Zen and the Art of Paintball

Disaster? Calamity? Disappointment? Bust? The fact of the matter is, none of these words meet the threshold of emotion all of us felt during and after this event. The catastrophic failure this team experienced at the World Cup was heartbreaking to say the least. So much so, I was half tempted to simply post our game footage on this blog and let it speak for itself. But I love this team too much not to address what happened. This blog will not be the event recap I normally do, taking you through each match, each point, and the thought process behind it all. Rather, this will be an examination of what I believe went wrong and led to such a abhorrent and frustrating event.

I have lost count of texts, phone calls, DMs, etc. from others asking me what happened… what went wrong. For some, I gave the straight forward, logical answer – failure to execute the game plan in a professional and disciplined manner conflated with a total and utter lack of communication and understanding of the situation. For others, I gave a more simplistic response because I didn’t want to continually vomit the team’s list of blunders – the guys just weren’t playing well or together.

When you and your team have worked hard to develop a system of structure and processes that have led to achieving several successes and goals, it can be difficult to swallow when something like this event transpires. However, we have no one to blame but ourselves. We have overcome countless adversities since beginning my tenure as coach of the New Orleans Hurricanes. It didn’t matter the obstacle or dilemma, we always met any and all issues with the same efficacy, the same energy, and way more often than not, we overcame the issue(s). And we almost always did so as a unit, it was never an individual achievement. A tip of the spear warrior like indomitable approach to problem solving. We trust each other indefinitely, and this has created an internal confidence that isn’t outwardly exuded nor commonly noticed. Don’t be fooled into thinking our humility isn’t a strength. It’s our trust and honesty with one another that has propelled us to where we are. And here is some now…

As field owner Drew Bankston said at the event, “You guys are built for this.” He is right. We are built to reach our goals. We are built to continually improve. We are built to play a practical, tactical, and strategic game of paintball at a high level. And we are built to overcome adversity.

But sometimes, WE are that adversity. We can’t help but get in our own way. We create a lot of our own problems. And once the team figures out how to remove that one gnawing flaw, we are going to move from being a pretty damn good paintball team to a great one. Not that we aren’t now, but we can ALWAYS be better. Like my friend Ryan Gray says, don’t be better… just be good.

So, what is the answer to what happened? Whereas it can certainly be summed up as poor discipline and bad execution of the game plan… WHY did that happen? What were the elements and variables that were present at this event that weren’t at the last 4 events? As a coach, it is my job to, not only recognize and address the latitude and trajectories that led to our poor performance, but to ensure they don’t happen again.

We have to go back to the beginning on our quest for understanding. Headed into this event, coming off a 5th place finish in Chicago, we were finally whole again. We were healed up and everyone was in a good place. Sure, the pressures of life is constant but none of us were in a place any different than any of the other events. For all intents and purposes, being back to 100% with the entire roster good to go, this was primed to be an excellent event for us. No, personnel was good. Not the issue.

How was our layout practice preparation? Was that an issue? It wasn’t that we didn’t know how to play the field. We did. The game plans and understanding of the field were there. Do I feel it had the pressure testing we have been used to this past season? If I am being honest, no. And that is on me. It is one thing to know that the field is going to play a certain way, it is another to know it will be played a certain way by our specific opponents. But understanding that is completely different from playing, seeing, and being tested against it in real time. Real data and seeing those tactical approaches live, creating that scenario paintball, having those approaches executed on you regularly and consistently is vital. Could this have been part of our problem? I will say yes, it certainly played a role into it but it was, by no means, all or even a majority of it. Notice how I say “part of OUR problem”. That is intentional because it isn’t an excuse…it is recognizing that we created some adversity for ourselves.

*Zen Note – congratulations to Columbus LVL, our practice partner for this event, on their Sunday appearance! Well done gentlemen!

I do want to address some comments I received about part of our problem being that we didn’t participate in the 7-3 format exhibition on Wednesday. Whereas, I certainly agree that the teams who participated had an advantage with additional looks and were warmed up for the next days play, we didn’t see it as necessity. You have to weigh matters when considering these things. We were way more banged up in Chicago than we let on and we had just gotten healthy. I needed everyone to remain healthy through World Cup and taking the risk of injury prior to the actual event itself didn’t make sense at the time. Couple this with the fact we are a self funded team, that additional expense of entry and paint just wasn’t in the cards. Those two major factors were enough for us to decide not to participate. We also saw it as an advantage to scout and see if our theories on how the field would play were accurate, as well as obtain data on our opponents. Hindsight being 20/20, sure it would have been advantageous, but you play the cards you are dealt.

*Zen Note – We did opt for a quick practice with the Lucky 15’s. Great sparring partner for the day before to warm up our guns and give each other feedback. By the way, congratulations to them as well for their Sunday appearance!

Okay, so perhaps our practice/preparation played a small role in our performance but I still think that was not the major factor that led to this dismal performance. My guys are highly intelligent paintball players and recognized what needed to happen. And it didn’t.

It wasn’t the paint. I personally tested the paint (which I do every event and anyone who knows me or has seen my process knows I am a paint snob for lack of a better term). The paint shot great all weekend. BUT… we were not hitting our shots on the break like we were at practice. We had solid guns on the break against LVL the weekend before and that continued on the Wednesday practice against the 15’s… so no, it wasn’t the paint but our lanes, which we are known for, weren’t there consistently. And that is the whole purpose for the team to have the 1 hour practice the day before, get those dialed in the day before. Have to chalk this up as an element.

We can’t blame the penalties. Sure, maybe one or two of them were thrown a little sooner than normal but for the most part, I didn’t see any that under the rules, shouldn’t have been a penalty. You get hit in the hopper and don’t know it? Yeah, that’s a minor. You get hit in the pack and didn’t know it? Yeah, that’s a minor. No, you can’t blame penalties. And any team that does is missing the bigger picture. Though, I must admit, the amount we got this event was greater than our combined total for the last two years. It was as if we were “forcing it”. And that can lead to mistakes. Usually, penalties like that and as often as that usually lends to a lack of focus by the players, at least in my experience. Okay, maybe we are onto something here…

What can we look at next? The psychology or mind set? Psychologically, as I stated earlier, we all seemed squared away. It wasn’t overconfidence or looking past anyone. We treat every match as if we are playing Dynasty. Our mindset has always been nothing is given, it must be earned. What was happening mentally that may have taken a toll? Was it the pressure of the moment? Possibly. If so, I’m not in my guys heads as much as I thought apparently because I don’t believe the moment has ever gotten to us. I have had countless conversations on the topic over the years that are to the contrary, and have seen no signs that elude to the pressure of the moment ever being an issue at this event or any other event for that matter. Unless something is being hidden and I don’t think that is the case as we have always been incredibly open with each other about happenings in each others’ lives.

What other variables or elements may have occurred or were present that was out of the norm? Could it have been that we had several wives, girlfriends, children, and parents staying under the same roof with us? Quite possibly. I know on every team I had coached prior, we had a standing rule, no significant others until after prelims. The team stays together and does everything together. No exceptions. And after discussing with several other coaches, it would appear this is the standard by which most teams abide. But here’s where I doubt this one. We have had wives, girlfriends, children and parents at other events this year and we did fine. No, we were not all under the same roof, and no, it wasn’t all of them (just a few), but they were present at the event or even in the pit. So there is a flaw in that theory. But it may still be valid. And who am I to tell a grown man paying his own way that he can’t bring family? Was that the issue? Were we in “vacation” mode? Distracted from the event at hand thinking about our loved ones and their safety/fun? Perhaps the answer is, the team all stay together and everyone else stays together somewhere else or arrives later? Maybe I implement that next year… I don’t know. Certainly a topic of discussion heading into next season that must be had. Because I can’t think of anything else that may have added to lost focus.

When I come to these events, my focus is the performance of the team. I need to put my players in the best possible position to succeed. We work hard prior to and during the event. I don’t come to events with any other intent than to win and put our best foot forward. We are spending a lot of money and time to participate in this sport and play at this level. This is not a vacation for me and I have never looked at it that way. If anything, it is additional stress but it is with people I love and that’s why i do it. The passion of the game and the comradery. I love being around my guys and I honestly hate that we all don’t live closer together. There is no one else I would rather win with. You know, because winning is fun. And we need to remember that. I love each and everyone of them and their families. And I love what we have created together. And that we include the families because they sacrifice a lot too. Balance will be the key.

Where does this leave us? Deductive reasoning, unless told otherwise by my guys (which at the time of this writing has not happened obviously), we need to shore up our event prep, pressure test ourselves more against top level teams, and limit distractions at the event. But ultimately it was our lack off communication, lack of discipline, and lack of execution that cost us. No one and no one thing is to blame other than ourselves. That’s it. Done. Move on and fix it.

Ultimately, the answer to this is simple… It comes down to a failure of leadership. It falls on me. It starts at the top and no one understands this better than me. “Victory has a thousand fathers but defeat is an orphan.” I have to do better. Whatever the causes, I either missed them, didn’t recognize them in time, or if I did, I chose the wrong solution. The journey of a leader/coach/captain is never ending. There must be growth, there must be the constant quest for improvement, and there must be a determination to overcome adversity. If I can continue to do what is right… if I can continue to grow in this role as my team grows, if we can live in the moment and truly recognize what that means… then we should be fine. I would much rather chase continuous improvement than perfection. A harsh lesson that was heard loud and clear. It is time to OODA loop! (my military friends will know…). Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act. I will save this for a future blog.

If you haven’t had a chance to see this great vid produced by Planet Eclipse about the New Orleans Hurricanes, here is the link. Go check it out, give it a like and share. Also, be sure to like and subscribe to the https://www.facebook.com/thecoachesshow where Ryan and I will bring you the latest and greatest news, stories, and analysis in paintball.

Until next season…

Be water my friends.