made.
So on to the fall of 2004 when Breanna’s brother received a paintball marker for his birthday and planned to head out to West End Paintball operated by X-Fire Paintball. As he was only 11 years of age, their mother wanted Breanna to escort him to the field for his first outing. While helping her brother out through out the day the field owner approached her with an opportunity that would change her life. With a tryout opportunity for their rookie team she thought it was a joke and told them they were crazy and left it at that. During the winter months she ventured into the field store to buy her brother some paintball swag and they remembered her, again asking if she would come and tryout and this time she accepted.
March rolled around and the tryout was upon her, and this was her first time ever making the attempt to play speedball. She did well enough to make one of the rookie teams and from that weekend on paintball became her main athletic focus. The sport took over her life as she gave up all other sports she was involved in. From March 2005 to November she participated in every game possible. She also tried out for the Femme Fatales after talking to Kat Secor who was on the team at the time. After one practice with them she realized the team did not fit her right and headed home.
The summer of 2006 she decided to establish her own national team, wanting to prove herself to everyone who doubted that she could be a success in this sport. With the intention of creating a Division 1 NPPL team she gave herself a seven week time frame to complete this task. She gathered players from all over the northeast who crashed at her house Friday nights and were ready to play at 7:00am the next morning and again on Sunday. With funding to play the NPPL event secured she also became the highest ranked female player in the country, keeping the title from 2006 until 2007. 
Skipping forward to 2008 she started playing for Destiny. She had the opportunity to try out in 2007 and leaped at the opportunity, but commuting to and from California was slightly impractical. The team relocated to Florida in 2008 and she then began commuting from Massachusetts to Florida once every three weekends, practicing with 187 Crew between practices with Destiny. She loved playing with Destiny as there is no other feeling like it. There were of course ups and downs but she will never forget the experience. In the fall of 2008 her paintball career came to a stop as she went off to college at Worcester Polytechnic Institute for Biology with a minor in Psychology, yes a smart paintball girl.
She was not been able to commit to a team full time in 2009 but travels and practices with 187 Crew when possible. With the 2010 season quickly on its way, she hopes to play fulltime within the Fox4 family.
1. What does paintball mean to you?
Honestly the camaraderie. I love being a part of a team, and the guys of 187 cRew make it worth my while. They’re my family, and I love them for it.
2. What advice would you give to a new player wanting to get serious about playing?
Stay humble; listen and keep an open mind when talking to those who have been in the sport for years – the Jeff Stein’s, Mike Paxson’s, and Dave Painter’s of the sport if you know what I mean; after a loss, keep your head up, concentrate on what you did wrong and fix it, don’t put the blame on someone else, it’s a team effort; most importantly don’t forget your roots!
3. What is your play list like on your MP3 Player?
I listen to literally everything, as I’m writing this interview I’m listening to Kris Allen and The Fray; everything from the Black Eyed Peas to Taylor Swift to 50 Cent to Tim McGraw is in my playlists– iTune’s Genius hates me haha.
4. What do you drive and what does it say about you?
That’s a funny question. I currently drive a Volvo S60. I started commuting to school this year; I had to be practical and downsize my vehicle. I had a Cadillac Escalade for the last few years – with 22’s, and let me tell you, it’s wonderful only having to put $20 in the tank and having it last a week instead of a day and a half, if I was lucky. My first vehicle was a Range Rover 4.6 HSE, which was a total gas hog, and with the consistent traveling for paintball my dad bought me the Escalade – it was bigger, and actually more fuel efficient haha.
5. You are stuck in a you vs. four situation (paintball of course hehe), what do you do?
This is not a hypothetical question; I’ve been there, many times. You need to remain calm and concentrate on your game. Some people literally freak out and start charging up the field, it’s honestly the worst thing you could do. Remember, the game is based on points, well 7man at least, just one kill could make or break getting into the finals. Play it smooth and make one kill at a time.
6. Do you have any pre-game rituals?
Not that I can think of. I’m a very humble person, and it’s always game time when I’m on the field, whether it’s practice or a tournament. Most people listen to music to focus, me on the other hand, I could be joking with a friend two seconds before I step through the netting, and once I do its game time and my game face is on. Once I’m on the turf it’s all business.
10. It is 11pm and you are stuck at the hotel and very bored. What do you do to amuse yourself?Well it depends, when I’m with 187 there’s always something going on. There’s never a dull moment. If I’m in the room by myself, I usually always have my computer with me so you can probably catch me checking Facebook or reading a girly magazine.
11. Who would you choose to make up your 5 man dream team? You can only choose one guy from your team.
I would honestly choose anyone from 187, but I’m going to have to go with Bill Brule, he’s one of my best friends and my backbone. He’s heard it all from me. He’s a great back player and knows how to take control of the field. There’s a lot of talent in New England, and I’m going remain bias haha. Billy Bernacchia, he’s such a sweetheart and definitely one of the greatest snake players I have ever seen play. Brian Gigliotti, he’s ridiculous in the doritos and knows how to work them well. Steve “Son” Dabilis, he can play anywhere, we’ll just leave it at that. And me! Haha.
12. What is your favorite movie?
Pearl Harbor, I love war movies – and romantic ones too. Black Hawk Down, The Guardian, PS I Love You, The DaVinci Code, and Transformers are definitely on the list as well. 
13. Cats or Dogs, why?
I’m a dog person. I never really liked cats, and I also don’t like the dogs that look like cats, if you know what I mean – those “good-for-nothing” dogs… no offense to anyone haha. Labs are the way to go 
14. What is the craziest thing you have done associated with the game?
During the 2006 and 2008 seasons my team and 187 respectively would crash at my house on the weekends. I lived the closest to the field, so everyone would come up Friday or Saturday nights, stay at my house, and we’d all go to practice together on Saturday/Sunday mornings. I’ve had anywhere between 7 to 15 people staying at my house on any given weekend. My parent’s never minded, their friends and our family thought they were crazy. If 187 and I were ever late to practice, which happened once or twice, Dave Painter would always call me… it always seemed to be my fault haha.
15. Who is that Paul Forcier guy interviewing you?
I was wondering that myself.
16. Any closing statements?
Just a few quotes each player, or really any athlete should live by:
“The best players in the world share a common attribute. They believe they will win. To say they have confidence would be an understatement. It’s ego bordering on hubris. What you have to understand is that if you don’t believe in yourself, if you don’t play with a sense of superiority, you can never be the best.”- Anonymous
“When you are not practicing, remember, someone somewhere is practicing, and when you meet him, he will win.”- Ed Macauley
Written by Paul Forcier
