Paintball is a high energy sport that attracts over ten million players per year. The use of paintballs first started in the 1950's when the forest service used them to mark trees. They were also used as a temporary alternative to branding cows. It wasn't until the mid 70's that two friends, who were trying to recreate the rush of hunting buffalo, came up with the idea of using paintballs to simulate a game of survival. They invented the rules and in 1980, a writer for Sports Illustrated played their game and wrote about the sport in the magazine. It was the start of a phenomenon that has increased in popularity year after year.

Getting started in paintball is simple. To play, you must first have the proper equipment. The fundamental concern of any paintball player should be safety. All players are required to wear a helmet called a mask. This protects the eyes and ears which could be injured during the game. In addition to a mask, each player must also have a paintball marker and paintballs. Paintball markers are simply guns which are designed to shoot paintballs. Many paintball facilities have paintball guns for sale. You can also purchase them through an online paintball store. Beginning players will typically rent their equipment first.

Paintball is actually one of the safest sports there is, and that is largely due to the presence of very specific safety rules. All paintball markers must maintain a speed of less than 200 mph, although some facilities require an even slower velocity. If a person is in close range, typically the rules permit you to simply tap them with the barrel of your gun because paintballs can be painful when shot at close range. When players are not active in the game, their paintball markers must have a barrel blocking device which will catch any paintballs that are accidentally fired.

The rules of play vary depending on the particular game, but the general objective is to eliminate players on the other team. To eliminate a player, you must hit them with a paintball which leaves a visible mark of paint. If a player is hit by paint that hit another object first, they are not eliminated. In some games, a player is eliminated if paint hits any part of their gear or anything they are carrying as well. If there is a question of whether a player should be eliminated, they can call for a referee who does a "paint check" to see whether the player should exit the game.

Paintball can be an enjoyable one time activity, but many people enjoy participating in paintball leagues or competitions. There are even paid professional paintball players. Paintball is slowly gaining acceptance as a legitimate sport.