The Tippinators are a competitive paintball team in Nova Scotia, Canada, who use Tippmann A5 and Tippmann X7 paintball markers with military simulation modifications to play tournament speedball and woodsball. The team strongly believes that honesty, integrity, fair play and having fun are more important than the outcome of a game.
Tippinators - A Brief Commentary
By: Jordan F. Ricks - Special Ops Paintball
Paintball has taken a few public relations hits lately with high profile instances of cheating and the incessant feud between tourney players and woodsball players. What ever happened to the ideals of honor and solidarity among paintballers? Where did the “brotherhood” and sheer “love of the game” go? You'll find them in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
A small group of rag-tag woodsballers from Canada's eastern shoreline have taken their fun-loving, 'play-with-honor' style and crossed the bridge into Tourneyland. In spite of initially encountering heavy resistance, the Tippinators (as they call themselves) pushed forward and quickly established a foothold in Speedball territory. Before long, the Tippinators had transformed the tourney landscape into a fun environment of respect and camaraderie, where they feel every bit as much at home as they do on the woodsball field.
The speedball players and woodsballers found common ground in their love of paintball, and each team's respect for the other is evidenced during the tournament competitions. Post game activities routinely involve the sharing of drinks, laughs, and even autographed photo sessions among team members. The groups aren't separated according to jersey colors. The Tippinators effectively erased the boundaries and removed the walls surrounding exclusive territories. Good sportsmanship is no longer confined to quarters. The integrity of the Tippinators and respect shown to speedballers has garnered them equal respect - and near adoration from the tourney crowd.
In Nova Scotia, Canada, the Woods/Tourneyball cold war has simply melted into the waters of the North Atlantic. A handful of woodsball players from this relatively obscure corner of the world have injected paintball with a new dose of hope, and given the sport one of its proudest moments. Perhaps other teams (and attitudes) will follow. Perhaps this will be more than a fleeting moment in the evolution of a rapidly changing sport. Perhaps this will be a defining moment. We know it can be done. The Tippinators crossed that bridge - the bridge many of us thought “too far”.
About the Team
Officially formed in 2005, the team has made a name for themselves playing speedball tournaments on Saturday with the same mil-sim Tippmann A5 paintball markers they use for woodsball on Sundays. The Tippinators routinely jump the fence between woodsball and speedball in an effort to break down the perceived barriers between the two different styles of paintball. No matter what style of the game they play, to the Tippinators, the important thing to to have fun playing paintball.
The Tippinators represent a large cross section of the paintball community. With player ages range from early teenage students to mid 50s retirees. They would have never met if not for paintball and here they are on the same team competing together for the love and betterment of the game.
The Tippinators unique brand of paintball and positive attitude have brought the team to the attention of, and sponsorship from, some of the biggest names in paintball including: Tippmann, Special Ops Paintball, DraXxuS, VForce, DXS, PBL, Hammerhead, Advanced Paintball Electronics, Flurry Industries, plus many more. The media spotlight has also followed the team's progression, with feature articles in numerous paintball industry magazines.
"The Tippinators are not just ambassadors of woodsball, they're ambassadors of paintball. These guys make players everywhere proud." - Jordan Ricks - Special Ops Paintball
Home Fields
Mersey Road Paintball - East River, Nova Scotia, Canada
Overkill Sportz - Mount Uniacke, Nova Scotia, Canada
Team Composition
12 Active Players
4 Reserve Players
Tippinators at Black Friday Standing L to R: Trevor Colwell, Tyler Johnson, Scott Knowles, Bruce Johnston, Steven Fong, Mark Miller, Chris Mullins Kneeling L to R: Justin Landry, Richard Robinson, Austin Flaherty
Articles Written By the Tippinators
Members of the Tippinators are regular contributors to many paintball industry magazines including; Special Ops RECON, Paintball Sports Magazine and Action Pursuit Games.
Contribution to Paintball Sports Magazine article “Surviving the Night” - December 2005
Co-author of lead article Special Ops Paintball’s RECON Magazine - January 2006
Author lead article “The Serious Paintball Sniper” Special Ops RECON Magazine - March 2006
Co-author “Don’t Do This - What not to do in woodsball” Paintball Sports - March 2006
Author of “Thundering A-5’s” Action Pursuit Games - April 2006
Author of lead tactics article “Assaulting the Flag” Paintball Sports Magazine - May 2006
Author of article “Pinch And Win” posted on Special Ops website www.specialopspaintball.com
Author of lead article “Getting Sponsored” Paintball Sports Magazine - July 2006
Author of article “Modifying You’re A-5” posted on www.specialopspaintball.com
Author of lead article “When All Hell Breaks Loose” Special Ops RECON Magazine - June 2006
Author of lead tactics article “How to be a General” Paintball Sports Magazine - August 2006
Author of article “A New Look at the Speedball vs. Woodsball Debate!” Action Pursuit Games - September 2006
Author article “Sponsorship - The Holy Grail Of Paintball” posted www.specialopspaintball.com
Author article “The Bounding Overwatch” Special Ops RECON Magazine - October 2006
Author of “Practice at Dominating the Woodsball Field” posted www.specialopspaintball.com
Author lead tactics article “Stay in the Game” Paintball Sports Magazine - November 2006
Author of article “Keeping it Together” Paintball Sports Magazine - November 2006
Author of article “Bluffing Your Way to the Win” Paintball Sports Magazine - February 2007
Author of article “Surrounded” Action Pursuit Games - March 2007
Author of article “What's All That Stuff on your Marker?” Paintball Sports - March 2007
Author of article “Layering Your Defense” Special Ops RECON Magazine - March 2007
Author of article “A Case for the Defense” Special Ops RECON Magazine - May 2007
Articles Written About the Tippinators
Article and team photo local newspaper “The Beacon” - March 2006
Feature article on the Tippinators, Action Pursuit Games - April 2006
In depth interview with Team Captain Bruce Johnston posted on www.specialopspaintball.com
Article and team action photo local newspaper “The Daily News” - September 5, 2006
Half page article and team photo in local newspaper “The Beacon” - October 2006
Article and photos (include cover) local newspaper “The Daily News” - November 2, 2006
Two photos and press announcement Paintball Sports Magazine - December 2006
Feature article on Tippinators Paintball Sport Magazine - February 2007
Feature article on Captain Bruce Johnston Special Ops RECON Magazine - May 2007
Team Motto
Shake hands, play hard, have fun, make new friends, remember that it is just a game.
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