Many individuals would define games such as paintball and airsoft as recreational activities, but others, including sophomores Ethan Yeoh and Joseph Rogers, believe that they are actual sports. Yeoh enjoys paintball, which is a sport that recreates a military combat zone where players shoot guns with paint balls. In contrast, Rogers practices paintball as well as airsoft, where players try to take out their opponents by shooting them with replica firearms in a nonthreatening way that does not cause any serious injuries. Both Yeoh and Rogers are experienced athletes who are also sponsored by airsoft and paintball stores and companies which provide free gear to Yeoh and Rogers.

“Paintball is a close, fast-paced game. If you prefer a game with close battles and no cheating due to the paint, then paintball is definitely for you,” Yeoh said. “If you want a slow-paced game with small bullets and can cheat all the time by no signs of being hit at all, then airsoft is for you.”

Paintball was invented in 1974 by John Hale in the U.S. when people thought of using a cattle-marking gun. These guns were at first used by farmers, but later became the gun used for this sport. As time went on, the game was perfected into an improved technological game. In addition, paintball is broadcasted on live television networks and students may participate in paintball in the collegiate level at schools including Pennsylvania State University, West Point University, and Cornell University.

Yeoh has been playing paintball since he was eight years old. He was first introduced to paintball when he saw a game on Youtube called speedball, which is a specific game within the sport. After this event, he became fixated on paintball and wanted to play himself. During Yeoh’s childhood, he always played with his older brother, Brandon, a CHS alumnus, and a couple of other students from CHS. Yeoh plays the sport for fun as a hobby to keep him relaxed. Yeoh is enthusiastic about paintball because of its competitiveness, communication, and the fact that he can shoot someone with balls of paint.

Even though paintball originated in the U.S., airsoft was originally created in Japan during the 1970s. Airsoft guns were quite popular in Japan and at first they were used for target practice. However, as time went by, children began shooting each other without severe harm. Both airsoft and paintball became really popular in the countries they were invented in due to the militaristic style and strategic mindset.

Rogers started playing airsoft last October and participates with multiple students at CHS including sophomores Duy Tran Sampson, Justin Soltero, Shane Jensen, and Dustin Johnson. Their favorite place to play airsoft is Insight Interactive, located in Rancho Cucamonga and Tac City in South El Monte. Rogers does not hold any opinions about whether paintball or airsoft is the better sport, since he plays both sports and loves them equally.

“I love playing airsoft because it is an unconventional way of hanging out with friends and meeting new people. Also, the sport is fast-paced and really exciting,” Rogers said.

Even though there may be controversy in regards to considering paintball and airsoft as actual sports, they have been played and enjoyed by many CHS students. Both of these sports have allowed many CHS students to meet new friends and have fun with the sport. These two games are both fun and popular with many strategies to be successful.