Fifteen-year-old Cody Randolph is passionate about paintball. He and his team, Short Bus Mafia, want to build a field in Falcon.Raising money and being dedicated to paintball projects is nothing new to Randolph. The Falcon High School sophomore has played the sport for three years and formed his paintball team by recruiting friends at church and school.Short Bus Mafia is comprised of six teens, including Randolph, between the ages of 15 and 16. They practice three times a week and play in tournaments twice a month. When their coach left three weeks ago, Randolph assumed the position of coach and manager. As long as the team continues to progress in the team’s division standings, Randolph said the team won’t look for another coach.Building the paintball field is an idea supported by the entire team, but driven by Randolph. “At first we wanted a field to practice on. Then, we decided to make some money at it,” Randolph said.He said they envision a 3-acre lot with five paintball fields and a pro shop where they would sell jerseys, pads, guns, pellets, tanks and tank covers. “Basically everything you need to play,” Randolph said.He estimated that the team would need to raise $200,000 to build the field and supply the pro shop. He said he is encouraged by the initial success.”A set of 21 bunkers usually costs $6,000, but we were able to get a deal for $500,” Randolph said. The inflatable vinyl bunkers serve as obstacles on the paintball field and are used as cover from the opposing teams, he said. Randolph said the bunkers he is getting for the field range in size from 4 to 12 feet.Paintball is an expensive sport for the players as well, said Randolph’s mother, Molly Randolph. Tournament registration fees can cost up to $280, the younger Randolph said. Molly Randolph said her son pays for all his equipment and tournament fees by picking up odd jobs.Perfect Water and XS Energy Drinks has been supporting the Short Bus Mafia by employing team members to sell the company’s drinks at sporting events. The team is allowed to keep the profits. Randolph said they’ve raised $200 so far.According to the National Paintball Professional League Web site, paintball has grown as a sport over the past 25 years. The first organized paintball tournaments have transitioned from a game played in the woods to a “capture the flag” format played on regulation-size fields with standardized rules.The NPPL hosts five professional and semi-professional tournaments a year. Smaller events sponsored by local paintball fields are held on weekends throughout the country. Short Bus Mafia plays in events in Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Denver.Randolph said he is excited about the future of paintball and hopes that bringing a paintball field to Falcon will help create more awareness of the sport.He said the field could come together within the next three to four years. “Money is the big issue,” Randolph said. And they need to find a location.”I wouldn’t be surprised if he pulled it off,” Molly Randolph said. “He is very driven; once he gets a goal in mind, he works towards it until he accomplishes it.”
