When Brett Jacobson and myself started this team we intended to create a five man all star team. Our hopes consisted of a solid five man team that played in Pan Am events. Our only goal was to place well in the tournaments while keeping a strict "kid team". This term has been thrown around a lot, but we basically wanted to be like the notorious and well respected old Iron Kids. No doubt this would take a lot of hard work and dedication, but we envisioned a team like no other.
We went to Modesto, California for a five man practice and we got a lot more. S.C. Ironmen, one of the worlds greatest teams, was there practicing for the World Cup. Us five teens were dumbfounded as we saw players like Billy Wing, Matt Marshalls and Micah McGlocklin casually stroll by. We eventually jumped in and that day and those few practice games helped our core five guys beyound words. We bragged when we got back to Northern California and more people were interested in our team. In Grass Valley, California there are little tournaments that serve as good practice for our team. It was there that Brett and I met a group of three other players Ryan Nestel, Gavin Estes and his twin Brett Estes that would love to take this young team and help turn it into a ten man team. We were even more skeptical about this idea than the five man. We talked and agreed that if we wanted to go anywhere or be known, we had to play ten man. The quest for the core ten kids was a struggle.
Of course, being sixteen with no sponsors and low or no income, practicing every weekend was nearly impossible. When we finally found eight solid players we heard of the Las Vegas 2001 Pan Am event. We were in a state of pure madness due to the lack of players, sponsors and most of all money. Somehow Brett Jacobson came up with the idea to call Dave Youngblood from DYE. We all loved DYE products and everything that DYE has to offer so why not try to get the name DYE Kids? remarkably without ever hearing of us or seeing us play, Dave went out on a limb and gave us the name. We were all ecstatic and felt like we were unstoppable. we ordered all new DYE stuff and picked up two friends that could play in Vegas. It was set, DYE Kids were to play in the Pan Am Las Vegas 2001 as a ten man in the Novice divisionThe first day we surprisingly did well. With not a single practice with our full key 8 guys, we wiggled our way to the top spot at the end of the first day. We clicked and held our own against some of the strongest novice teams in Pan Am like Aftermath, Mad Catz and TKO. In the last game of the first day Brett Jacobson made a mad dash to overtake the fifty and split his knee wide open on a rock. he was admitted to the hospital and told not to play with the stiches and chipped knee. with the absence of Brett, the renacious DYE Kids went into day two with nine players. We didn't play up to our potential at all. with three losses and two stale mates we wnded overall ninth.
The nine hour drive back to California gave all of us time to reflect on the team. We had a team meeting and all agreed that DYE Kids will be a great team if we stick together. So with the help and support from Dave Youngblood and DYE, Micah and staff from Fairgrounds Paintball and most of all, the love and support from our families, DYE Kids is a name that will not only be remembered, but respected.
By: Nathan McCallister
field captain of DYE Kids |
