PBMansion.com | Paintball

Today we will be talking with Bobby French of the L.A. Ironmen, one of the oldest, and best teams around today. Team Ironmen has recently become a top team, and is currently ranked first with 280 points in the NXL, and third with 38 points in NPPL. Bobby is currently a part of the Ironmen at the young age of 16, and is hoping to earn a starting roster spot soon. You can learn more about team Ironmen on TeamIronmen.com

Nick: First, I would like to say thanks for being a part of this interview, and the first player interviewed by PBMansion.

Bobby: It’s my pleasure.

Nick: So how does it feel to know that you will be one of the youngest professional players in this sport, are you excited to get to play with your new team?

Bobby: Absolutely, I played with The palm beach vipers the past 3 events I have learned a lot about how to play paintball. I have been Helping the Ironmen the entire time I have been playing for the Vipers so I have learned double, if not triple. And now that I know I will be playing with the Ironmen, not just talking with them, I know that I will Learn even more and become a MUCH better paintballer.

Nick: How do you think you excelled so fast in the sport, what would you say helped you get to the point you are at now?

Bobby: Watching, Listening, Drilling. Watch the pro’s, listen to what they say, drill it over and over and over again.

Nick: What was your motivation to move forward in this sport?

Bobby: To be the best.. that’s why everyone should do anything. If you just play to play, what is that doing your team and yourself? I think that if you have no ambition to play a sport then you should not play competitively. you should want to be the best at everything you do, there should be no half assing it.

Nick: When you started paintball, was your goal to become a professional, or were you just playing for fun?

Bobby: I first started playing in the woods for fun. Just with friends, and then I was introduced to tournament paintball; and I was immediately hooked into wanting to be a professional.

Nick: When you started competitive play, was your family supportive?

Bobby: Not entirely, they for saw it to be kind of a pointless dead end hobby. Then I dragged them to a national event where they finally saw it as a sport. Ever since they have been fully supportive.

Nick: Before you got on the Ironmen, who was your favorite player, your inspiration to reach the level you are at now?

Bobby: Obviously everyone looks up to Oliver, he’s a great guy and he knows the game to an incredible extent. But I looked to everyone of the Ironmen for inspiration, Especially Billy Wing. I could just sit down next to him and talk paintball with him for an hour at a time about the game and situations we’ve seen and tournaments we’ve played in. I look to all the Ironmen for inspiration. Brandon Short, Ryan Williams, Billy Ceranski, Marcello Margott, the whole roster, Inspiration.

Nick: Being such a young player, what are your feelings knowing you will play alongside great players such as Mike Paxson, and Oliver Lang?

Bobby: They are normal guys with normal intentions, I have hung out with all of them on a normal basis which is huge for me. I look forward to playing along side them and learning the game from them as much as possible.

Nick: At what age did you start paintballing?

Bobby: I was, I Believe 9. It was over summer break

Nick: What was it about paintball that got you hooked on the sport?

Bobby: The adrenaline rush for sure. Living behind a gun and battling for your life. It’s just plain out fun. It’s never the same.

Nick: What kind of advice, or tips would you give new players to help them excel in the sport?

Bobby: KEEP PLAYING PAINTBALL, Never stop. You don’t get on a pro team if you don’t get noticed, you don’t get noticed if you don’t play paintball.

Nick: Was there ever a rough time, where you felt like you were going nowhere, and just throwing your money away on this sport?

Bobby: Yes, for the longest time. And then as I kept working through it and playing, I caught a HUGE break with DYE and the Ironmen.

Nick: What previous teams have you been on?

Bobby: Oh jeez, where does the list start? I started out with a small team just playing around at little local events, a team called Minor Infraktion. From there, I Moved to a local Fields team called MVP Punishers. I then played a Few local events with Hi-tec Field team, then I played with the MVP punishers more. Then CFP D3 X Ball team, then Vindicated D3 5man, then Open X Ball with the Palm Beach Vipers.

Nick: Which of those teams do you think had the biggest impact on your paintball lifestyle?

Bobby: The Palm Beach Vipers for sure. That’s where I got my most experience.

Nick: Are you more comfortable where you are at now, or did you feel a little more at home on any of your other teams?

Bobby: This is the most comfortable of any of my teams. I am friends with all of the Ironmen, they are good, fun guys.

Nick: How do you get along with everyone on your new team? Is there anyone on the team you can really relate to?

Bobby: I can really relate to all of them, They are all great paintballers. Brandon Short is real fun to hang out with, As well as Marcello. They are the younger kids on the team so I tend to get along with them real well.

Nick: Do you like all the travel involved with this sport? What do you enjoy most about traveling for events?

Bobby: LOVE IT! It’s probably the best part of the whole experience. I really enjoy traveling and meeting new people with different lifestyles.

Nick: What other hobbies do you enjoy outside of paintball?

Bobby: Well. I actually used to play baseball A LOT, and I quit for paintball. I also play the drums for a hobby, I do that in pretty much all my spare time.

Nick: Is there anything else you would like to add before we close this interview?

Bobby: Everyone who plays paintball should display a professional sense. Whether it be an Event or at a Local Field. Show people that its a sport not a Stupid pointless hobby.

Nick: Thanks for your time.

Stay around for more interviews with more of the sports top players.

Nick Marmol

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 27th, 2007 at 6:05 pm and is filed under Player Interviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.