Who is Drew Templeton ?

Drew Templeton is a name that a lot of will already know. Drew has been playing for Avalanche since 2007 and joined up with Vicious in 2010 to play X-Ball in the Pro bracket.

But as well as these two US Pro Teams, Drew has also been playing the 2010 season with UK Based and Eclipse Factory Team Disruption in the Millennium Series. If that wasn’t enough Drew also owns and creates an On-Line Paintball magazine called Grind, now in its 4th issue….Drew is also still attending school!!!!

We wanted to know what motivated Drew to do all of this so we sat down and asked him a few probing questions.

Planet Eclipse…. You are one of a new breed of players that appears on more than one Pro roster (Avalanche NPPL 7-Man & Vicious PSP X-Ball). Is it hard training with different players/teams for each format?

Drew….Both of the teams I play for are seamless fits for me as far as getting used to playing with the players. With Vicious, I have practiced with them ever since they first picked up a paintball gun. I’d go to Omaha a few times a year so that I could get in some great practice. Now we’re all playing together and they know what to expect out of me and I know what to expect out of them.

I’ve been playing with Avalanche since 2007 and before that the core Avalanche players played divisional paintball together since 2005. Needless to say we know how to play with each other very well.

Planet Eclipse…. Where does your heart lie? Which team do you call home?

Drew….Vicious has done more for me than I could have ever asked for. If I play well at an event whether it’s for Vicious, Avalanche, or Disruption, they are the people I give credit too. We practice relentlessly together and our bond is growing stronger. For that I’d have to say that they are the team I’d call home. Although I have played with Avalanche for a long time now, the players on that team are still some of my best friends and they are the people I hang out with when I’m home in Chicago. I love both teams and couldn’t ask for much more, I’m very fortunate to have them both!

Planet Eclipse…. Vicious have done a fantastic job of working up the ranks over a very short period of time and have earned their place in the Pro bracket. It was never going to be easy for them to establish themselves as a contender. Tell us how they intend to do it and what your role will be?

Drew….I don’t think anyone in the organization thought it would be this rough of a road. We knew it would be a challenge but we are all extremely disappointed in our performance thus far. I think that reason in particular is what is going to push us to the top. Vicious has excellent sponsorship and we are very grateful for that. However, holding the first place trophy is what we are all in this for. As far as my role, I joined the team to help them win and they picked me up because they viewed me as an asset to the team. It takes a lot for them to let someone into their close-knit group and I think that motivates me even more to play well. I train relentlessly and treat paintball as if it were the NFL or the NBA as much as I can even if we are just simply playing for pride and satisfaction. To me, that’s why everyone should play and that’s how I know that I’m in it for the right reasons. I think my role will be to project that heart onto the field and help Vicious get to the top in anyway I can.

Planet Eclipse…. Tell us about Avalanche. It seems from the outside that a bunch of talented ballers have gotten together and seem to ‘just do well’ at events. What’s it really like?

Drew….That about sums it up! We have all played paintball for a long time and we come together and just seem to do well. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it….right?


Planet Eclipse…. Disruption. A Millennium SPL (semi pro) team. How did this come about and how is it dropping in to a team without any previous training with them?

Drew….Disruption contacted me in the off-season and asked me if I would like to play with them. I was ecstatic to get to play in a paintball league half way across the world. We don’t get to practice together which puts the pressure on me to play well with them and make them feel like they made the right decision by having some yankee come from the states to play with them. They are all great guys and hopefully soon we will earn a spot in the CPL.


Planet Eclipse…. X-Ball Race to 7, Millennium Race to 4 or 7-Man?

Drew….I like whichever format is going to allow me to play the most paintball I can in a given weekend. Usually that is X-Ball. I like pouring sweat and feeling like I am in the heat of the battle.

Planet Eclipse…. You own and create GRIND an on-line magazine. It reminds me very much of the old P8NT print magazine. What are you bringing that is different to paintball and what is your motivation?

Drew….I like to hear that it reminds you of P8NT, which was one of my main inspirations. That magazine was written by the players and it wasn’t censored and that is what made it great. With Grind I simply want to put all of my experiences from paintball in ink. It motivates me to make compelling content because I am focused on writing inspiring, positive material that will make up and coming players feel good about paintball.

Click Here to Read GRIND

Planet Eclipse…. These days it seems like you simply need to appear on a Pro teams roster and the whole world thinks you are a ‘PRO’ tell us when you felt you were a Pro and why?

Drew….I still don’t feel like I’m a pro until I get a legitimate pro win in the U.S. I want to beat the best and then I will start to get a sense of gratification and can begin to tell myself that I’m a true professional.

Planet Eclipse…. What are your playing goals with each of the teams you are currently play for?

Drew….Vicious- Become the next great team that is feared by everyone. Not to be the next ‘05 Dynasty, not to be the next ’07 Russians. We want to be a new tier of feared teams, not just a recreation of something that has already been done.

Avalanche- Win and beat up Danny.

Disruption- Earn a CPL spot.

Planet Eclipse…. How do you find the time to fit everything in?

Drew….It’s not easy. I like to stay busy and I just have to manage my time wisely so that I’m not spreading myself too thin. If there ever comes a time where I feel like I’m underperforming in anything, whether it’s work, school, paintball or with my friends and my girlfriend, I will step back and prioritize. So far I think I have just the right amount of stuff on my plate, not too much or not too little.

Planet Eclipse…. What advice would you give to someone trying to make it to the top of their game?

Drew….Practice, and then practice some more. Play because you like playing, then all the practice will be fun and not just torture to get you to the next level. You will have plenty of heart-wrenching moments, I guarantee it. Those moments will fuel you to the top if you have what it takes. However, enjoy all of those moments because oddly enough you will look back and not trade them for anything. At least that’s how it is for me. Simply enjoy what you do and it will all work out in the end.



Planet Eclipse…. What is the biggest misconception about being a Pro from inside the sport and outside the sport?

Drew….That it’s easy. It might be easier than it was in the past to get on a pro team, but it’s a whole different thing to be a feared player in the league and one that helps their team win.

Planet Eclipse…. There is war going on, poverty ravishing the Earth, global warming is an issue and the world is still in an economic crisis. But what is your favorite hot sauce?

Drew….My girlfriend’s Mom makes the best hot salsa ever! It may not be hot sauce but it’ll get you going!

Planet Eclipse…. Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, it’s good to know the man behind the mask. Is there anything else you want to add?

Drew….Thanks to everyone that has helped me get here today. Everyone from Ohio when I first started playing. Everyone from St. Louis, Chicago and in Omaha. I’d also like to thank our sponsors; Planet Eclipse, DSSP8NTBALL.COM, Empire, Kee, RPS, Violent and Furious….

Check out Grind on-Line Magazine Here.. http://www.grindpaintball.com/home.html