PJ on Tour @ SPL, Florida 27th - 28th May 2017

 http://socialpaintballleague.com/

I remember in around 2000 when I started playing Paintball.  Florida was a Paintball Mecca known for alot of competive teams. Some of those teams included Rage, Strange, Nemesis, Static, Worr and to many more to list. It's good to see that  although the growth has slowed, it still maintains its steam. I always look foward to attending a tourny in FL to see that growth firsthand. I see old faces mixed in with the new. Some I've known for years and others only recently.

View from the Planet Eclipse Tech Booth !

Social Pb League (SPL) caters an event for all those faces.  Their slogan is "For The Player." SPL is known for great events and this was no different. Over 40 teams from the great Sunshine State made their way to Xtreme PB Xperience located in Kissimmee , FL.. SPL events cater to those teams that are up and coming and learning the ropes. Teams in these divisions don't have the sponsorships and money that the pros have. But in our sport it's all about your PewPew.. 

I don't see teams at these events head to toe geared up from a particular manufacturer. These guys for the most part shoot and wear what they want. But I keep my eyes on the teams that are  ECLIPSE SHOOTERS. Teams like DEAD RABBITS, PTW,TAMPA BAY RAPTORS, UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA SPARTANS, CARE BEARS MILITIA, WESTON LEGACY and to many more to list. These guys might not wear all our gear but they all definitely and exclusively shoot our guns. That makes them part of the EMORTAL ARMY..

The  D4/D5/D6  3-man kicked off the event on Saturday morning about 8am..The dreaded morning rush apparently was not so bad this day. The frantic player with incorrect settings never fails to show up with only minutes to spare. This time it was our newest marker the ETHA2. Couple buttons pressed and the player was good to go. The delight on a frantic players face makes this job priceless and why we try and be as many events as possible around the world.

Teams battled in the arena. NXL head ref Timothy Stapleton was on deck handling reffing duties with a really good squad of refs. Tim was with me in Panama last week handling ref duties at another paintball event. These guys are as invaluable as the players.

 
Sunday rolled around and time to see who was gonna walk away with the gold.

Finals were brutal and exciting. No team was a pushover. It was a fight for every point. In the D4/5 3-man it was University of Tampa Spartans with 1st place top honors. 

In D6  3-man it was Dead Rabbits edging out PTW. The action continued with D4  5-man as University of Tampa Spartans again took 2nd place. Tampa Bay Raptors rounded out in 4th. Lastly in the D5  5-man it was PTW again in 2nd place and nipping at their heels were Legacy in 3rd..

Awards ceremony kicked off about 6pm . Packed up the tent and shoved it all into the rental to make my way back home just in time for yet another event.

Off to the next one as I always say..No matter where or when:

Thanks SPL ,XPX and Planet Eclipse...Till the next one.... PJ Out...