Feature Article   The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same: The Games of our Youth by Melissa Minners                As I watch serious paintballers go through the motions of preparing for their match, I am reminded of games we played as children.  Not sure what I mean?  Let me explain:             Serious paintballers take measures to ensure their victory by wearing clothing that will allow them freedom of movement, while at the same time, allowing them to blend into whatever environment they are competing in.  The more serious you are about the competition, the more measures you are willing to take.  I once came across a paintballer who had a variety of twigs and leaves adorning his camouflage-print hat.  Even his paintball rifle was camouflaged so that the metal wouldn’t glimmer in the sunlight and give away his position.  Paintballers in action will belly crawl or quickstep from point to point, sometimes diving and rolling to avoid being hit or to get off the perfect shot.             Now, think back to your childhood and you will begin to realize that the adult competition of paintball is very similar to games we played in our youth.  It started very early with Hide and Seek.  The person who was “IT” had to close their eyes and count to a predetermined number before searching for the other players who would have by now found terrific hiding places.  After a while, Hide and Seek was too easy, so we had to put a new spin on it.  If it was summertime and we had access to water balloons, we would dig in to a good hiding position and bean people who were darting from place to place hunting us down with their own water balloon arsenal.              If it was cold out or we didn’t have access to water balloons, a good old-fashioned suction cup dart gun would do nicely.  I was the best sniper in the neighborhood, taking friends out from the high ground, my baseball cap worn backwards in emulation of my favorite S.W.A.T. sniper.  As we grew older and were allowed to hang out after dark, the game grew to be even more fun.  Dark clothing would be worn to blend in with the shadows as we darted from house to house and ran down alleys, skirting cars and hiding in bushes.             Flash forward a few more years and welcome the invention of Laser Tag.  I was in my twenties when I first got the opportunity to play laser tag in a real arena located in a New Jersey sporting complex somewhere off of Route 17.  The arena was darkly lit and came complete with an obstacle course.  A bunch of my friends and I played as one team against a group of younger kids.  When the game began, we followed the instructions which called for us to behave and avoid diving and tumbling – that sort of thing.  Of course, the other team had no problem breaking the rules and soon my friends and I were all performing various acrobatic feats in an effort to keep the puny little pests from showing us up.              And here we are – we have arrived at the era of paintball.  Of course, the course is a lot different.  The equipment more involved.  The hits a tad bit more painful.  But the object of the game is very much the same – hunt down the enemy and take ‘em out!  The winner will be the most cunning and crafty of the group, able to find better hiding places, agile enough to avoid errant shots and resourceful enough to make the shots they take count.  I haven’t yet partaken in a paintball match, but I have no doubt that I’ll be just as good at it as I was in our modified youthful version all those years ago.   For feedback, visit our message board or e-mail the author at talonkarrde@g-pop-net.