marcello_margott

Bki Pro Summer Camp

Wed, 03 Oct 2018 14:21:50 GMT

“This is more than just understanding the fundamentals, it is understanding the lifestyle.”

40 participants, 8 professional coaches, 2 amazing organizers and one of the best weeks of my life. Seriously, the BKi Summer Camp was one of the coolest things I have ever done in paintball and I am still missing it. We created some memories that I will cherish for a long time. We wanted to create an intimate experience unlike any other for players to come and learn what it takes to reach the highest levels within the sport. Our vision was to have a week long camp that would teach the players everything they need to know to become a professional paintball athete. This is more than just understanding the fundamentals, it is understanding the lifestyle. We wanted them to understand the type of hard work it takes to succeed and show them first hand how we have reached our positions within the sport. Becoming a professional paintball player is not easy at all and we wanted to be sure we set everyone up with the tools it takes to get there. I think it’s safe to say we accomplished that goal.

We have been extremely busy at BKi building a platform to help players reach their max potential. Our online paintball school is a project that originated because of our passion for teaching clinics and desire to find a way to help the masses in the paintball community. Getting players excited about playing at the competitive level is tremendously important for the future of our sport and we are working every single day to find ways to connect with as many people as we can. The BKi Summer Camp was a passion project that we had been working on for over a year and to see it finally come to fruition was nothing short of spectacular. There was so much work put into making the event happen but it was well worth it and due to the tremendous feedback I know we will be expanding these types of camps.

So lets dive into it, everyone arrived on Wednesday for the meet and greet at Anthony’s indoor field, Boston Paintball. Wednesday was just a very casual hangout day while participants were arriving at all different times. Once we had everyone feet on the ground in Boston, we headed to Maynard where the epic week long summer camp was going down. That night we kept it pretty mellow, we let everyone settle in to their amazing rooms built by the pros and followed up with a dinner and orientation. Everyone was extremely friendly from the very beginning. We had a few shy people but that didn’t last long. By the end of the night we were all playing games, laughing, and having a great time. The real fun hadn’t even started yet!

After an epic game of ultimate frisbee that turned out to be quite competitive we decided it was time to bring everyone back up to the camp site and mellow out. Thursday was going to be a long day so we wanted everyone to be well rested. Ryan Greenspan, Greg Siewers, one of the camp participants, Cameron and myself were sharing a room so we established some camp roommate rules before falling asleep. Rule number 1 was to have each other’s back and if any shenanigans go down we have to protect our base! You never know what kind of pranks someone is going to try to pull at summer camp! I didn't want to wake up with a frog on my face.

The next morning was the start of the camp. We had a 7:00am wakeup time with an outstanding professionally done breakfast ready for us at 7:30 to get us ready for the long day ahead. We had 3 separate sessions planned for the day. 9:00am - 12:00pm for drill session number 1, lunch from 12:00pm - 1:00pm, 1:00pm - 4:00pm for drill session number 2, snack break from 4:00pm - 4:30pm, 4:30pm - 6:30pm drill session number 3. We wanted Thursday to be a full day of working solely on individual fundamental skills. We laid the foundation with the importance of technique because if you don’t have that down then it’s going to be difficult to bring your best once we start incorporating the team stuff. Fundamentals are a huge part of the game and it’s something that can set you apart from the rest. We went through a series of drills that really dissected the major fundamental skill sets required to be an effective paintball player, such as snap shooting, off the break shooting, and running & shooting. There are so many little nuances that come into play when trying to master these skills so it was great to be able to spend an entire day teaching the players not only how to execute the drills but also how to work on these skills on their own.

“ We truly wanted to work through every detail and provide the best experience that the paintball community has ever seen when it comes to clinics.”

From 7:30 - 9:00 we had the most delicious steak dinner made up near the campsite. Everyone was starving as it was an extremely tiring day. We spent almost 10 hours playing paintball!!! The funny thing is everyone wanted to keep playing. After feasting on a 5 star steak dinner we walked back to camp and got everyone together for a film session. If you guys followed us on Instagram throughout the event you would have seen the brilliance in this part of the camp. We truly wanted to work through every detail and provide the best experience that the paintball community has ever seen when it comes to clinics. Throughout the day we had filmed the participants during their drills so that at night we could all watch together and break down film. This is proven to be one of the most effective ways to learn and there is a reason all of the top professional athletes diligently watch film. I can’t tell you how many times I have played a match, thought I was playing like Michael Jordan on the paintball field only to go back and watch the film and realize how many mistakes I made or missed opportunities there were.

By this point everyone had started to feel like a little BKi family. We were having so much fun, playing paintball, hanging out, having a good time, enjoying good food, and everyone just seemed extremely comfortable to be there. We were all there for the same reason and paintball is an already tight community, we just made it tighter. All 45 of us were staying in cozy living quarters too so it’s not like there was much privacy or alone time, we were one big family for the week! The night ended shortly after as we had an 11pm lights out curfew. You didn’t have to go to sleep but all the lights were out because each morning was very early and we didn't want to disturb the players that like to catch a lot of shut eye.

“ Chemistry is important in paintball and in life it’s important to have balance. If you work hard then you should also enjoy extracurricular activities with your friends and family and that is exactly what we did. All 45(ish) of us hopped in a giant school bus and road tripped into the one and only Fenway Park.”

The next morning we rose with the sun again to start an epic day of paintball. Friday was going to be all about situational drills. Half field type stuff, really dissecting each aspect of the game and diving into paintball theory. We had two full fields setup so we had plenty of space to run a ton of different drills. Friday was meant to progress from the individual technique required to bring your best to your team, to the understanding of how to play AS a team. We followed a similar schedule as the day before but cut out drill session number 3 because we had a Red Sox game to go to! After a full day of working on situational awareness and putting the participants through a plethora of different drills that teach the importance of positions, jobs, percentages, and how to play the game, we all rushed back to get cleaned up and go out for a night on the town. As much as we wanted the week to be solely about paintball we also wanted to bring everyone out for a bonding experience. Chemistry is important in paintball and in life it’s important to have balance. If you work hard then you should also enjoy extracurricular activities with your friends and family and that is exactly what we did. All 45(ish) of us hopped in a giant school bus and road tripped into the one and only Fenway Park. We took up two full rows and were all together in a giant group. It was epic. I was mainly hanging out with my little homies, all 15 and under, so it was basically a giant snack party with popcorn, chicken tenders, hot dogs, lobster tacos and baseball! We had so much fun this was definitely a highlight of the trip. However, shortly after it was back to work.

“We had medals and trophies made to give to players that earned them. Awards like most improved, Camp MVP, best fundamentals, best teammate, all sorts of things that we felt are important factors in becoming a professional player.”

We got back a little late so we decided to move breakfast up by 30 minutes. The next day (Saturday) was going to be mainly focused on full-field situational scenarios. Saturday was the day where it all comes together. By now everyone is supposed to be sharp in their technique, have a great understanding of the snake side, the Dorito side, the center, how to break down different situations, and now it was time to move into the final stage of the clinic. We spent the day putting it all together and teaching the entire game from start to finish. At this stage of the event I remember just being absolutely stunned at the progression. You could tell the players were getting tired but that’s because they had already done two full days of what was probably the toughest training they have done in paintball to date. We had 8 different professional players over the course of 3 days teaching everything we knew. There was no shortage of knowledge or mercy in activity. That reminds me.. Each morning was started with an intense warm up (could be considered a workout by most) led by Greg Siewers. Yea, this camp was no joke! The players were a bit fatigued at this point but everyone was so eager to push themselves and that’s what we really loved, we loved the commitment from the participants to absorb everything we had. Everyone was absolutely amazing and improving at a rapid pace. As we finished up the 3rd day the coaches (Greg, Nick Slowviak, Ryan Greenspan and myself) had to start thinking of what players we were going to choose for the different awards we had.. That’s right. Awards. We had medals and trophies made to give to players that earned them. Awards like most improved, Camp MVP, best fundamentals, best teammate, all sorts of things that we felt are important factors in becoming a professional player.

After a long day of paintball we headed back to camp to enjoy a lobster dinner and get the award ceremony under way! Not only did we have to hand out awards but we had to place players in teams because Sunday was the big shabang! Sunday we were holding a BKi tournament for all of the participants to showcase what they have learned. The BKi Professors would be the coaches and we would be putting them through the test to see how they could apply everything they learned over the last 4 days. After the award ceremony we placed everyone into teams and let them start strategizing. It was really cool to see the types of conversations everyone was having. As I was walking around to check in on the different groups I was really impressed by the types of things they were putting together for game plans etc. You could see everyone had really paid attention and grown tremendously in just a short amount of time. After a bit of strategizing we wanted to end what would be our last camp night with a camp fire and s’mores so we took everyone down to the fire pit and sat around, enjoying each other’s company eating delicious s’mores. Ryan Greenspan gave a full on clinic on how to make the perfect s’more! There is an art to it! In any case, 11:00pm rolled around extremely quick and before you knew it, it was time for bed..

“We wanted to create a real tournament environment and treat the players as if they were our teammates waking up Sunday morning to go compete for the championship. As soon as we woke up it was tournament mode.”

Rise and shine.. it’s Sunday morning, tournament time. We wanted to create a real tournament environment and treat the players as if they were our teammates waking up Sunday morning to go compete for the championship. As soon as we woke up it was tournament mode. We had breakfast, went down to the field and everyone was just locked in. As the coaches we made sure to point every team in the right direction as far as taking care of their paint, having lines ready, game-plans, conversations, everything we do as professionals we tried to instill into them. Even though there was nothing really on the line and the tournament was for fun we wanted them to see the importance of being a competitor. We were super into it as coaches. As the games got going you could see small battles unfold between the coaches and teams. It was a great atmosphere and even more so it was extremely gratifying to see the achievements of all the players. Players that came into the camp wanting to learn how to play the snake because maybe it was their most feared position were dominating in the snake. Players that had been struggling to shoot people off the break were shooting people off the break. Players that wanted to learn how to attack better we’re flying down the field shooting people. You get the point, it was absolutely amazing.

“ Next year we are going to do multiple camps and we are committed to making this the best paintball experience up and coming players can have.”

As the day was coming to an end and we finished the final match, I was starting to get a bit sad. We had created such a unique bond with everyone that I didn’t want the camp to end! It was honestly one of the best paintball experiences of my life. I know that this is only the beginning of what we have planned and the future is so bright for so many of these players. Next year we are going to do multiple camps and we are committed to making this the best paintball experience up and coming players can have. As I said, it started as a passion project and will continue to be that because all of us truly care about the future of our sport and the players that are going to take our spots one day. I really hope to see as many of you there as possible. In the meantime, keep up with us as a BKi member. We even have a free section! Changing the game.

All the best and I hope to see you there next year,

Marcello

The 2018 National Paintball Combine

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 01:01:21 GMT

“120 combine participants, 8 highly skilled combine coaches, a handful of scouts from professional and divisional teams and one amazing weekend of paintball.”

120 combine participants, 8 highly skilled combine coaches, a handful of scouts from professional and divisional teams and one amazing weekend of paintball. The National Paintball Combine is an opportunity for players to come showcase their skills in front of some of the best in the game with hopes of earning a spot on a roster. This event is unlike any other and is something paintball has needed for a long time!

We started the event Thursday night at check-in where we got to meet everyone that would be participating in the Paintball Combine. I couldn’t believe how many people were there! The place was absolutely packed which excited me, I couldn't wait to see what skills everyone brought to show off. The meet and greet went well - we got to introduce ourselves and give a brief explanation of what drills they would be performing and how we would be grading them based on their efforts. Everyone also got an awesome swag bag with a jersey and some extra goodies!

Friday morning came early. Everyone was at the field by 7:30 so we could start the warm ups by 9 and get on the field by 9:30. Greg Seiwers led everyone through a series of dynamic stretches and activation exercise to start the day. With 120 people we had to be extremely efficient so we divided the groups into 4, amongst 4 different fields, each with a different drill station. The idea was that each group of 30 would spend 75 minutes at each station with the different Combine coaches. Field one was the Red Zone drill with Ryan Greenspan, Rusty Glaze, and myself - a fast paced 1 on 1 team oriented drill that showcases many of the main fundamentals of the game. Nick Leival and Justin Rabakoff were on field two for off the break shooting with different levels that you could unlock based upon your performance. Field three had Greg Seiwers and Archie Montemayor with a Dorito side obstacle course target drill and field four was a snake side obstacle course target drill with Brad Mcurly and Thomas Taylor. As coaches, we would instruct them on how to do it, show them the correct form and technique and then grade them on how well they listened and performed. Since the combine is more of the players showcasing their skills rather than a traditional clinic, we try to pass along as much knowledge as possible in between reps to keep it fun and informative.

“There was so much potential! Each heat had at least one or two players that could be getting close to a breakthrough in their divisions and now have put themselves on the radar with an eclectic of professional organizations”

With the combine being so much bigger this year than last year, and last year was big, I knew we were going to see some seriously talented kids. The first group on our field boasted some majorly skilled, young players that I plan on reaching out to. There was at least three players that I would love to work with on a closer level and possibly even groom for a future Dynasty player. Up until the 2018 combine I have been asking myself where the next generation of pro players will come from. It has been talked about among some of us pros that we don't see anyone really ready to come take our spot, however this weekend proved otherwise. There are really talented players out there that just need to get recognized and put into the right organization. The paintball Combine is bridging the gap and making that happen.

Each heat had at least one or two players that could be getting close to a breakthrough in their division and have now put themselves on the radar of an eclectic of professional organizations. Even the players that still had a ways to go to be pro, had opportunities to find themselves a team in higher divisions than they are currently playing. To me, this is the ultimate opportunity for any player that wants to see where they match up against players from all over the world in front of some of the best to ever do it. We spent most of the morning / early afternoon getting all of the heats through the four stations but once that was complete it was time to crunch the numbers. Based upon a grading system we have put into place and notes taken from all the coaches and scouts, we placed the players into teams dependent on where they ranked. We put them in their respected divisions to compete over the weekend in the Winter Classic.

To finish off Saturday we selected the top 12 participants from the combine to compete in the GoSports timed obstacle course. These 12 participants would then be chosen 1 by 1, schoolyard style by Brad Mccurly, Greg Siewers, and Thomas Taylor to compete with them in the OPEN division against teams like San Diego Dynasty (us), Edmonton Impact, San Antonio X-Factor, and Houston Heat. I mean what an opportunity in itself! It was so difficult for us to choose 12. There were definitely more that deserved to be in the group but we had to go off the grading and performance within our drills. It was not easy! The sun was setting as Day 1 of the Paintball Combine was coming to an end. It was a successful one to say the least.

Over the next two days I tried my best to watch all the combine teams in between our matches at the Winter Classic. There were at least 15 people that had been to some of my clinics in the past and just the progression they have made since then was unbelievable. Three of them were actually in that top 12 which was amazing for me. I felt extremely proud of how all my kids played. There just isn’t any other event like this in the world and it’s only going to keep getting better. Throughout the event all the coaches would go discuss with the combine teams strategy and help fix flaws in their game plan or execution. They still had us by their side all the way through. Some of the combine teams gave the pro teams some excellent games. One of them bunkered me! To see this was huge because it excites the upcoming players and shows them how real of a possibility it is. I definitely think we will be seeing at least one or two of this years combine players in the pro league within the next few years but only time will tell. It is all about how hard they continue to work and how much they continue to love the game.

Overall I feel the weekend was absolutely amazing. We are creating a platform that is unlike any other and has been needed to be done in our sport for years. I can't thank Anthony and Lori enough for what they’re doing for paintball and I know we are all excited to be part of it. Moving forward we are going to be adding a summer camp that will be focused on teaching fundamentals and scrutinizing over every detail of the game. It will be a 3 or 4 day 100% pro school where we will eat breathe and sleep paintball. We want to show you guys how to become true professional paintball athletes so stay tuned. While the combine focuses more on us grading you on your current skill set, the summer camp will be focused on really teaching you to take your game to the next level so when the next Paintball Combine comes around you will be more ready than ever. You can also catch up with us and learn on your own through our newly revamped BKi School Of Paintball subscription based program that will surely elevate your game to another level. With over 400 current videos of content and many more to come from all of the new PROfessors, you cant go wrong!

I appreciate you guys reading my articles and all of the continued support, if interested in BKi use signup code Margott33

– Marcello

"Be Clutch"

Wed, 11 Oct 2017 01:23:00 GMT

Most probably relate the phrase “Be Clutch” to a game winning shot, or game saving block – but I want you to know what it means to me and the main reason I started promoting that phrase through my clothing. The phrase relates to an important mindset I want you to have. The mindset is something you should practice throughout your life in everyday situations. To me, it’s about overcoming any situation when things get tough or odds are against you. It’s when you make something out of nothing, or very little. It’s a fundamental way of life. It’s a belief in yourself. We all face adversity, we all face challenges and battles of our own. These situations must be confronted head on as often as possible. It represents the idea of not giving up and going to the most extreme of measures to find a way to overcome the obstacle in front of you. Being clutch was something I originally connected with paintball or other sports. Winning a 1 v 2 in the finals, pulling off a crazy move to bring your team into overtime, making a clutch shot at a crucial stage of the game, it was all related to paintball, but over the years it became a mindset I have learned to apply to my every day life.

“The first step in overcoming anything is having the courage to try and thats why believing in yourself down to your core is such a fundamentally foundational skill to have.”

The foundation of this thinking is undeniable belief in yourself. You have to convince yourself that no mountain is too tall for you to climb. Once you truly live in that paradigm you will be best prepared to overcome whatever knocks at your door. The first step in overcoming anything is having the courage to try and that’s why believing in yourself down to your core is such a fundamentally foundational skill to have. The term “belief” has lost some of its magic due to the excessive use in everyday motivational rhetoric but I want you to know how incredibly powerful it is. You have to believe in yourself to the point that no matter the circumstance, as long as there is an actual possibility, no matter what the odds, you can makes it happen.

“You’re going to swing and miss often, but you cant stop with that miss. That miss doesn’t define you unless its the last swing you take.”

If you truly believe you could be a professional paintball player and you believe it so much that you start to apply appropriate action to your belief, you will then be able to take consistent steps to make that a reality. If you face discouraging rejection, which you likely will at some point, your belief is what will keep you on track. If you want to be a doctor or even the president of the United States Of America, and you believe you can do it, you will have the courage to start the process. That undeniable belief in yourself will be the extra push needed to achieve a given goal. Don’t be delusional, it doesn’t work every time. You can’t expect it to. Life is a game of balance. You’re going to swing and miss often, but you cant stop with that miss. That miss doesn’t define you unless its the last swing you take. As long as you swing more than you miss then you’re going to put yourself in position to eventually overcome your seemingly elusive quest.

“To this day I often force myself to use things that hurt me as some sort of rocket fuel. Learning to believe in yourself and use adversity to your advantage can be one of the most powerful skills to acquire.”

From a young age I was forced to stand up in situations that no kid should have to. I grew up in a very broken family with an aging and ill farther and an unstable mother with severe dependency issues. For years I bounced back and forth from divorced parents until I was eventually adopted at the age of 13. Yes – it’s messy and confusing. I hesitate to talk about this part of my life because I fear people assuming I am seeking sympathy. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I want to be very clear that I have a great relationship with both of my parents to this day and am truly thankful for everything I have experienced growing up. It has given me the tools to achieve my goals and the strength to overcome just about any obstacle in front of me. Sympathy is the last thing I need or want. I simply would like to relate to those who have their own struggle as I know many of us have grown with our own hardship. People often hide their past and present their best version of themselves through social media but it’s important to know that everyone has struggle in their life. The successful people are often the people that deal with those struggles the best. No matter what I was going through as a kid I always had one goal in mind – to become a professional paintball player. Paintball was my outlet. It was my focus. I had so many reasons to quit and become another statistic but I couldn’t. I refused to. I took everything that had been thrown at me and literally used it as fuel. Replaying my past in my head, almost like putting gasoline into a fire in order to give myself this explosive desire to succeed. To this day I often force myself to use things that hurt me as some sort of rocket fuel. Learning to believe in yourself and use adversity to your advantage can be one of the most powerful skills to acquire.

“Growing up I learned that you’re only truly tested when times are tough, and thats when you need to be at your best.”

My goal with my brand, my platform, and everything I do in paintball goes further than winning tournaments and teaching people how to become better paintball players. I truly care about helping people live happier, more successful lives. My goal is to help as many people as I can understand the idea of not giving up and believing in themselves no matter what. This is truly important to me because this mindset has changed my life entirely. I have worked hard to make that mindset a consistent habit and that’s why I know it is something everyone can achieve. I didn’t always have an undeniable belief in myself. It took years of practice and attention. You have to make it a habit to turn every situation into something positive. You have to put yourself into position to achieve your goals. It all starts with believing in yourself. Self doubt is a paralyzing thought bubble that many people struggle with. Most believe that they can’t work their way out of that mindset but this couldn’t be further from the truth. The truth is that everyone can start changing their lives today. It starts with being thankful and showing gratitude for everything you do have. The next step is adopting the idea “Refuse To Lose”. That means that anything you do, wether its a football game, a paintball match, a job interview, a relationship, you must refuse to lose. You must become undeniable. That means you are willing to do anything to make it happen. Once you start practicing these habits daily and applying this mindset to your life you will see absolute results. Be relentless in your pursuit of happiness. Be relentless in the pursuit of your goals. Growing up I learned that you’re only truly tested when times are tough, and thats when you need to be at your best. When the game is on the line and odds aren’t in your favor, thats when you have to stand up and will yourself victory. Thats when you have to “Be Clutch”.

Thank you everyone for your support in what I do, it is appreciated more than you know.

– Marcello

The post What being “clutch” means to me.. appeared first on Marcello Margott .

Australia Super 7’s Round 3

Tue, 22 Aug 2017 17:19:00 GMT

After a successful weekend coaching at the WCPPL it was time to hop on a quick 15 hour flight to head down under for Round 3 of the Super Sevens in Sydney, Australia. This was an extremely important event for the series as we were sitting in 1st place overall but with teams close behind. The post Australia Super 7’s Round 3 appeared first on Marcello Margott.

“My goal is always to teach the teams how to get better on their own and how to approach the game. I essentially go as a player / coach.”

After breakfast we started to make our way to the field for a light practice. I didn’t play, mostly because I wanted to watch our players and see who was going to fit in the best positions over the weekend. When I guest with teams I don’t go only as a hired gun. My goal is always to teach the teams how to get better on their own and how to approach the game. I essentially go as a player / coach. I wanted to see what players were playing well together so when the event started I would be able to have everyone in the best position to win. We ran situational drills on the layout and then got points with The Expendables with Blake Yarber, SWAT with Kieth Brown, and Explicit with Greg Seiwers. All of which are in the top 4 for the series. Practice went well and I would say we won majority of the points without me on the field. This was a great sign to see. I could tell that the team had been putting in a lot of work from the last round which was going to be crucial. Before the event I told them a good team can win an event. You can play well, get the right calls, get a few lucky bounces and pull out a win. A great team however, can win two in a row, solidifying its dominance. I wanted them to spend the months leading up to the event preparing with that in their mind. Now that we had won, every team was going to give us their best.

“The Super Sevens league is an epic 15 bps format and I love playing games over there. You get so much action, so much paintball, it’s a lot of fun.”

Saturday morning came really early as we had to wake up at 6am. It is also winter time in Australia so the mornings were icy and brisk to the point where you couldn’t feel your toes. Fortunately the sun was out this weekend and by 10am the weather was perfect. Either way I was excited to start playing. The Super Sevens league is an epic 15 bps format and I love playing games over there. You get so much action, so much paintball, it’s a lot of fun. We finished Saturday undefeated with one close match with SWAT. As they day progressed we started to see it was going to be the usual suspects advancing to the top 4 again. Sunday morning we had one more prelim game to play which would decide who goes into the Semi Finals 1st seed. At this event it honestly didn’t matter who we drew in the Semi Finals because the other three teams were all playing equally as well. WE did however want to draw SWAT because they are close to us in the series and we wanted to have the chance to keep them from advancing to the finals.

“I often speak about mindset and its importance. You cannot win a game like this unless you have undeniable confidence in yourself and your team.”

To be very clear with everyone, I respect Blake on and off the field more than I do most people in this world. We do however have a very friendly competitive spirit with each other and when we are on opposite ends we always go for blood. We keep the smack talk at an all time high. Sometimes he gets me, sometimes I get him. I feel like everyone should have this with people close to them. It makes me a better player. Love ya blake!

“I respect Blake on and off the field more than I do most people in this world. We do however have a very friendly competitive spirit with each other and when we are on opposite ends we always go for blood.”

Last but not least I want to thank Mike Whybrew for throwing yet another fantastic event. We had perfect weather all weekend and the webcast is absolutely DOPE. Keep it up, the entire staff at Action Paintball is top notch.

Until next time mates!

Marcello

The post Australia Super 7’s Round 3 appeared first on Marcello Margott .

Operation Gratitude

Tue, 18 Jul 2017 17:26:00 GMT

“Team USA went undefeated over the 4th of July weekend only losing 2 points the entire tournament.” On behalf of Team USA I would like to thank everyone again for contributing to our cause. We had some overwhelming support that helped us reach our goal in just under a few hours. Team USA went undefeated The post Operation Gratitude appeared first on Marcello Margott.

The post Operation Gratitude appeared first on Marcello Margott .

A Month of Paintball – Dynasty, Team USA, Expendables

Fri, 07 Jul 2017 16:18:00 GMT

It has been a full month dedicated to some major events. First up was the NXL Atlantic City Open which ended with an early defeat Sunday morning. We prepared the best we could and headed into the event confident we could win. However, winning a tournament at the highest The post A Month of Paintball – Dynasty, Team USA, Expendables appeared first on Marcello Margott.

It has been a full month dedicated to some major events . First up was the NXL Atlantic City Open which ended with an early defeat Sunday morning. We prepared the best we could and headed into the event confident we could win. However, winning a tournament at the highest level is one of the toughest things to do. Everything has to go right, everyone has to play at the top of their game, equipment has to be on point and you have to have a little luck on your side as well. You need the perfect storm to win in the NXL because the competition is so full of talent.

In this sport we often have tournaments only weekends apart giving us little time to ponder the previous event. It is important to have a short memory and be able to focus on the next tournament without letting the previous one linger in the back of your mind. With that said, there needs to be an appropriate balance because once the dust settles after a few weekends we need to be able to revisit our mistakes in the previous weeks. I try my best to have a “selective memory” as an athlete. You need to be able to remember the things you need to fix and forget the things that waste energy. Atlantic City was now in the rear view and we were off to compete in the third leg of the Millennium Series.

With no time to go home we flew straight from the Atlantic City event to the U.K. Monday afternoon. This was building up to be a big weekend as we would not only be going for a hat trick winning three Millennium events in a row but Ryan and I would also be competing with Team USA to defend our title in the Nations Cup. As you can see, there was little time to scrutinize over the disappointing finish in Atlantic City and a lot of goals to accomplish in the coming days.

We got things kicked off Thursday with a practice against Impact and MLKINGS where the team did surprisingly well. With the Expendables, the goal has been to win a pro spot for the 2018 season as we are currently playing in the SPL. The core expendable players are a newer team from New Zealand and this being their first year at the national level our goal has been to get them up to speed and ready to compete on the pro stage. Each event their progress has been extraordinary and that in itself is a huge win. You can see their confidence growing congruently with their skill but this was going to be a big test for the team. As they always say, its much harder to stay on top than get to the top. When you win multiple events in a row you become the team that everybody wants to beat. Every team you play gives you their absolute best. The margin for error continuously gets smaller.

Friday would set off our first two matches with The Expendables and later that evening we would have our first two matches with Team USA against Finland and Latvia. We won all 4 games and were feeling confident heading into Saturday. Another thing to mention is that the weather was surprisingly amazing all weekend long. London really put on her best for us and provided optimal playing conditions while we were there. We had the last game of the evening at 9pm for the Nations Cup and one of the first games Saturday morning with The Expendables which was a little taxing but we had to do it. We would be running on caffeine and little sleep but that’s nothing we aren’t used to!

Saturday we had one prelim game with the Expendables which we won, putting us into Sunday as the number one seed. The rest of the day would be dedicated to Team USA and a total of 4 matches if we made it to the finals. Team Russia was on the other side of the bracket so we wouldn’t face them until the end which is a matchup I believe almost everyone anticipated. We fought through Ukraine, Italy, and then Germany, without dropping a single point. Next up was Team Russia in the Nations Cup final. A rematch from last years Semi Final which Team USA won in overtime. Team Russia has some of the most talented players to ever play the game and we knew this would be an incredibly tough match. However, we too, have some of the most talented players to ever play the game and one thing that Team USA always brings is that element of heart and passion that is unmatched. While Team Russia has always been the very technical and skilled opponent, Team USA has always excelled in teamwork and passion.

Team USA wins!

The first point was a long grueling battle which ended with a penalty against us giving Team Russia the first point of the match. They were up 1-0 with about 5 minutes left in the game. After a brief huddle to connect my line went out for the second, and very crucial point of the match. We won a fairly quick point leaving about two and a half minutes on the clock and the game tied 1-1. Just like we predicted the game was going to come down to the wire against a hungry Team Russia that hasn’t beat us in the Nations Cup in many years. Team USA got into great field position and shot a few bodies early in the next point forcing Team Russia to concede the point and try to save enough time to tie the game. We were now up 2-1 with 1:14 on the clock. If there is any team that could score a quick point it was going to be Team Russia so we knew we had to be perfect. They made an honorable push and came close to tying the game but just didn’t have the time they needed. As the final seconds commenced the celebrations began. We were the Nations Cup champions for a third year in a row.

I am now back in San Diego with a few nice wins and some time off before my next event. I have quite a few clinics over the next month that I will keep everyone updated with but will be taking some much needed time to recover. I’ve been fighting through some injuries (torn meniscus, cartilage tear, left knee – sprained ankle, right foot) and haven’t had much time to rest. This will be a very important month to get my body back on track. I will also update everyone with some great rehabilitation workouts that are good during and post injury. Thanks for reading everyone and thanks for the support!

– MM33

The post A Month of Paintball – Dynasty, Team USA, Expendables appeared first on Marcello Margott .

NXL Atlantic City Layout INITIAL Review

Fri, 09 Jun 2017 21:51:00 GMT

It is always hard to tell exactly how a field will be played based on the layout image alone. You need time on the actual field. Even with years of experience the layout always surprises me in one way or another, however, we can get a pretty good feel for what it might be like The post NXL Atlantic City Layout INITIAL Review appeared first on Marcello Margott.

It is always hard to tell exactly how a field will be played based on the layout image alone. You need time on the actual field. Even with years of experience the layout always surprises me in one way or another, however, we can get a pretty good feel for what it might be like heading into the weekend. I like to look at the layout, and imagine off the break moves, mid game moves, and great places to lock off zones. I feel this helps prime my mind for the practice ahead.

Looking at the NXL Atlantic City layout I personally feel like the Dorito side will play fast and the snake side is going to be much slower because of how the wall is set up. It isn’t centered like it traditionally is which means two things – It has a better angle on the snake and a worse angle on the Doritos. Pair that with how the cakes in the snake are angled I think the wall has the ability to slow the snake side down quite a bit. The Dorito players won’t have to wrap as far to put the center in while making their moves, which should allow that side will play fast. I am really interested to see how everything unfolds.

Off the break shooting looks like it will be pretty difficult from the back center, making that bunker fairly useless. There might be a shot towards the snake corner but I won’t know that until I step onto the field tomorrow morning. Players will have to get creative to find ways to shoot the opponent on the break. Some initial thoughts are that the Dorito on the back line might have a cross field shot toward the snake side on the break. If so it will be smart to send someone there quick shooting cross and then attack heads up. The spot they have to stand might even be in the open, not behind a bunker, but in a blind spot in order to get the shot. All possibilities look like low percentage shots on paper.

What does this mean? Well… I believe game plans will be pretty fast. Sending players to far spots off the break on both sides. There are a ton of options and lanes to run through on this field which should make for some epic games. The snake side has essentially three different ways to get into the snake. From the can, from the corner, and from the little Dorito. Off the break players have options to run up and over to snake 1 or snake 2. I think the snake corner temple, tall cake, and mini win bunkers will be the most powerful on the snake side. The cakes attached to the beams are going to be little death traps because they are angled towards the field making it extremely difficult for players to live in. Everyone on the field has a good angle on you, especially the wall.

The wall can be countered though as there are many routes to take to clear the player out which will open things up for both sides. That alley right up the center with the two pins and tall tower will probably see a lot of action. I can even see players going to the little Win in the center on the 50 yard line trying to cut down the secondary players on the Dorito side. You won’t catch the first attacker but the mid and back players trying to make moves over there will be caught off guard. I am definitely excited to see how that center plays, I think it will take more finesse that previous events.

The Dorito side seems pretty straight up. It looks like the Dorito 1 will have some good cross field shots that drop into the snake while the Dorito 2 might not have much to shoot at. In my opinion it will be a race to the mini win and then even onto their side of the field to shoot the wall player and stay alive. It is going to play fast, there really isn’t much that can stop it. You might want to put two attackers on that side to follow each other up and have your third body be in the center looking snake side. The only hiccup I see in people flying down the Dorito side is putting someone in that center pin to look that way. It seems unconventional, but so is this field so that might be a smart place to put someone if your team finds themselves losing from the D side this weekend. The back center can slow the move from Dorito 1 to Dorito 2 but a good gun fighter is going to put him in and go no problem.

I am beyond excited to get this weekend started and see how this field actually plays. Please keep in mind I have not stepped onto the field yet and things do change once you get out there. This is just an initial review of what it looks like on paper. I am sharing my assumptions to head into your practice the same way I plan on heading into mine. I will have a much more detailed review once we actually get some reps on the field. I hope you all enjoyed this and I appreciate the support! Have a fun weekend and stay grinding my friends.

– Marcello

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NXL Las Vegas Open 2017

Fri, 07 Apr 2017 03:11:00 GMT

With every closed door there lies opportunity for another to be opened. Dynasty had some off season changes that many thought we wouldn’t recover from. Oliver Lang retired and Dalton decided he wanted to play for Impact, the team that was certainly our biggest rival of the year, beating us in both of the finals appearances we had in 2016. These were two major losses on paper, as Oliver brings an identity to the team along with a talent unmatched in the league. Dalton is phenomenal on the field and had won many games for Dynasty throughout his career. On the surface this looked unsurvivable to some. What people don’t realize though is that in a league where the game is only 20 minutes long and the split deck format is utilized, less is more. Such a commonly stated phrase yet so rarely practiced. Losing Oliver meant there was opportunity for us to refocus our identity and recreate a style of paintball we wanted to play. It also meant there was opportunity for someone else to step up and be the voice before games, the voice during the match, and be the overall “vibe manager” if you will. Oliver’s energy is so outgoing and powerful that it demands everyone to follow suit. I can say personally that his pure passion and energy have lifted his team, teams I’ve played on, to become champions year after year. But something wasn’t working, I am not saying it was Oliver, I am not saying it was Dalton. But we needed a shake up.

So much talent yet it wasn’t coming together. We were stuck in a rut with no real answer. It was the first time in 15 years Dynasty hadn’t won at least one tournament during the season. We couldn’t cut anybody, nobody deserved to be cut. We had 11 great players and great teammates. We knew the size of our roster was becoming a problem but nobody had a true answer. I actually think this was a big reason Oliver decided to retire. He wanted to create space for the young guys on the team to grow. One of our last conversations before he let out the big news was him telling me that it was time for the young guys on the team to step up and take control of the team. I think in a way he saw that as the only way for Dynasty to succeed.

With the news that Dalton and Oliver would no longer be in a blue jersey we were down to 9. Leaner, meaner, and tighter. With new opportunities and a great challenge ahead. The team had lost two players that played a high percentage of our points. I knew this would give me and other players on the team an opportunity to play more. Rhythm is important in any sport and you need spins to get that. We now had our opportunity. We were in an entire rebirth – changing the dynamic of the team, refocusing our identity and style of paintball we wanted to play, and making a major switch from Eclipse to the newly owned Field One guns (previously Bob Long). Another thing everyone was skeptical about. I think the league and fans had written us off, which was and still is nothing but fuel. This also gave Ryan the opportunity to truly lead on the field, something he has quietly done throughout all of Dynasty’s success but has somehow gone unappreciated. I say unappreciated because thats how good he is. Ryan gets a lot of recognition, but not nearly the recognition he deserves as a player or teammate. After being his teammate for a few years and being inside the Dynasty camp I truly think he is the best player in the world. He could be the MVP every single tournament. My opinion might be different than yours but my version of an MVP is someone that can do it all, consistently, day in day out, game in game out. He constantly performs at such a high level in any position I don’t know who else in the league offers that type of quality and versatility… So theres that.. I don’t think any of us were panicking. We still had a team full of superstars. But most importantly, we had a team that was hungrier than ever and willing to do whatever it took to get Dynasty back on top, together.

Heading into our first practice of the year you could feel that everyone felt we had something to prove, even the older guys. We were focused and excited for the new journey ahead. The new guns were shooting amazing and the team quickly started to form a new identity. Last year we tried to play into what some of the other teams were doing, we tried to play a style of paintball that wasn’t quite right for us. Going into the new season we decided we wanted to make sure we dictated the pace of the game. We wanted to be the ones in charge, like we have been in the past. Everyone was on the same page with the style we wanted to play and we practiced that way day in and day out. Discipline was something we preached, composure was something we practiced. Too many times last year we threw away games that we were up bodies or up points – or both. That wasn’t going to happen again. As a team we were playing a lot of paintball together before the Vegas layout was released. Everyone was just excited to put in work. We wanted it for each other, enough was enough. We all wanted to take down Impact and any other team that stepped in our way. Once the layout was released it was time to methodically decode the field and figure out how we were going to win. What was the best strategy and how could we dictate the pace to fit Dynasty paintball was our number one focus. Once we figured out how we wanted to play, we started to execute game plans. Scrutinizing over every little detail and putting a major emphasis on skill drills. What I mean by that is our technical ability on the field. We worked on off the break shooting and audible calls for our shooters more than we have at any other event. We knew a huge part of our identity was going to be shooting people off the break. That is how you dictate the pace of a game, you don’t let the other team make it to the spots they want. After weeks of diligent work and great preparation it was time to head to Las Vegas.

The event started with an out of bracket game against AC Dallas. It was time to put everything to the test – our guns, our new identity, our practice, but most of all our heart and will to win. We shot players off the break and didn’t take many risks which allowed us to stack up points pretty easily. We went on to win 5-1 or 5-2 I don’t quite remember. I just know that it was the start we were looking for. Our next game would be against Seattle Thunder which we took down in a 3-1 victory. Our points were long, controlled, and exactly the pace we wanted. Day 1 of the NXL Las Vegas Open was in the books and we were sitting 2-0. Saturday morning we hit a speed bump against boom, losing by 1 point. Something was just a bit off. We weren’t clicking as well as the previous games but the team was still confident in our plan. In previous seasons if we lost a game we would sometimes rethink our entire strategy rather than accept that maybe our strategy was right, we just didn’t execute properly. We stayed disciplined in our approach and committed to the game plan we all agreed on heading into the next and final match against Russian Legion. This was a huge game for us, we either win and go into Sunday first seed or lose and miss Sunday all together because of our loss earlier that morning. Challenge accepted. It was a back and forth battle as it always is with the Russians, they are a tough team to dig out with impeccable gun skills and unique discipline. With the game tied 4-4 we went into overtime, where we would win in the last minute. Our first goal was complete – make it to Sunday, but the real tournament was just getting started.

We would face Damage first thing in the morning. The last time we played them they beat us at World Cup so we were excited to get some revenge. I knew the day was going to be tough but I honestly just felt like we were going to win the tournament from the moment I woke up. You could just feel it in the air, there was this confidence in everyones demeanor that makes a good team tough to beat. Winning at the highest level takes talent, skill, discipline and execution. To execute at a high level you have to be confident. You have to have some swag, we definitely were feeling that swag Sunday morning. We beat Damage 5-2 in another long slow fought game. We were still dictating the pace we wanted to play and were one step closer to the finals. Next on the list would be a rematch with AC Dallas who just came back from a 5-0 deficit to beat Infamous so they were also feelin’ it and playing some great paintball. We may have taken them down early on but they were hungry and just came off a huge win in overtime. They had progressively gotten better throughout the event and we couldn’t take them lightly. AC was playing the field very similar to us, each of their matches were long and they didn’t take many risks off the break but pushed down the dorito side pretty aggressively when the opportunity presented itself. We stayed true to our plan and focused on getting tighter and tighter making each shot better than the one before. We placed a little more emphasis on their dorito side than we did against any other team but we didn’t allow it to change our pace. They gave us a great match with long grueling points but we went on to win 3-1. Next up was Impact.

It was finally here. The moment we have been hungry for. The moment I had been hungry for all off season. I didn’t want to beat any other team in the finals. I wanted it to be Impact for many reasons but mainly because they had put a beating on us last year in Vegas, in the finals. Also because their organization set the bar last year. They had all the wins, all the all stars, and players that continuously set the stage. You could go down the list from Nick Leivall to Brandon Cornell to literally every name on the squad does nothing but re[present excellence. They are filled with talent. It was a rematch, only this time we were leaner, meaner, and tighter with a new focus and new identity that was about to be put to its biggest test. There just was no way we were going to lose. No way were we going to let them beat us in the finals 3 times in a row. Enough was enough, we refused to lose that match before it even started. We had watched all of their games and knew exactly what they were going to do. I am sure they felt the same about us. The team that would come out victorious would be the team that executed and had the greater will to win. Dynasty was ready. We had gotten tighter and better all weekend and felt confident in our game plan. After the always emotional National Anthem my heart was racing to get the game started. We put the first point on the board leading 1-0 in a long methodical battle just like we wanted. From that point forward we were in complete control of the game never losing the lead and always dictating the pace. Like a boxing match, we traded points back and forth until the very end but they were at a disadvantage trying to play catch up, a position they aren’t used to. We were leading 3-2 late in the game until a questionable swing point penalty in impacts favor was thrown. The game was now tied 3-3 with just under a minute to go, oh and we had to start with 4 players. Dynasty has always been a go for the win type of team. We did just that as Arod made the move of the tournament pretty much off the break, shooting 4 guys and running to hit the buzzer in under 20 seconds. The crowd went wild, the pits were on fire and we couldn’t believe our eyes. Arod just pulled the perfect move at the perfect time to give us a 1 point lead with about 30 seconds left in the game. Everyone was assuming we would go to overtime, that our strategy would be to burn the clock and go into overtime with 5 players. Honestly, as much as we wanted to go out and win that point we also knew how crucial it was to stay alive and try to take the game into overtime where we would start with 5 players. It was an unplanned move by a teammate that seized a major opportunity. You can’t draw that play up. There is no strategy to plan for that kind of move. You have to go out there and be smart, taking it if its given but making sure you don’t lose the point in the process. It is one of those moments that you just have to feel and Arod felt it. We were now up 1 point with 30 seconds to go, the game in our hands, and the victory just a few moments away.

As I walked onto the field for that last point I could taste the win, it already felt so good, in my mind the trophy was already ours. I knew that myself and the other 4 players on the field were absolutely, 100% not going to let them take this away from us. We held them off shooting two on the break staying true to our form from the entire event and as the game buzzer sound, we had officially taken down Impact in the finals. All of our hard work had paid off. Our new identity proved to be a success. Losing Dalton to Impact and Oliver to retirement proved to be a blessing in disguise and our commitment to each other, for each other proved to be the difference. The new guns proved to be excellent and we proved to be the best team in Vegas that weekend. Thats it, we are currently the best team in the world. You know what though? This victory was one of the weirdest ones I have felt. You hear a lot of top level athletes say wins are more relieving than anything but thats truly how this felt. After my initial celebration and excitement had set in I was already kind of over it. The win was a huge relief but to me was just the first step in a long process and a bigger goal. I was already thinking about Dallas and how much I needed to work on to be better. I think the entire team felt that way. I’m telling you, Dynasty is hungry right now and we have all the pieces to go on another run.

See you guys in Dallas!

– Marcello

The post NXL Las Vegas Open 2017 appeared first on Marcello Margott .

Colombia with team Tsunami

Thu, 04 Aug 2016 17:42:00 GMT

It’s 2am and my flight is just landing back in San Diego from London. After a ton of delays, missed connections, and a few close calls I was finally home for all of 5 hours before I had to be on another plane down to South America. My gear was incredibly dirty from the London event so I had just enough time to drive home, throw it in the wash, repack my bags and get back to the airport before sunrise. This was by far the quickest turnaround of my life. I was sitting on my couch waiting for my clothes to get finished thinking about how exhausted I was from all the traveling. But then it hit me, soon I was going to be in Colombia with my boys from Tsunami! I immediately got excited as Colombia is one of my favorite countries in the world. I packed my bags, put a smile on my face and headed to the airport.

When I got to Lindberg field I was greeted by my Delta family with open arms and warm hugs. It is always nice to leave San Diego on that note at the airport. After two short (what seemed to be short compared to the previous trip) flights I had arrived in Bogota. It was time to get the fiesta started! I was greeted at the airport by Javier, one of the head referees for the league and Tim, a referee from the NXL that was down there to help. We grabbed some food and had an early night but that wouldn’t set the tone for the rest of the trip. The trip was packed with action, beautiful sights, and loads of food. There was really no end to any of it and I was living in a south american heaven.

Friday morning I was greeted by one of my teammates from Tsunami and we headed to the field. Tsunami reminds me of a South American Dynasty; they have been around for a long time, are always at the top, and are considered to be the “cool” team of SA. I first played for them last season and collected a win down in Cali and was immediately drawn to the culture within the team. Not only are they an awesome group of guys but they have created a team that has challenged the growth of other teams in their region. You need teams like this in the sport to inspire other divisional teams to raise the bar and thats exactly what Tsunami does. They have committed to bringing down pro players and becoming the best they can over the years and I am excited to be part of it. Anytime a team is looking to grow and is genuinely passionate about our sport I am hopeful to help.

Later that afternoon I was teaching a clinic setup by Ariel the leagues owner. When I arrived at the field I was surprised to see how many people showed up. The place was packed with students eager to learn and I was excited to get the action rolling. I geared up and brushed up on some of my spanish before getting started. We had an extremely successful day covering everything from fundamental drills to in game situations. We completely dissected the layout and I made sure everyone was prepared to play at a high level over the weekend. Maybe I prepared some of them a little too well but we will get to that later!

As the rest of my team rolled in we walked the field and went over all of our game plans and possibilities. After the initial excitement of seeing everyone it was time to get down to business. I explained to the team that our goal for the weekend was to win, which was obvious, but our path to get there would be an aggressive one. I wanted the team to step out of its comfort zone and attack. I let them know we would be running everywhere and making it nearly impossible for teams to scout us because we would have a wide variety of plays that would keep us ahead of our opponents. Everyone was excited and on board so now it was time to execute.

Saturday morning came quicker than I thought as I could have used a few more hours of sleep. Fortunately I am well aware of Latin American time so I wasn’t feeling rushed and snoozed a little longer than my alarm. For those of you that don’t know about Latin American time it is a real thing. It is the idea that whatever the agreed meeting time is, add at least an hour and you will be right on time. No, I am serious. We showed up to the field ready for action and to my surprise the event was set to get started on time!

As promised we came out of the gate swinging. The team was fired up and ready to attack in every position. We won all of our prelim games losing only a point all day long and I honestly don’t think we ran the same game plans more than two times. Everyone was gelling and playing well off each other and the moves we were doing were creating opportunities for everyone to succeed. The punch was coming from a different spot every point which made it really tough for the opposing teams to adjust. I was really impressed with the improvement within the team from just a few months. Day 1 was finished and we were sitting in first place by a mile with only one prelim game left to play Sunday morning.

Sunday morning we won our prelim game 3-1 struggling only the first point. This would put us directly into the finals which as you might know, isn’t always the best. Sure it is nice to be guaranteed a finals spot but this would mean we had to sit at the field all day waiting for the rest of the prelims, and semi finals to finish before we would play our game. It makes it easy to get lazy. On top of it I am never a fan of breezing through to the finals. It is nice to face some adversity in the prelims in order to be prepared for it in the finals. Either way all those things are just excuses and as a professional we try not to look at those aspects. We had a finals spot and planned on continuing with our attack.

The very first point didn’t go our way. For the first time all event our snake player got shot off the break and we lost our center player almost immediately after that. It wasn’t long before the opposing team won the point. I wasn’t concerned though, I figured they had gotten a lucky shot because in scouting them they hadn’t shot anyone off the break almost all event. The next point we switched things up a little bit but as promised remained aggressive. Our breakout was clean and we were sitting 5 alive however they weren’t giving us a body to shoot on the break which was smart by them. They were playing a very tight pocket and going up the center, which turned out to be their key to success. Shortly after feeling like we were about to get things evened up we received an untimely penalty on a pack hit from our diorite player. It wiped out our entire diorite side leaving us in another 3 on 5 situation. I tried to push overly aggressive and got taken out next which closed the curtains. I should have waited a little longer to make my fill and maybe we could have gotten back into the game. We were now down 0-2 with only 4 minutes on the clock as the game times there are already short sitting at 8 minutes. We collected ourselves as a group in the pits and reset our intention. Only down two points? No big deal we got this. We adjusted our game plan and went out the next point ready to claw our way back in. Sure enough our gameplay worked flawlessly and we won with a convincing 5 alive performance. I called for the same line to do the same thing. Probably the first time all event we did the same exact thing two times in a row. Sure enough, it worked like a charm yet again. They didn’t know where to focus their guns because the attack was coming from all sides. The score was now tied 2-2 and we felt we had our groove back. With a little over 45 seconds left on the clock we planned to win the event with the next point.

The buzzer sounds, game starts, and we all make it to our spots 5 alive. G1.. G2… Then I hear ball 1, ball 2, thats ok its now a 3 vs 3 and we have field position. I start pushing down the snake side but they had a thorn in our side over there being in the snake 2 it slowed our attack. We lose another body but shoot another body, 2 vs 2.. then bam, I shoot the guy in front of me at the same time my diorite player shoots his guy.. We were collecting the information and heading towards the buzzer only to run out of time! If we only had 7 more seconds we would have won the point, and the tournament! Shoot. Alright time to regroup, take a deep breath and go do it again in over time. It seemed as if the lethargy had warn off and everyone was firing again. We had just won two basically three points in a row, pretty convincingly. It was time to go win the event in over time. As we made our way out to the field I was trying to formulate the best game plan for our runners. We get to the start gate with 15 seconds to go as I break down what everyone will do. We tag up and the refs run in to double chronograph. I hate when this happens because we chrono to get on the field in the first place. That is when we have time to adjust the marker if there is a small fluctuation which there almost always is. Unfortunately the paint we shoot and the guns we use aren’t perfect so you cant just set your gun to 290 FPS and assume it will stay there constantly. Even when I chrono around 285 I will get balls that spike over 300 so it is a real bummer when you get pulled for a 302 or something in that range. However, it is their job and rules are rules. One of our players was hot by a few FPS. In scramble mode now we had to quickly redefine our game plan for 4 players as we didn’t have a time our or time to lower his gun. Fortunately the ref was understanding of the situation and said shoot again. He was under 300!!! Awesome we could start with five guys and it would be business as usual. Keep in mind this was all happening in 15 seconds! We barely touched up in time as the horn blew. With our unfortunate start we lost our two diorite players off the break which put us in an immediate 3 on 5 situation. Not ideal but still very winnable. Then we lost another player and it seemed to be folding on us. I made a fill out to the snake corner and didn’t make it, our last player got bunkered and we would finish the event in second place. What a bittersweet way to end the event. We kicked butt all weekend long only to have a series of mishaps and a few poorly played points bring us down.

Everything was our fault, the chrono, the penalty, everything was totally fair and honestly just happened to us at the worst time. Still, even with those adversities we should have been able to come out on top as I know the talent of team Tsunami is unmatched in South America. Part of the bittersweet taste was that two of the players on the team that had beat us had come to my clinic on friday. I had taught them exactly how to play the field and they used my own strategy against me! I was proud and upset at the same time as I am sure you can understand haha. I guess my clinics do work after all.

Well, the event was over and it was time to reflect and move on. Looking back as we drove back to bogota I was incredibly impressed with the event. I have been coming to Colombia since 2012 and this was probably the best event yet. Mostly because the referees did such an amazing job. I honestly put the referees from the last Bogota event up there with the NXL referees if not better. They had zero bias all weekend and calls were consistent. Referees were in position to make the right calls and seemed to genuinely care about keeping the game fair rather than making a game winning call. They had a referee from the NXL, Tim, who was outstanding. It was my first time meeting the guy but I was incredibly impressed all weekend with how he handled the players. The NXL should consider getting him on the pro field! All in all it was an amazing weekend and our team is still sitting way ahead in first place.

I would spend the next week in Cali, which is where the guys on Tsunami are from. This would turn out to be one of the best weeks of my life! I cant even explain to you how beautiful it was. Every day was a different adventure. My buddy Felipe, one of the main Tsunami players totally dialed me in. He took me to his cabin that sat on a beautiful waterfall in the middle of the jungle, sent me with the team to his lake house to rip it nonstop on jet skis, let me chill out at his awesome country club after long nights out and made sure I was constantly taken care of. The jungle was one of the most peaceful places I have been to. I laid in a hammock for hours just listening to the tropical rain and waterfall as I dozed into a state of ecstasy. No joke the tranquility makes it impossible for the brain to process the chaos from the outside world. When you’re out there you really just experience the moment as you’re so captivated by everything around you. I haven’t seen so much beauty in one week in a long time! The hospitality between Felipe, David Ramirez, his family and the rest of Tsunami was truly unexplainable and I am incredibly thankful. They treated me like one of their own and that is why I am happy to call myself a Tsunami player. The next event is in Medellin and unfortunately it is the same weekend as NXL but look for Tsunami to bring home the gold. I will be back with them in bogota if everything goes as planned to help win the tournament and series title!

I cant thank my amigos enough for the entire trip! Planet Eclipse played a huge part in getting me down there and I also cant thank them enough for their continued support. They have opened their arms to me big time and I am excited to continue traveling to represent the awesome brands that make this possible. Planet Eclipse and HK Army you guys are the real MVP’s. Gracias!

Make sure you guys keep up with me on SnapChat and Instagram to see this stuff live!

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NXL Nashville 2016 – Feelings of defeat

Fri, 01 Jul 2016 18:55:00 GMT

Nashville was a tough loss to swallow. I personally played at a 5 out of 10 if I were rating myself, maybe even worse. I was prepared, focused, conditioned, and mentally ready to come in and help my team win. Sometimes that isn’t enough and this time, it wasn’t. We had excellent practices leading up to the event. As a team we wanted more than anything to come in and prove that missing Sunday in Dallas was a fluke. Everyone was hungry and gave 100% each time we got to the practice field. We stayed late, went through the process and put in the extra miles. We knew we had to if we wanted to compete. These other teams are getting really good and we have to make sure we don’t let them outwork us. Our mindset going into Nashville was incredibly positive and we were hungry to win.

From the first point to the last our matches went nothing like practice. We weren’t cohesive, there was little flow, and hardly any rhythm to our game. I got to play behind Kyle this weekend and at practice we were connecting so well it seemed effortless. There were only a few glimpses of that though at the event as we couldn’t ever seem to get on the same page. If he didn’t get shot early, I would. If I didn’t get shot early, he would. We were struggling to connect on our side which was hurting out line but regardless we squeaked into Sunday to match up against Infamous who had been playing well all weekend. We had the feeling that at any moment things will just start to click for us and everyone will be firing at the same time, which would then make us virtually unstoppable. The heat was unbearable, the humidity was suffocating and having a deep roster was going to seriously play into our favor if we could get everyone to clock in systematically. Unfortunately what could have been our key to success ended up being our own kryptonite.

I did not perform at the level I expect myself to for my team. With how good all of the teams in the league are now every single player on Dynasty has to play at their absolute best if we want to win and I was unable to bring that level of play to the table last weekend. There were multiple situations where I was the first to get shot in crucial situations. Too often it was a 3 on 3 or 3 on 2 even with us having the body advantage and I would be the first to walk off the field. That is simply unacceptable and something I have prided myself on NOT doing over the years. Paintball is a team sport and one player is never the complete reason for a win or a loss but I do know that I have to play better if I want to help my team win. I am used to being a leader and the best way to be able to bring motivation to my brothers in blue is by performing at a high level each and every time I step onto the field. They don’t need me to give some motivational pre game huddle speech. They have heard it all, they invented it all. Dynasty has done it all, what they need from me as one of the younger players on the team is to lead on the field by consistently performing at a high level and not making mistakes in crucial situations.

I wanted to rip my jersey in half as I sat there with it tucked over my head, hiding my face from the cameras. Another 6 weeks of preparation, dedication, hope, belief, energy, and action all for another disappointment. It hurt and for a few minutes I felt like I didn’t have the answer, like there wouldn’t be an answer and that I was unsure of how to overcome this obstacle that has been preventing us from winning. But then it clicked, we are DYNASTY. This team is not only a group of professional paintball players, but professional winners. Sometimes we get so caught up in thinking that you’re supposed to be rewarded from your hard work right away or that success is supposed to be resurrected as soon as you feel its deserved. Sometimes it doesn’t work that way and the toughest test presents itself. The longer you fail the tougher it is to keep fighting for what your goal. This is where the true test of will, passion, dedication and self respect come into play. I am excited for this challenge. The talent in professional paintball teams are at an all time high and I am thankful for this opportunity to evolve. Most importantly I am excited to figure out how I can be more effective, more efficient, and an overall bigger threat on the field. I need to demand more attention from my opponents by imposing my will on the other team. I haven’t done that yet this season and it’s time to get back to playing dominant paintball. Rather than waiting for results to come, it’s time to go take the results we desire. I can’t wait to get back to practice with my team in a few weeks and get ready for the next event. See everyone in Cleveland.

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Raw / Uncut write up “Getting The Season Started”

Fri, 29 Jan 2016 23:27:00 GMT

It seems like this has been the longest off-season I have ever had. I think thats because I have taken more time off from actually playing than any previous year. This isn’t because I was losing interest or content with our World Cup win – not even close – but because I have been working The post Raw / Uncut write up “Getting The Season Started” appeared first on Marcello Margott.

It seems like this has been the longest off-season I have ever had. I think thats because I have taken more time off from actually playing than any previous year. This isn’t because I was losing interest or content with our World Cup win – not even close – but because I have been working on a few other projects that have consumed most of my time. After World Cup my season was still far from over. I traveled to Malaysia, Australia, and Peru to teach and compete in paintball tournaments and help spread the paintball love.

You could say since the NXL World Cup win I have been floating on quite a high. From beautiful travel in far away lands to tasting victory in foreign countries – to teaching my passion to hungry players; the last few months have been excellent. Congruent with all this back to back travel I was also working on my latest project “PAINTBALL IQ”. I originally wanted to have it released in November but as this was my first time writing an ebook I wasn’t aware of all the obstacles that would come my way. What I thought would be a fairly easy process proved to be a grueling and challenging experience. My stubbornness wouldn’t allow me to put anything out that I felt was incomplete so I kept pushing back my deadline. This being my first published piece of work I really wanted it to fit the vision I had for it. My vision was to be able to put together a well written piece that would instantly help the reader become a better paintball player. I wanted to find a way to explain things beyond the fundamentals, which are very important, but in my opinion not as important as experience.

Experience only comes from years of practice, failure, success, and learning – which I have done for 16 years. I envisioned writing something that breaks down the mental aspect of the game to give the reader a better understanding of how to win a paintball match. Paintball is a game of chess and in all of my clinics I do my best to teach HOW to play and WHY. I like to teach people how to think on the field and put them in position to capitalize when opportunities present themselves. The process was long and often went into the wee hours of the morning but I knew it would be well worth the wait.

Shortly before christmas I wrapped up the season with my last set of paintball seminars down in Peru. It was time for me to take a little break from the noise and put everything on hold for the holidays. I spent Christmas with my family and got to host Christmas Eve at my place for the first time which was an absolutely awesome experience. Minus the cleaning up part.. Us Italians sure do know how to make a mess in the kitchen! After Christmas I went on a two week trip island hopping through the Caribbean. I disconnected from social media and enjoyed the true meaning of vacation, “no worries!”. However I can’t sit still for long and two weeks was more than enough time to come home feeling extremely charged up and ready to get the season started. I returned January 9th and immediately got to work on finishing PAINTBALL IQ as well as starting my training program.

In 2016 fitness is going to play an important role on the style of paintball I want to play. I haven’t picked up a gun in 6 weeks which feels like 6 years but I have been in the gym non-stop working on my speed, strength, endurance, and flexibility. Paintball is a sport that definitely rewards flexibility and the more flexible you are the more you are able to get away with on the paintball field. Often players have to manipulate their bodies to avoid getting shot and if you are stiff it will make it very difficult to do so. Not to mention it is one of the best ways to prevent injuries! We have our first practice this weekend against Houston Heat and Los Angeles Ironmen which I couldn’t be more excited for. I have been itching to play and get out on the field with the boys in blue. Seriously, going to Dynasty practice is like hanging out with your buddies during lunch in high school. It’s just really fun when we are all together. I can’t wait to hear Alex Fraiges jokes this weekend.. I know he will be full of them! I am going to get some cool videos for my youtube channel this and plan on releasing them by Sunday night so stay tuned and find out how our practice went! More blogs to come as the season gets underway!

Marcello Margott

San Diego Dynasty

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Dear Paintball

Tue, 19 Jan 2016 23:00:00 GMT

Dear paintball, The first time we met I was too young to understand what an important role you would play in my life When I was 9 you took my hand and asked me to follow you so I followed Every weekend I grew more and more attached to the captivating experiences you gave me. The post Dear Paintball appeared first on Marcello Margott.

Dear paintball ,

The post Dear Paintball appeared first on Marcello Margott .