Indianapolis Mutiny, a pro paintball team that competes in the NPPL Super-7 series, has unveiled their new paintball jerseys for 2011. The jerseys, made by Raza Paintball, feature the teams trademark mutiny-skull and swords logo, as well as the logos of their sponsors SLY Paintball, DLX Technology, Vintage Paintball Park and BB40 apparel.

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This week’s pro paintball player of the week is Aaron Tholey. Aaron has been in the pro ranks for a few years now and has played with several top pro paintball teams including Chicago Aftershock and Sacramento XSV. Most recently, Aaron and his buddy Tommy O’Donnell have built a pro team of their own, Indianapolis Mutiny. Baca Loco from VFTD recently caught up with Tholey for an interview. Read on for an inside look at the life of a Mid-West pro paintball player.

Name: Aaron Tholey
Age: 27
Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
Occupation: Paintball some how/some way.
Family: Amber(sister), Deez(dog)
General interests other than paintball: I’m really into music and the culture surrounding it. Tattoo’s and art in general. Built cars and bikes, Jiu Jitsu (not MMA). Hockey, Firearms, and of course the most important; family and friends.

1. What was your first paintball experience and who introduced you to the game?
I actually found it with a buddy of mine, we were very young. It started out with us playing nerf. After lots of cheating we decided we needed something that could identify if your hit. We did yard work all summer and bought cheap pump guns. I was hooked ever since. That was over 13 years ago now.

2. What team(s) do you play for now?
Indianapolis Mutiny (NPPL), Sacramento XSV (PSP), Kingsey Falls Kamikaze’s (CXBL)

3. What teams have you played for in the past?
Vintage, Them, Division, Impulse, Ignition, Texas Storm, Studio City Ice Men, Miami Rage, Miami Effect, Miami Hatecrew, Philly Americans, New Jersey Jesters, RNT, Chicago Aftershock, Sacramento XSV, Geelong Extreme, Kingsey Falls Kamikaze’s and Indianapolis Mutiny.

4. What role do you play on your current team?
Off the field I look out for our squads best interest. On the field I’m just another soldier.

5. Who are your favorite paintball players?
Wow. There are so many. I admire a lot of the old guard: Old Aftershock, Lockout, Bob Long’s Ironmen, and Strange. All of Mutiny. Player wise: Ryan Moorhead, Nate Cota, Dan Norcross, Adam FarEY, Z. Long, Markus, Bwing, and Damien Ryan. It should also be noted that Damien is the best player in the world.

6. What’s your best paintball experience or memory?
Starting a Pro team with all my friends, with no money or help and actually making it. No one has any idea what we have been through.

7. What is the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever done in order to play paintball?
I hate to say this but I make the rounds of the old folks homes dancing with octogenarians for cash under the table. [May not be Aaron's actual answer because he may have missed this question. I'm just saying.]

8. What is the single most important lesson the up and comer needs to learn?
“Play Smart, not Hard.” Frank Connell taught me that when I was on Philly through a really cool lesson. I also think that you need to play for the right reasons and check yourself at the door.

9. What keeps you playing paintball?
I fucking love it. Plain and simple.

10. Do you have any superstitions related to playing paintball?
Yes actually. Before I went pro one of the guys who helped me along the way gave me a first generation brand new flying skulls Sandana headband. I brought it home and pinned it high up on my wall in my room where I could see it everyday. I made it my goal that I would wear it one day and it was my reward once I became a pro player. Once I achieved that, I’ve worn it ever since. After we won Texas NXL I had my mom sew the words, “Never Forget” on the sweat band on the inside. Now every time I play right before I put my head band on I look at those words and take a few seconds to remind myself and “Never Forget” where I came from, why I play this game, and what I have to do on the field. I also think headbands need to be given to you by someone you look up to or admire. In a way they are sacred to a paintball player and I think that kind of thing is overlooked these days.

Rumors have surfaced indicating that a NPPL pro paintball team and a top PSP semi pro paintball team are set to merge. Read on for the latest pro paintball news and rumors.

NPPL Pro Paintball team Indianapolis Mutiny is rumored to be merging with PSP semi-pro paintball team RNT Allstarz for the upcoming Chicago paintball events. Insiders speculate that if successful, this merger could potentially continue throughout the remainder of the 2010 pro paintball season. Damien Ryan from RNT has been playing with Chicago Legend in the NPPL series and we wonder on which side he will end up. Also, propaintball insiders are curious which guns the players will be shooting at the pro paintball events. Mutiny has been shooting angel paintball guns while Jerry and his RNT Allstarz have been shooting macdev paintball guns (RNT is a macdev factory team).

Young and talented Dan Norcross recently made his Pro Paintball debut at the NPPL Huntington Beach 2010 Event. Having played on such teams as Velocity Wrecking Krew and Shock-Kidz, Dan’s rise to the top of the ranks has come at a young age. Read on for more about Minnesota’s own Dan Norcross.

Name: Dan Norcross

Age: 18

Hobbies other than paintball: When I was younger I played hockey and baseball for a number of years, I still love both and spend a lot of the cold Minnesota winters on hockey rinks with my friends, but nothing competitive anymore. I decided to play paintball over everything else when I was about 14 and haven’t looked back since.

Current Team: Indianapolis Mutiny (NPPL), G.S.E. (PSP)

Home Field: If it’s Mutiny home is Asylum paintball in Louisville, KY. Paintball Plex in Indy or Badlandz and Fox River with G.S.E. As far as back home goes, I live a mile from a paintball field called Northside Sports where I cut my teeth back in the day and I still make it up there once in a while.

Position you play on the field: Usually a dorito insert, but I go wherever I’m needed. More than often I find myself holding down a lane trying to keep my front guy alive

Previous teams: Shock-Kidz, Velocity Wrecking Crew.

Favorite pro team when you were growing up: I remember watching the NXL when it was its own league and loving the Oakland Assasins, every time I saw those guys I thought they were the most-raw players out there. I was a huge fan of that league because of its intensity and the karnage that resulted from it.

You’re now in your first pro season with Indianapolis Mutiny, what do you like best about the team? I love the fact that everybody is hungry. We are such a young team with limitless potential and I love all of the guys. It seems like everybody is on the same page and is always there to help you out when you need it, I couldn’t be more excited for the team’s future.

What’s the paintball community like in Minnesota? Paintball in Minnesota is pretty small, there’s only once decent indoor field and considering we have snow on the ground 5 months out of the year I spend a lot of time driving 8 hours to Chicago or flying to San Diego to play. As far as player base goes there’s not much above the rookie level, it’s growing though and there’s a few solid local tournaments but as far as national level competition it’s almost non-existent. I definitely trying to pave the way for other MN players and help them get out of the state and make it happen so we can build the scene around home.

Who do you look up to in paintball and why? My mom and dad, all the Mutiny guys, Leif and Darrel from KM, Aaron Tholey, Nick Slowiak, Jason Stypula, the list goes on forever. All of these guys have given me a ton of help throughout my career and haven’t asked for much in return. Someday I hope to help a kid like they helped me.

What keeps you playing paintball? I love playing paintball, plain and simple. No two games are ever exactly the same, everything’s always changing so I could never get bored with it. The second thing would be the friends I’ve made throughout the years, I can’t even imagine my life without the sport or the people I’ve met through it.

What are your plans for the rest of 2010: Keep grinding it out with Mutiny and play on every Sunday.”

Pro Paintball teams from across the nation will be battling it out this weekend in Huntington Beach, CA. As this is the season opener, nearly anything can happen. Last year we witnessed several shockers including series leader DC Arsenal losing out to Oakland BLAST in the overall championship and relative new comers San Francisco Explicit winning matches against former Triple Crown Champions San Diego Dynasty.

This year, Vancouver Vendetta and Newport Entourage will be making their pro paintball debut. Throughout the off season, teams like Edmonton Impact, Tampa Bay Damage, San Diego Dynasty, St. Louis Avalanche and Los Angeles Infamous have been stacking their rosters with national champions from years prior. As we go into the first event, everyone here at Pro Paintball is very excited and we are all placing bets as to which teams will be leading the pack.

With all of this in mind, we are proud to open this story for your NPPL HB team predictions. If you are lucky enough to predict the top 4 teams in the pro division we will award you with a prize. Our prizes include T-Shirts from Sly Equipment, San Francisco Explicit and Pro Paintball.com, barrel wraps from Paintball Photography and DLX Technologies, and headbands from PBheadbands.com. 

For extra credit, feel free to share your predictions for divisional paintball teams.

Read on for the official pro paintball team list and be sure to place your top 4 picks in the comments below.

NPPL 2010 Pro Paintball Team list (in alphabetical order):

• San Diego Dynasty

• St. Louis Avalanche

• Oakland Blast

• Chicago Legend

• San Francisco Explicit

• Sacramento XSV

• Indianapolis Mutiny

• Edmonton Impact

• Vancouver Vedetta

• LA Infamous

• Tampa Bay Damage

• Naughty Dogs

• Newport Entourage

If your interested in the players roster-ed for the event, be sure to check out the teams registration information here.

Please note that our predictions will be closed Friday morning at 7am and prizes will be doled at the discretion of our moderators. In order for your entrees to be considered you must enter a valid email. Offer valid while supplies last.

Good luck!

Are you ready to go PRO? Do you think you have what it takes? Pro Paintball team Indianapolis Mutiny is holding tryouts January 16th and 17th at the Paintball Plex is La Otto, IN.

For further details be sure to check out IndyMutiny.com.

Todays paintball rumor report features several top athletes, a few injuries and rumor of a major mid-west X-ball team playing Pro Paintball in 2010. Read on for the latest paintball news.

• Ethan Sillars from the currently undefeated Aftermath II semi pro team will be sitting World Cup. Ethan’s appendix ruptured last week and he went into surgery shortly after.

• Todd Martinez is rumored to be playing PSP World Cup with longtime friends Greg Paulie, Bryan Bortol and Dalton Vanderbyl on VICIOUS. For those of you wondering why Todd is not playing with Dynasty, be sure to check out Todd’s exclusive statement on Pro Paintball. Rumor has it VICIOUS is setting up to play PRO during the 2010 season and Todd would be a strong pick up for the team. It has been confirmed that Gino Benedicto, formerly of Infamous, will be added to the already talented roster of VICIOUS to compete in the PSP World Cup.

• Speaking of Dynasty, Ryan “Machine Gun” Martin was invited to practice with his old teammates on the Pro team San Diego Dynasty the weekend before last.. Ryan has been playing with Dynasty Entourage in the NPPL, Aftermath II for PSP events and the Amsterdam Xistence in the Millennium Series. Rumor has it he might be making a come back to the San Diego Dynasty Pro team for the 2009 PSP World Cup.

• Ramzi El-yousef from Tampa Bay Damage has been injured. Damage fans can rest easy as word has it he should be recovered in time for World Cup.

• Andrew “Dirt” Yundt has quit Indianapolis Mutiny. We are not sure what prompted the decision but wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors. On a related note, it appears that the Mutiny team website has been updated. Mutiny has by far one of the best looking pro paintball, be sure to take a look. www.IndianapolisMutiny.com

Welcome to the Pro Practice Schedule for the weekend of September 19th and 20th. For those of you whom are tuning in for the first time, the PPS is a series of updates in which we showcase the professional teams preparations leading up to the next major event. We do our best to provide the inside scoop on who, and most importantly, where your favorite Pro paintball team is playing in the weekends leading up to major events.

Read on for the latest news from some of the best pro paintball teams Aftershock, Aftermath, Damage, the Hurricanes, Mutiny and several others. You won’t believe who Dynasty ran into on the way to the Millennium Campaign Cup.

• Chicago Aftershock is flying down to practice X-ball against San Diego Aftermath at Camp Pendleton Paintball Park in Oceanside, CA. Playing separately will be LA Infamous and Dynasty Entourage who are both said to be running team drills.

• Tampa Bay Damage will be practicing at their home field Central Florida Paintball in Lakeland, FL. They will be scrimmaging Fierce in preparations for the upcoming PSP World Cup.

• Indianapolis Mutiny will be practicing 7-man for the NPPL series finale. The team will be playing at Asylum Extreme Paintball in Louisville, KY so if your in the area, be sure to stop by and say hello.

• After several weekends of back to back practices, the New England Hurricanes as a team are taking the weekend off. Last weekend, the ‘Canes competed against the All Americans at Fox 4. A weekend “off” isn’t what it seems as several of the ‘Canes will be representing their team and sponsors elsewhere. Brian Gigliotti and Billy Bernacchia will be joining the Upton 187 Crew and competing in the NAX Championships while teammate Mark Lancia will be in Puerto Rico hosting a paintball clinic.

• Team USA will be competing across the pond in this weekends Millennium Campaign Cup being held in London. Representing San Diego Dynasty will be Yosh Rau, Ryan Greenspan, and LJ Schwarz. Joining the Dyna-cats will be JC Whittington, Justin Rabackoff, and Chris Designor from Arsenal and Frank Connell from Avalanche. The team is currently ranked 3rd in the paintball series. While the team was traveling to the event, Yosh ended up sitting next to Richard Dreyfuss and Frank ran into Bobby Knight in the security line.

Today marked the opening of the PRO division in Aldie, VA, for the USPL DC Challenge event. With the West Coast Open being only four weeks prior to this event, the question of whether or not this event would take place was floating regularly in the chatbox. The event is in play, the weather is overcast with high humidity and the crowed’s are looking thin on this Saturday morning.

Update: Just added an article on Indianapolis Mutiny

With the morning underway, who do you think will come out on top today? Stay tuned right here to Pro Paintball dot Com to find out.

Saturday Scores:

Bracket #1

• Dynasty takes a win over the Dogs strongly with 5 alive
• Phoenix United beats Infamous with 2 up, Glenn Takemoto racking up a 1-for-1
• Impact squeeks by and beat Tampa Bay Damage with 3 alive
• DC Arsenal with 5 bodies up over Chicago Legend, JRab motors up the field with 4 kills
• Naughty Dogs take a solid win over Phoenix United only dropping 2 players
• Damage drops a game to Dynasty who now sits at 4-0
• Infamous tally’s another win up over Chicago Legend
• Archie loses a 1-on-3 to Impact, placing their record now at 5-1
• DC Arsenal crushes Infamous as Oliver lands a 3-kill run through, now sitting undefeated at 6-0
• Dynasty loses 4 off-the-break to Arsenal, leaving DC finishing 7-0 and SD 5-2 for the day

Bracket #2

• Oakland Blast leading the bracket along with Sacramento XSV, both currently at 5-1 only losing to eachther
• Mutiny sitting in at 3-3, losing to two of the top teams last event Blast and Avalanche
• St. Louis Avalanche currently 3-2, with Blast and Elevation in their scope to close out the day and advance

Mutiny’s Saturday Wrap-up:

Hello Indianapolis Mutiny fans, we’re updating you live from the NPPL DC Open at Pev’s Paintball. It’s been a hot & humid end-of-summer weekend here in the Virginia swampland; players are dehydrated, paint is bouncing and everyone smells like they need a shower.

We won our first game against XSV thanks to some handy moves from team captains Aaron Tholey and Tommy O’Donnell with a 1-2 snake-dorito combo. Tommy went down the snake side highway to the 50 dorito and bunkered an XSV player on our side of the snake shortly after Aaron ran down 2 XSV players on the carwash side.

We lost our second game to Scottsdale Elevation in no time. They laned Adam Farej running to the snake; the refs then proceeded to pull a 1-for-1, even though no hits could be found anywhere on him. We started on the wrong foot and Elevation did a great job of capitalizing on our mistakes.

We lost our third game to Avalanche who scouted out our game plan and shot a few key players off the break. Once they were up on bodies, it was a battle of attrition. We expected a different game from Avalanche and got caught with our pants down.

We regrouped, changed our game plan and got back out to the field to play Oakland Blast. There isn’t much time between games, so action in the pit has been frantic.

Blast gave us a heavy gunners look, sending both Zack Long and Dave Bains out to the snake side with their guns up. Dave & Zack chopped up our runners and the pressure was on. They laned three of us off of the break. We fought back, but we were too many bodies down when they steam rolled down the field.

After the Blast loss we regrouped, got our heads together and prepared to play San Francisco Explicit. We opted for a more conventional game plan that kept our players alive off the break and both teams settled in for a gun fight.

Explicit were the first to take the car wash, but Tholey bunkered Explicit’s carwash to give us a much needed boost during the mid-game lull. We mopped up behind Tholey to keep ourselves in contention.

Our last game of the day was against X-Factor, who were already eliminated from Sunday. We expected an unexpected game against X-Factor, which is exactly what we got.

Both teams broke out aggressively and made it out of the gate with all 7 players alive. X-Factor pushed heavily up the carwash side, sending three players that way.

Dusty Odell in the carwash shot Adam Geis off the snake side before we realized he was into the 50. Smelling blood, X-Factor began pushing up the snake side  almost simultaneously.

Suddenly, bodies started dropping everywhere on the field. X-Factor sent three runners up the middle who were all shot out but took one of us with them. We traded a few more bodies back and forth until it came down to a 3-on-2, with Shane in the center stand-up, Tommy in the back center and Andy in the snake-side corner on our side.

Tommy got shot trying to make a move to bunker out the X-Factor player at the stand up next to the 50, leaving Shane and Andy in a 2-on-2. The X-Factor player moved from the stand up into our brick where Shane picked him up and gunned him down. Andy and Shane worked out the last guy to take us into Sunday as the 8th seed.

We’ve got a big quarter-final day tomorrow, stay tuned for more updates.

Thanks for all the support!

-Indianapolis Mutiny

Readers; Who do you predict will win this event?! Leave your comments below!

It was a long drawn out, fly infested weekend many of us have grown to be familiar with through many seasons at SC Village. Paintball photographers Kyle Johnson and Matt Dawson took to the field with their man soda at 7:30am Friday morning and proceeded to finish out the weekend Sunday evening incredibly dehydrated and with leather necks they had not had just days prior.

Kyle’s gallery below presents many of the emotional moments of the hard fought weekend that is stop 2 for the USPL this season. Next stop, DC Challenge.

[Show as slideshow]

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