Now in its third year, the Lincoln Center Paintball Club (LCPB) has grown from a small group of students looking for an adrenaline rush to one of the most successful clubs on campus.

The visionary behind LCPB is Charlie Puente, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’12, who has been playing paintball since 2003, occasionally at the professional level. “Back in high school paintball was an obsession,” Puente said. “I went once or twice a week for a long time until I started college, then I stopped playing for a while.”

Puente took matters into his own hands and founded the paintball club in the fall of 2009. “I wanted to take paintball with me and establish something that would allow me to share the sport that I am so passionate about with others,” Puente said.

Just like most new clubs, LCPB had difficulties getting started. Their first event was held in March of 2010 when the club went to NYC Paintball in Long Island City, Queens, New York’s only indoor paintball area.  They only had 10 attendees at the time — a respectable number, but certainly not a crowd.  “Most of the people in attendance were people mostly just friends of the members in the club or people we tricked into coming with us,” Puente said.

However, soon after the event word spread that LCPB’s events were a new high-intensity way to have fun and meet new people.  As a result, attendance at these events has skyrocketed. “The sign-up sheet in 408 fills up fast. It’s great to see,” Puente said. “I’m really proud of how the club has grown over the years. We have some experienced members, but about half of the people who attend our outings at NYC Paintball, it’s only their first or second time.”

For those of you who do not know what paintball is, it’s a very easy sport to understand. Usually for indoor games, there are two teams in the area, each consisting of about five or six players. Each player has standard equipment consisting of a mask, some body armor or pads and a paintball gun. The objective is to hit the opposing team with paintballs while at the same time trying not to get hit by their paintballs. When a player is shot, they must show the other team and walk off the playing field. But players can hide behind paintball bunkers for cover. The game is over when all the players on one team are shot.

Indoor games, also called speedball, usually last about five minutes and they are characterized by fast and furious action. However, LCPB also plays outdoors when they take trips to Pennsylvania. Those games have more people per team and usually require much more strategy and teamwork. “The strategic element of the game requires that we work together as a team,” Vice President and President-Elect Louie Sullivan, FCLC ’13, said.  “Paintball is a great way to build camaraderie, bond with teammates and a great way to let off some steam.”

Excursions to NYC Paintball usually happen once or twice a month. The next event is scheduled for March 23. Usually the cost for a day at the area is $10— cheaper than an average dinner at The Flame- and they will provide you with the necessary equipment.

Outdoor excursions, called skirmish, cost close to $20- 25 dollars to cover transportation, but Puente says it’s worth the money. “The Pennsylvania outings are incredibly fun,” Puente said. “I’m trying to get Rose Hill involved in our next skirmish scheduled for April 22. That way the two campuses have an event where they can bond, and maybe one day Rose Hill will have a paintball club of their own so we can work together in the future.”

If you are interested in joining LCPB, check the sign-up sheet in Lowenstein room 408 for events or email Charlie Puente at [email protected].