Edward Panta

Edward or "Espire the Gunsmith" (more commonly known in the paintball world) was born in Cleveland, OH. He first started shooting paintballs through the Metroparks with a small group of friends during his high school years. At the age of 20, he landed a position in the IT world that made him travel around North America. This of course put a halt on any more paint throwing...

Until the relocation to Portland, OR in 06. Edward re-discovered his love for the game (and the obsession for tinkering on moving parts) and went looking for a place to call home. He found his current community (that he still plays with every weekend, and still fixes markers and marker parts for during the weekdays) back in March of 08, and has been very pleased ever since.

When people ask how serious he takes his paintball, his response: "I work a 10 to12 hour graveyard shift. I get off work, head to my house, grab my gear, and then off to the field for another 10 to 12 hours of fun; throwing paint at my friends. This has been my ritual since I've joined the community, and I wouldn't change it for the world."

Brian Albrecht

Born and raised, hunting in the woods and fields of NW Missouri, Brian played his first rounds of paintball at Jaegers Subsurface Paintball in Kansas City. It was an instant attraction, and the beginning of an obsession. This grew even more in his college years, when, with a group of like minded friends, he began playing in the woods behind campus almost daily.

Shortly after graduation in May of 2000, he picked up and moved to Portland, OR with his Spyder SE and paintball gear being among the few items to make the journey with him. Unfortunately, working night shift and not knowing anyone in a new city quickly put a halt to the paint throwing habit until March of 2008, when he found that same community of woodsballers. In fact, he and Ed both played their first games at the field that day.

Once the place and people were found, the obsession flourished once again. And though the break was a long one, paintball has finally returned to being a lifestyle, not just an occasional activity. With that came the idea, why not develop that passion for paintball into something more. Throwing Paint is just that. It's turning something that I love, into something I do. It's a way to spread the joy of the game to others.