Written by PSUGhost
AutocockerHQ.com

    As the leader of a team I am often asked "How did you do it? Get this thing started?" People look at my roster and are shocked when they see 30+ names on it. But getting to this point was no cake walk, but it was less trouble then many people would think.

Find a home: Somewhere around you is a "home field", someplace you can get to often and play at often and are prolly known by the owners/refs. This is the best place to start. Meet up with some of the walk-ons who show up each week, make some friends, exchange numbers, find out when they are coming again. After a while you can make your own little group of people who play together. Then ask the ref if he can keep you all on the same team sometime...wow...did I just say team? Yeah it's really that easy.

Get organized: The first thing you'll need to figure out is who is the man in charge, someone has to make the arrangements and have the final say in matters (And trust me it happens a lot that you need to have final say). That person does NOT need to be the commander on the field, but must be the off the field leader.

Where ya going?: It is important to figure out where you want to go with this team. Is this for fun? Is this to hopefully get good enough to get a sponsor? Is this an attempt to make a new pro team? Then figure out what events you want to do. 3, 5, 7, 10, x-ball?

Start small: Best place to figure out what works is to go to a local tournament or a small young guns event and try yourselves against the local talent. YES you WILL get romped. But you'll find some great teams to play with who are in your area, and remember you only get better by playing people better then you.

Sponsorship: Ah yes, that word that to many means "Free". Well I hate to break anyone's bubble but the only people who get anything for free are the pro's and the Am's who are good enough to be pro's. The rest of us have to deal with discount pricing and work/play deals. But DO NOT turn these offers down. One of the best and prolly first deals you should work out is if your home field will let you do a work/play deal. You work for them one day, and you play for free another day. This is how MANY teams get their practice's done. Most fields are more then happy to have you help out as it's cheaper for them, and it's better for you. That is what sponsorship is about, an agreement that helps BOTH parties. A very important thing to remember is that no one will sponsor a team unless it's good for their business. So make your name known, get in the magazines, get to big events, and meet people. A lot of it is who you know.

Live it up:  It is very important to trust each other and that trust is built be being together. So do non-paintball stuff. Play laser tag, go to the fair together, catch a flick....be a team.

Politics: Many people are scared of politics. Well I hate to tell you your going to deal with them. Not everyone on your team will like each other, some people will have different goals then others. As a leader you have to take each one in stride and decide if it's worth fighting for, or is it worth giving it up and letting the person "Be successful elsewhere"......

Still, no matter how many headaches I get, walking off that field, collapsing in exhaustion from our finals game, and dragging your team to the podium all teary eyed.. there is nothing like it. My teammates are now my brothers and I would never give that up.