The History of the Red Sevens and Paintball In Singapore

MANY FIRSTS
The Red Sevens is a big part of the history of paintball and particularly speedball in Singapore. The team is one way or other involved in many firsts in the history of speedball in Singapore. First team to play in the MPOC, first speedball field, the first speedball tournament in Singapore, the first team to play in the World Cup Asia, the first team invited to the prestigous NPPL ASIAN INVITATIONAL. To sum it up the Red Sevens has brought paintball to Singapore like no other person nor team has done before.

PROMOTING PAINTBALL IN SINGAPORE
A year ago there was only one tournament team and 6 tournament players with no speedball field in the whole country. In a mere 8 months there are now about 15 teams with over 100 registered tournament players. Speedball is played regularly, every weekend at the field there are groups of people coming to play paintball.

Some of the members of the Red Sevens have set up the first paintball arena in Singapore with 3 fields; one with air bunkers and thus for the first time a speedball field is available to aspiring speedball players in Singapore. These members of the team have dedicated their lives to promoting paintball in Singapore as a sport. They set up a place for people to come and play speedball and they facilitated the process of certifying tournaments players in order to conform with the regulations adn requirements set my the authoritues.

PAINTBALL AWARENESS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
Apart from setting up a field and facilities- the Red Sevens actively go out to promote the sport in the community, in schools and tertiary Institutions. The Red Sevens participate in forums on sport organised by the sports authorities. Recently the Red Sevens were called upon to be involved in to the Youth Oylimpics which Singapore is set to host. The Red Sevens also conduct regular clinics and introduction to Paintball as a sport to the community.

FIRST PAINTBALLTOURNAMENT
The members of the Red Sevens organised the first ever paintball tournament in Singapore with the SPNS - Singapore Paintball Novice Series. The SPNS is not a mere one off tournament but it has 3 legs in a calendar year with proper player certification and international standard mashalling.

PLAYER CERTIFICATION
The Red Sevens and the PBAS worked to create a certification course called the BTO Basic Tournament Oritentation to ensure that all players in Singapore who intend to play in a local tournament, know all the rules and etiquette of the sport. To date the Red Sevens have helped to certify over 100 tournament players through the BTO.

MARSHALLING STANDARDS
Apart from certifying players - the Red Sevens have also worked on writing the Rules of Singapore's first local tournament in the SPNS Singapore Paintball Novice Series. The Red Sevens set up a body of marshalls and wrote a standards of marshalling in line with international leagues such as the Millennium Series in Europe to the NPPL In America and collaborated with the well established and respected Malaysian Marshalls.

REPRESENTING SINGAPORE
The Red Sevens have played in over 15 tournaments in the last 2 years. Below is the list of tournaments that the Team has played in WITHOUT any help from the sports authorities. All these tournaments have been self funded.

The Red Sevens is well known and respected as the only team from Singapore. The Red Sevens represent Singapore with their dedication, professionalism, fair play, respect for the game and respect for fellow players of the sport. The Red Sevens carry the Singapore flag to every tournament despite not getting any funding, recognition nor publicty from anyone in Singapore.

Rookie Competitions (2007):
• Rookie Category 3 on 3 Werdnahol Cup 2007 Leg1, KL
• Rookie Category 3 on 3 Werdnahol Cup 2007 Leg2, KL
• No Mercy 3 on 3 Paintball Tournament, Johor Bahru

MPOC (2007):
• Overall 12th out of 60 teams
• Novice/Amateur MPOC, Leg2, KL
• Novice/Amateur MPOC, Leg3, Penang
• Novice/Amateur MPOC, Leg4, KL
• Novice/Amateur MPOC, Leg5, Johor Bahru

Other Division 3 Competitions:
• Johor Bahru Paintball Fitness Challenge 2007, Johor Bahru

Other Events (2007):
• Command and Conquer Scenario Paintball 2007. KL
• Paintball Awareness @ Singapore Management University (SMU)
• Paintball Workshops @ JB Octville Golf and Country Club

International Events:
• Paintball Asia League Series (PALS), World Cup Asia 2007, KL
• NPPL Asian Invitational 2008, Desaru

MPOC (2008):
• Novice/Amateur MPOC, Leg1, KL
• Novice/Amateur MPOC, Leg2, KL
• Novice/Amateur MPOC, Leg3, Penang
• Novice/Amateur MPOC, Leg4, Gombak

Other Events (2008):
• Port Dickson Paintball Challenge - 3rd Place
• Singapore Paintball Novice Series (Key Organiser)
• NUS Sports Bazaar (Paintball Awareness)

AMBASSADORS OF SINGAPOREAN PAINTBALL
The Red Sevens have many friends in the paintball community across the world. We have played hosts to many regional players and professional players. In June members of the 2 top professional paintball teams San diego Dynasty and Oaklan d Infamous in the US NPPL league expressed their interest to visit Singapore and the Red Sevens took time out and organised 2 cars to show them around Singapore.

The name Red Sevens is now synonymous with Singapore in the professional ranks in the paintball fraternity. Other players like Ollie Lang of the famous Ironmen Team has expressed interest to come and visit Singapore and no doubt the Red Sevens will play host to the best paintball player in the world.

As I mentioned before The Red Sevens was invited to represent Singapore in the NPPL Asian Invitational, the team has also received invitations to represent Singapore in other international tournaments in Taiwan and in Indonesia.

I would dare say that the Red Sevens have done a lot to bring, promote and nurture the sport in Singapore despite not receiving any help. Almost everything has been self funded or done for the love of the sport. The Red Sevens are the authority on paintball in Singapore. And I would also say that the Red Sevens deserve some respect because without the Red Sevens there would be no paintball, no speedball and no paintball teams in Singapore.