“If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball” – Patches O’houlihan

I have been reading a lot of journals from the field of psychology (exciting, I know). I love applying the power of positive thinking and visualization to different aspects throughout our daily routines. Much like applying the martial concepts to the sport of paintball in a physical and philosophical sense, the psychology behind being competitive and successful can be fascinating.

Recently, I discovered a few articles and studies on what most champions have in common when it comes to state of mind. They are called the 4 C’s of sports psychology. When we talk about the 4 C’s of competition, we are referring to:

Concentration

Confidence

Control

Commitment

According to most if not all sports psychologists these are generally considered the main mental qualities required for successful performance in sports. Let’s try and break them down.

Concentration… laser focus on the task at hand

Concentration

A “no brainer”. This is the ability to focus on the task at hand. If we lack concentration, if we aren’t focused on what we are supposed to be doing, chances are we won’t be very effective.

The ability to concentrate and maintain focus on your goal is key in helping you to continually make improvements towards them. Concentration is always having a laser focus on optimum performance. This may sound a little like “tunnel vision”. Obviously, in paintball, tunnel vision is bad a bad thing. Understand that what we are talking about here is giving maximum effort towards being the best we can be all the time whether it is on the field or off. Being focused off the field is every bit as important as on. We need to be “switched on” from the moment we arrive at the event to when we leave. Remember, outside elements can affect everything we do. That being said, we should try to train ourselves to make performance-focused decisions off the field as well so that we are constantly improving our game. This will ultimately better our game ON the field.

It goes without saying that when competing you need to be fully focused in order to perform to your maximum potential. Any distractions or lapses of concentration could be the difference between winning and losing. How many times have you let something during a game take you out of the equation or stop you from focusing on your job? Something an opponent does, a refs call, something your coach or teammate said to you or another teammate… all of these can be distractions that can keep you from performing to your fullest potential.

How do we keep these things from affecting us? Well, the key to making sure these things don’t hamper us is to prepare ourselves PRIOR to the moment. Create a routine that relaxes your mind. Just like we stretch as a team to prepare our bodies for what we are about to put them through, why would we not stretch our minds and prepare them? Some guys listen to music, others chat about life back home… me, I have a few family prayers I say where I ask my Maker to protect those around me. The point is, prep yourself mentally so that when the time comes, you are ready to handle any outside distraction and stay on task.

And this doesn’t have to happen right before the match. It can happen the night before, the morning of, whenever.

Confident in the fact you and your brothers can win

Confidence

This one most paintballers have in spades. Unfortunately, it isn’t always founded. Confidence is the   belief in one’s abilities. I read somewhere that confidence is the result from the comparison an athlete makes between their goal and their ability. Most people will believe in themselves if they believe they can achieve their goal, right?

A player who is confident (confidence should not be confused with arrogance – one is genuine, the other is fake) has a tendency to maintain that confidence even when things are going south. They can inspire, they will enthusiastically promote the team, they will take a positive approach to a negative situation, and they will almost always take accountability whether they succeed or fail.

One must be confident in order to perform well. Believing in oneself and the team can only promote positivity which will ultimately lead to the belief and drive that one can win no matter the current situation.

You can always identify those who lack confidence. The negativity seeps from their pores. They will focus on factors beyond their control. They look scared. The teams to look out for? The ones who are excited! The ones fired up, smiling, laughing, and chomping at the bit. These are usually the teams that are going to give you a fight 100% of the time.

Like concentration, we can improve our confidence by external or internal factors. Players can visualize performances from the past to remember that feeling. Perhaps you had a really good point during a practice? Relive it in your mind to remind yourself of that success and flow. You can also create different situations in your mind. For instance, you visualize your opponent doing something and then visualize how you will handle it.

I personally like to set goals. I try to make them as realistic as possible so that they are achievable if I give it 100%. Remember several months back we talked about “small wins”? Same thing. We set those goals and when we reach them, it will do nothing but build that positive confidence.

Confidence is simply a positive state of mind and a belief that you can meet the challenge ahead of you and your team. You are essentially in control. No external factors matter, just the moment. Stay positive yet calm, focused and give maximum effort. Take chances and believe. And most importantly, take accountability for the outcome, no matter what it is.

Control

This is the ability to maintain emotional stability regardless of distraction. This is probably the most difficult of the 4 C’s. Why? Because paintball is an extreme sport and emotions are always high when you are dusting people up. Identifying why we are feeling a particular way can be an incredible advantage in improving our control, especially when the two most common enemies of control (and the most common reasons for poor performance) are anxiety and anger.

How many of you have had to go to the bathroom right before you play? Ever heard of fight or flight? Do you get “butterflies”? This is your anxiety trying to best you and manifesting itself in a physical form. We need to relax and understand why we are there. But it can also come in a mental form. We begin to worry about how we will play; we know the other team is good so we know we are going to lose… Bad paintball player! You’re here to win. Ain’t nobody got time for that!

How many of you have become angry after a match? What happened the very next match? A lot of times, a player will get angry and the cause of that anger (a ref’s call, a teammate’s comment or performance, a coach’s comments or behavior) will become the focus of his or her attention. This then leads to a lack of concentration on the current task, performance deteriorates and confidence in ability is lost which fuels the anger – a slippery slope to failure. No bueno.

Paintball can certainly make us run the gambit on emotion. One day we love it, we love our team, and we love everything there is to love about it. But then, the next, it puts us in the dirt and we hate it. Admit it; you have gone through those swings. I know I have. A solid paintballer will have the ability to control these emotions and maintain a sense of calm. It is not just vital, it’s necessary.

One last thing in regards to control… it should not be confused with anything other than what it is. Different players will show control differently. You have to find that balance and where it best suits you. Remember, the goal is always maximum effort, meaning we want to control emotions and behaviors to the point where negativity doesn’t affect us.  The decisions you make in the moment can be influenced and trained by regular and repeated practice of your mind.

Commit to getting better and achieving goals

Commitment

This is the ability to continue working toward an agreed upon set of goals. Commitment is the inner drive to put your heart and soul into accomplishing your goals. Think of it as a statement of intent. This is also the one C that most paintball players fail to realize impacts their abilities the most. Good performance on the paintball field rests on the player’s ability to fully commit to numerous goals over a period of time. It does not happen overnight. Everyone has aspects of their daily life that can interfere with one another. Whether it is work, school, significant other, or other hobbies, all these things can impact our commitment to becoming a good player. They most certainly affect us becoming a great player.

It’s simple really. When things are going well, it is easy to continue working hard because you are actually seeing results. However, when things are NOT going so well, many players are more likely to give up and stop trying.

THIS is when we see real commitment out of players. It is during the difficult and dark times your commitment and dedication is truly tested. So, what are some ways to increase commitment? This is when staying positive is tough. But with small wins, highlighting successes, and setting realistic goals, you can generate a positive environment where the team can flourish. The key is making sure everyone is on the same page, everyone is contributing, and everyone is having fun. An atmosphere like that will lead to prolonged enjoyment from team members and increase the longevity of the squad. Plus it will build a strong team dynamic that is paramount to having a successful team.

Setting goals with the team and with individuals will increase the team and the member’s feelings of value. It will give them a feeling of belonging to something greater than themselves which will lead to personal ownership of the goals.

Okay, my brain hurts. Let’s wrap this up. I’m going to leave you with two quotes. The first is from a famous architect/writer… the second is a saying among the Teams –

“I know the price of success: dedication, hard work and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.” – Franklin Lloyd Wright

Top of food chain

“Performance, and performance alone, dictates the predator in any food chain”

So cool.

Be water my friends.

Bianca

Previously Posted

I want to revisit the topic this blog broached back in March. If you didn’t read that one, you can find it at http://primepaintball.blogspot.com/2016_03_01_archive.html

In that one, we discussed a mental approach to the game. After a few conversations recently and a few articles I have read as of late, this conversation is far from over.

Most players and coaches in our sport, especially at the divisional level, don’t emphasize  the mental approach to our game as much as they probably should. The physicality of the game, the fundamentals of our sport, are certainly relevant and needed, but ultimately, if you don’t know what to do, when, and why, I don’t care how good your snap is, chances are, you will get outworked. I would imagine most if not all of the players on Impact or Dynasty still get out there and drill. However, I bet that the members of these two teams “practice” the mental aspect of the game more than most. And it is THIS aspect, THIS approach to the game that, in my humble opinion, separates the greats from the “pretty goods”. Coaches, take note because, whereas we addressed what the player needs to bring to the party in our March blog post, this one is firmly directly at you and what you can bring to their mentality.

And that is why paintball is like the cherry blossom…

How many times have you heard/said this one, “You are overthinking it!”? I know I am certainly guilty of using that one and not just on players and teammates but myself. I am sure we would all agree that our thoughts influence our behavior and vice versa, yes? How many times have you looked at a player and attributed their lackluster performance to their “overthinking”? What about, “Your making it more complicated than it is.”? Come on… admit it.  Or how about, “Just play paintball!”

Yeah, you’re guilty.

We use comments and terms like this all the time, right?  Perhaps we think it motivates a player or is somehow teaching them something.  As if we were paintball’s greatest philosopher with our simplistic statements being equivalent to  Plato’s Republic. And what really happens when we do this? What are we really saying? Let’s face it, we aren’t really saying anything. I have been reading some great books and articles on Sports Psychology and I am beginning to see a pattern.  Don’t get me wrong, full disclosure here, but I have read books on child birth too but that didn’t make me an expert…that being said, I have been around paintball and paintball teams for awhile and played sports my whole life.  Couple that with being around some of the greatest minds in the game, you begin to pick up on a thing or two.

Let me ask you something and answer this honestly. Let’s pretend we were at practice together or an event and you just struggled during a point where you lost or made a mistake which ended up costing the point. I walk up to you and say, “Stop thinking so hard man! Just play paintball.  Jeez!”

Discussing what needs to happen when, where and why

What does that even mean???!! Chances are, I elicited one of 3 reactions from you; A. You become motivated and full of determination and focus and will now go out and play your heart out because these words somehow magically tapped into your visceral self! HULK SMASH! Perhaps B. You’re a millennial who now needs a safe space or safe zone or whatever trigger word protection you are calling it these days so you crawl up within yourself and ask to be sat because, God forbid, someone depends on you for production. Or more than likely C. You think I should go jump in the nearest lake creating resentment between you and I and now your mind has another issue to contend with and you are anything but focused on the task at hand. How are you as a player supposed to translate what I said into action and what am I really trying to say to you? Are you relaxed now? Are you really going to “stop thinking” as it were? Doubtful.

I have an idea, let’s TALK about that funny little pinko commie Bernie Sanders. We are going to talk about him, how we feel about him, and give our opinions about his political policies. But now, while we do this, don’t THINK about him. . . Come on now, don’t let the image of that goofy cartoon of a man creep into your thoughts. . . Don’t think about Bernie Sanders!

What’s the first thing that just popped into your head? You probably thought of that ridiculous human muppet who thinks Cuba’s economy is what we need here in the good ol’ US of A, amiright? More than likely. See how this may be an issue? I am asking you not to think about something I am SPEAKING to you about! In other words, I tell you to stop thinking about it and just play paintball, what are you inclined to do? Probably think about it… and try something that I had no intention of you trying on the field.

Granted, this is but one aspect, one simple and narrow example.  Still, ask yourself, did we make them better and help them focus on the task at hand? Did we add anything meaningful or productive to our player?  Did we assist their mental approach to the game or did we just add another obstacle to their learning process?

My next question is, how many times have you told yourself NOT to do something but then you go out and do the exact thing you told yourself not to do? “I better not miss my runner on the break!” or “I better trade with my guy at the W” only to miss the guy or not trade?  “The guys will think I suck if I don’t do this right!”  “The coach is going to be pissed if I don’t stay alive this point”.  Uh-huh… psych yourself much?  Did the coach’s insightful and definitive “say something but not really” speech help?  Doesn’t sound like it.

It boils down to this. . . for every fundamental drill you do, you better find a mental equivalent. Coaches (and players) need to emphasize this to the nth degree (that means a lot for those of you wondering what an nth is). We must learn to think with purpose . . . deliberate and effective purpose. When we do this, we will gain confidence in our actions. When we gain confidence, we can maximize our potential in action. We will become competent. And competency is the first step to greatness. This needs to be the goal for all practices leading to an event.  We need to know how to help them LEARN… and in some cases, UNLEARN (that is a different blog altogether).  We must choose our comments, statements, questions, and thoughts carefully so that we elicit the appropriate and desired response.

Understanding and documenting game play

Now, we have talked about the mental aspect of PERFORMANCE but just as important is the actual mental aspect of the GAME. Tournament paintball is not just 5 guys with paintball guns who go out on the field.  You’re a front player, he’s a back player, and we will all go here and there and yonder. BAM! Good luck!

Absolutely not.

There is a flow to this game.  There are things that need to happen when executing a game plan. There are things that need to happen when and if the game plan is broke or countered. There are things that need to happen and then there are things that will go wrong. It is a chess match. Coaches will make mistakes with the wrong call/approach but a player still has to execute/produce. Questions we need to ask ourselves; what’s our goal on the snake side, the middle and/or the dorito side? What is the first, second, third goals of our D side attack? If A then B? Or if A then C? How do we know if it’s B or C? THAT is the mental part of the game that lower divisional teams seem to miss. I have said this several times over the past few years, “Just because a bunker is forward, does not mean it is the right bunker at the time.”

Recognizing the flow of the game

Teams, players and coaches (especially coaches) need to realize that a game plan is NOT just the breakout. These five guys will each go here on the break. Okay . . . Why? What is the purpose of that particular break’s configuration? Where are we putting our guns on the break and why? Why are we putting a player here? What is his job/goal from that point on? The game plan is what is supposed to happen AFTER the break.

We will revisit this topic regarding the mental aspect of our sport in next months’ blog. I hope to emphasize something I have been reading about called the “4 C’s” of competition. Until then…

Be water my friends,

Michael Bianca

Previously Posted

Winning is an easy motivator. But a true champion needs a motivation beyond winning, right? When you attempt to inspire your team to work harder after losing, falling short of expectations or having a less than expected season, I assure you it is no easy task. Motivating a team that has no other reason to be out on that field, no other reason to spend money and time on a pursuit that has nothing more to offer than a prideful glory… that is a feat. Maintaining team motivation is especially difficult at the divisional level because of individual player’s personal levels of commitment (family, school, money). I am pretty sure it was President Eisenhower who said, “Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it.” Well alrightie then Dwight…

But how? Remember, it is motivation not manipulation. These two should never be confused. Any attempt to motivate in this context should be based off discipline. This obviously has a lot to do with the attitudes and drivers associated with your team (that whole environment deal we have talked about before). If you have recruited wisely, it shouldn’t be too far of a leap to make happen. Remember, the secret of discipline is motivation. When a man or team is sufficiently motivated, discipline will take care of itself.

The Prime leadership has always believed and continues to believe in hard working players. I will take the motivated hard working player over the super star every time. Why? Because motivation will, over time, almost always beat out talent alone. But here’s the catch; motivation only gets you so far. It gets you started. Once that hard work becomes a habit, then you really start to see results. So you need to learn how to convince your team to develop the habit of working hard. Sure, you can have a player who is worth two players but he can’t be two people. He needs to inspire the guy next to him to step up and then it needs to become contagious. The domino effect, if you will. There are some who believe that motivation is “easy” – eliminate those who aren’t motivated. Now, that shouldn’t be confused with creating fear. Sure, that may work in the zombie apocalypse if your name is Carol but that doesn’t usually work for paintball teams. You can motivate by reward but how many of us, besides professional programs, have the means to do this right? Both ways have their merits I suppose but the best motivator? That will always be self- motivation.

The off season tells the tale of a paintball team whether it is the team’s rebirth/rejuvenation or the beginning of its death/demise. The off season is where you see where each member’s level of motivation (commitment to improving) really lies and it can almost certainly tell you how well you may expect to do (especially in the divisional levels) the following season. Everyone knows, and I think this applies in all sports; champions are made in the off season.

Now, every team needs a break from the grind, a time to heal, rest up physically or depending on the team’s performance that season, mentally. I have nightmares about how our competition, the teams we will be facing next season (and those that beat us the previous season), are outworking us. They are all homeschooled or have unlimited funds and paint and sponsorships and practice every day. And then there is us… we only have a few weekends to prepare for them. I mean, it really is a lot of sleepless nights for me. Of course I recognize these as nightmares and not reality. However, they get the better of me sometimes, especially if my guys have a lot going on and struggle to get to practice (hint, hint).

Remember the saying that “Hard work beats talent, when talent fails to work hard”? Here are some ideas I have thought about to motivate my guys. Perhaps you might want to use them as well. They may work, they may not, but we are darn sure going to try them and see what it gets us:

1. Remember how we have talked about training tired? One of the ways I motivate myself when I am out there with Prime and I am tired is, I will remember a team or match we lost during the season (for this off season, I don’t have to think too hard… just back to World Cup). I will fire myself up by dedicating my efforts to “those guys”.   For example, right before I get on the box to start a drill or point, I will think to myself “This one is for Team so and so”. Now, there is no reason that this can’t be a team effort as well. Perhaps when you get to practice, your team captain says we are dedicating this practice to that loss at Cup! And every opportunity you have, you mention it throughout the day. That will get some blood flowing, I bet.
2. I thought of this one the other day. Pin a print out or list of your teams finishes for the past season up where everyone can see it. Remember how they felt? Yeah, well I remember every one of them and to me that is motivating. If you see guys on the team that are OKAY with those finishes, especially if they aren’t podium finishes…cull them. You could even combine this one with the first by posting a picture of the teams that beat you that past season… oh yeah… that’s motivation there.

I want to devour the liver of my enemies! Motivation…

3. Have a very organized schedule. As soon as the season ends, this is the time to develop a schedule that might involve a team dinner or team activity. It is also important to give them a few weeks off but then make sure they understand it is time to work. Plan drill days; work out days, clinics, whatever you have to do to keep them focused on the goal of getting better for the next season. Once the schedule is solidified, stick to it. There should be no surprises and they can ask employers for those days off work. Talk to as many of your players as you can and do your best to match schedules.
4. Not every team can do this one but now that Prime has lights; I plan on being available during the week. I am actually excited about practicing in the evening, especially during the season (when it is much cooler in balmy Alabama). If you can find the time, set up dates that aren’t status quo. It doesn’t have to be with a paintball gun. It can be getting together in the gym or track to run.
5. Acknowledge those that put in the work. Whether it is through social media announcements, internal emails let those who do put in the time and effort know that you see it. I once gave out fun “dollar store” toys to the guys. They got to pick their prize. Turned out to be pretty fun and everyone had a laugh (but you could tell it was appreciated). Recognition can be a great motivator.

“If you ain’t first, you’re last” – strive for #1

And those are just a few of the ideas. What are some of yours? Post them up or let me know. Shoot me a message on our public Facebook page or hit us up on our PBNation thread in the Alabama forum found in the Southeast area.

Whatever you do… do SOMETHING. Because if you don’t, well… you’ll get what you put in.

Oh, before I forget a big thank you to one of our biggest supporters, Ken Osvath! He’s the man who keeps the pit running smooth for team prime. And he is a great motivator! Check out this video he made to pump us up (click the link below)

In the meantime, be water my friends

Mike Bianca

Team Prime

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfSGXMt_8is

Previously Posted

“There is a destiny

That makes us brothers

None goes his way alone

All that we send into the lives of others

Comes back into our own.”

The NXL’s World Cup is just a week and a half away and I, for one, am rather pumped up. There are a lot of things to be excited about; the venue, the competition… I can tell you the atmosphere here at Prime is pretty intense and with good cause. The camaraderie of the Prime family never ceases to amaze me.

But I want to take a moment and reach out to those of you who may not be as excited, who may be dealing with issues that don’t often get addressed in paintball, who may not feel so “blessed”. I want to talk about internal issues, those aspects of being on a competitive national team that are often overlooked but have a significant impact on a team as a whole. Not the physical and mental aspects of playing the game, per say, but those issues that have a negative effect and lie off the field. They can manifest themselves in several different forms creeping in slowly and infesting an otherwise solid crew of friends and teammates until one day, BAM! It’s all gone leaving some angry and/or disappointed, others confused and everyone with memories of “remember when” or worse “what if?”

No one wants to experience that … some reading this may have already. But how do you avoid it for the first or in some cases another time? Here’s how:

Surrender. Yep, I can see many of your faces now. “What is up with Bianca on this one? You mean give in? You flipped on us and found religion?” Nope, I have always been religious and most will tell you I have always been crazy. Once again, I am going to ask you to bear with me.

To too many people in today’s society (the era of social media/narcissism and instant gratification), this post is going to be a very foreign concept. But it wasn’t so foreign in the eras of the Great Depression, WWI and WWII. Yeah, yeah, I digress but you get the point…I hope… shut up and listen.

If you are still reading (thank you), it has a lot to do with being selfless versus being selfish. Many of you who know me personally have heard me say, “Don’t be a bad guy, be a good guy.” Let me share with you what influenced this latest blog and why I felt the need to address this topic:

Recently a good friend and mentor of mine shared a Forbes article with me on leadership. I felt the article really personified the “Prime way”. I love reading and learning about leadership styles and accomplishments from historical figures. The article itself emphasized broad leadership and management style traits BUT it translates well into a broader spectrum that we can all benefit from if we apply it appropriately.

In it, the author said, “A leader operates at their best when they understand their ability to INFLUENCE is far more fruitful than their ability to CONTROL – the purpose of leadership is not to shine the spotlight on you, but to unlock the potential of others so they can in turn shine the spotlight on countless more. CONTROL, in contrast, is about power – not leadership.” Here’s where giving in and being selfless enters in… “SURRENDER allows a leader to get out of the way and focus on increasing the value to those whom they serve… Controlling leaders operate in a world of ADDITION and SUBTRACTION, while the return on investment (ROI) of a leader who understands SURRENDER is built on exponential multiplication!”

Whoa! Deep stuff, right? That surrender comment from earlier makes more sense now, doesn’t it!? Mikey and I like to use the term “Force multiplier” when referring to aspects of the game but I think it applies here too.

At Prime, from the outside looking in, there are leaders like Mikey McGowan and myself each with traits that benefit the program. Mikey drives and leads the team and provides assets most programs would kill for. I am more of an NCO…lol…. Shut it. Prime, the team however, is full of leaders. Not something every team is fortunate to have. Every member brings something to the table. It’s the sum total that makes the team successful:

• Leadership isn’t about position or stature
• Leaders grow/have a wish bone and a funny bone. In other words, they develop a vision (wish bone) and have a sense of humor (funny bone). They don’t take themselves too seriously or it will tear them apart. Trust me on this one
• Leaders build confidence; they have a positive attitude
• Leaders control their emotions and don’t let them cloud their judgment
• Leaders recognize and appreciate the benefit of diversity and different perspectives; everything isn’t black or white, all or nothing, there can be a compromise usually that benefits all.
• Leaders are able to accept unjust criticism
• Leaders are passionate
• Leaders have excellent communication skills, verbal (looking someone in the eye and talk with them), listening, body language. Text, Email and phone are not effective tools since there is no inflection
• Lead with questions not answers. Leaders don’t have to have all the answers

The Prime team has been selfless and this has led to our longevity and cohesiveness.  Let me put it this way: if my Primates and I had to “clear a room” in a house where we knew the first guy through the door was going to take the hit, we would all be fighting for the spot.

So, back to “surrender”. I assume what the author of the Forbes article meant is not the contemporary meaning of the word. Unless, of course, you mean to serve those you lead. You surrender to the needs of the team or greater whole and focus on improving the team and the team’s environment, putting self- ambitions to the side.

When everyone on a team has this attitude, it’s a truly remarkable thing to behold. Things become smooth and fluid. Groovy if you will… they become a Prime environment for improvement and success (see what I did there? Clever… I know). And those self ambitions? They will be met.

Don’t get me wrong. This is not to say there are not moments of conflict, disagreement or tension. We are, after all, only human. We will make mistakes, we will address internal issues inappropriately at times. This is not to say there are not moments when CONTROL is certainly required. Those moments and scenarios certainly exist. It’s how we address them later, how we respond or grow from them, that shows a cohesiveness and understanding of what is required for success. Once you recognize the mistake, you address it and you address it the second you recognize it. You don’t wait. I saw this recently in a young man I know. And the young people he led and humbled himself before gave him what he had sought after in the first place. It was AWESOME!

I’m going to switch gears on you for a second and look at it from another perspective.

Bruce Lee didn’t believe in “styles”. He felt once you bought into the concept or idea that you are of this style or that style, you had already limited yourself. If they do this, I will react this way. But as with all things, especially say… a street fight, things don’t always happen the way you think they will and you had best be prepared.

A teammate or leader who does not serve or surrender and is controlling (his way or the highway) would be a single style martial artist. He is limited in his approach and therefore will be limited in what he gets out of his players/team members. He does great in his weight class and against people without his experience but usually ends up bloody, maimed or dead when he finds himself in a knife-fight or up against someone with more varied experience. Make sense?

The author of that Forbes article said, “CONTROL restricts potential, limits initiative, and inhibits talent. SURRENDER fosters collaboration, encourages innovation and enables possibility”. Man, sounds like this guy read Bruce Lee’s “Tao of Jeet Kune Do”. And I can dig it.

Finally, and I think it is worth mentioning, a controlling leader or teammate usually lacks TRUST in his team members and therefore will not be trusted in return. How many times have you heard that if you don’t trust the guy in front of you, next to you or behind you, you can’t win in paintball? The guy who doesn’t trust the guys he has been in the trenches with will more than likely be arrogant and insensitive and probably not even realize it. In essence, he’s a bully. I hate bullies. Bullies have hurt many of my friends. (Unless the Bully is America. And then I am all for it… but I digress.)

If you find yourself on a weak team, I bet there’s a lot of stress on the leader. He more than likely feels there is a tremendous amount of pressure on him. And, more than likely, there is a fear among the team members. Yes, I said fear. Chances are they are scared to address the issue. This is what a controlling leadership brings to the table. This is the environment it breeds, one of discomfort, inefficiency and distrust. You know what it doesn’t foster? Winning…

Contrary to that, the good leaders learn to serve. Good teammates will look past themselves and give everything they can. They want to help, they want to bring the best out of everyone, they want to build on a foundation and improve it, making it stronger. No, this doesn’t mean everyone gets a trophy for participating, that’s all bullstuff and doesn’t fit into this discussion. But it does mean the quickest way to improve something is not to destroy it. Remember, a good leader or team member who serves his teammates, will not only add value but will certainly gain value in return.

Here’s the thing… there is a saying that true leadership can’t be taught, it has to be learned. And it’s a tough class.

“When what you seek is to build into others more than glorifying self you have developed a level of leadership maturity that values surrender over control. SURRENDER is the mindset which creates the desire for leaders to give credit rather than take it, to prefer hearing over being heard, to dialogue instead of monologue, to have an open mind over a closed mind, to value unlearning as much as learning. CONTROL messages selfishness, while SURRENDER conveys selflessness – which is more important to you?”

I want to buy that Forbes guy a beer.

So, take stock in what you have. If you have a control freak for a teammate or leader, talk to them. Find out what is motivating them. There is a chance they are facing things you aren’t aware of.   You will be glad you did because one of two things will happen. Either you will work things out or you will discover you need to make a change. And that’s okay. If you find yourself already a part of something that resembles the “service” environment of good leadership like Prime, count yourself lucky my friend… chances are you have podiumed or will podium real soon. Congratulations. Revel in it. In the meantime, I will continue to appreciate what I have on Prime. McGowan and I have been friends a long time and thanks to the Prime Program, we are surrounded by friends and family who will be friends and family long after this Prime thing is gone.

Be water my friends,

Mike Bianca – Team Prime

Previously Posted

“My first injury ever was a broken toe, and my mother made me run laps around the mat for the rest of the night. She said she wanted me to know that even if I was hurt, I was still fine.” – Ronda Rousey

My good friend and team captain of Prime, Mike McGowan, started an incredibly informative page on Facebook wherein he addresses common (and not so common) paintball injuries. He details how to avoid, heal and recover from most injuries sustained playing our sport. Check it out at: https://www.facebook.com/PaintballInjuryPrevention

Injuries are something I know a thing or two about…

2011 -The author being carried by Primemate Evan Manners and Matt Sossoman of Vicious

We have all played injured. As we head into the maiden NXL event this week, I am nursing a broken toe on my right foot, inflamed tendon on my left and a damaged hip flexor. When speaking to one of our up and coming players this weekend during practice, he said, “Pain is simply weakness leaving the body, right?” I corrected him and told him that my family had adapted that phrase and put our unique spin on it. “No sir, pain is weakness entering the mind.”

I regret telling him that. He has a tremendous work ethic and I know that if he is hurt, he will now continue to push himself even if he is injured, possibly injuring himself more. I am a perfect example of what NOT to do when you are injured. I am doing okay for a player in his 40’s but I could be much better if I had taken better care of myself when competing over the years. That is, if I had let myself heal and heal properly. Most people will tell you I am practically glued together. Granted, it is glue from the corpses of my fallen foes… but glue none the less.

In any sport, there is potential for injury (accept perhaps Chess… is that a sport? And if you were injured playing it, I think you are playing it wrong). Every athlete knows the risks when they compete. The extent of the injury and the potential for further damage must be weighed.

Why do we do it? We all have different reasons. Professionals do it because they want to get paid. College athletes may do it because they want to keep a scholarship or be seen by a scout. But paintball players? We are a breed that for simple lack of a better term… are just too crazy. Like most competitors, I think your average to above average tournament paintball player feels the need to compete when injured for no other reason than simply to show his boys he has a drive. Very brave. Stupid… but brave. We are dedicated to the sport and when you love something, there aren’t many things that will stop you from doing it.. That is what drives us.

2012 – Mike McGowan dislocates his shoulder in Phoenix during a snake dive

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association says that athletes who play injured cannot only re-injure or attain new injuries but also experience psychological issues such as fear and anxiety, too.

The key to all of this and the questions that one must ask themselves: “Is it worth it?” and “Do I know my limits?” You have to recognize when to push forward and when to rest and heal. I think all of us recognize a particular level of injury that is our limit. Me? Bleeding out of a majority of orifices would do it. Notice how it has to be a Majority….

See? Stupid. Know your limits people. Take precautions and keep yourself from getting hurt. You can start by going to my boys page and reading up on how to stretch and avoid common injuries.

The maiden event of the NXL is just a couple of days away and for all intents and purposes, it promises to be quite the shindig. I will be sure to post about it.

Until then…be water my friends…

Mike Bianca

Team Prime

Previously Posted

“We who found it were just men. Not gods. Not giants. Just men. The secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery. You must learn its riddle. Steel. It you can trust.”

So I was sitting in my living room, licking my wounds from yet another 2^nd place finish and feeling sorry for myself, when sure as shinola, Chuck Norris came on the TV.

He was doing an interview or something or other…. And he spoke to me. He literally looked away from the interviewer, looked out of the TV and into my soul because that is what Chuck Norris does. He said to me, “I’ve always found that anything worth achieving will always have obstacles in the way and you’ve got to have that drive and determination to overcome those obstacles on route to whatever it is that you want to accomplish.”

Well alright then. Thanks Chuck. Now shut it. (Yeah… that’s right, I told Norris to kick rocks. What about it?)

Shortly after this happened (and I mean literally within minutes), my son, whom is homeschooled, was reading about Christopher Columbus. He says to me, “Hey Dad, you are a lot like Christopher Columbus!” Intrigued and amused at the same time but still not over feeling sorry for myself, I responded, “Really? How so son?”

He says, “It says here that he said, ‘By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination.’ You are always telling us to never quit, never give up, so I figure he must have been a lot like you.”

(blink…blink)

Children say the darnedest things…

Paintball is a sport that has shown me every spectrum of emotional and physical capability. I have seen men openly weep from the joy of winning or I have seen players vomit from the sorrow of losing. I watched some idiot guy duct tape his knee to keep his patella in place so that he could play the next point.   I watched a friend pick his gun up after he dislocated his shoulder diving into the snake and win a point. And I have seen players complain about being hurt at the pinnacle of an event only to be perfectly fine afterwards. What separates these men? They are all paintball players. But which wants to win more? Who has that warrior soul?

Birmingham Prime entered the 2015 Dallas PSP in Division 1, our maiden voyage at this new level of competition as did PR1ME 2, who entered Division 3 after a season in D4.  It was interesting to me as none of us seemed to really notice it. “It” being that we were now playing up a division. It was another tournament and another opportunity to play Prime paintball.

All things being equal, the D1 team took home the silver after an incredibly disappointing yet hard fought match against a very adept and solid Seattle Uprising team. It came down to who would make the mistakes. It was us. The D3 team took home the bronze (3^rd place) after struggling a little in prelims. Once they were given that second life, the fought on like the champions they are only to fall short at a crucial moment.

So how do you come back from that? How do you refocus and reset the teams fighting spirit to the level it was prior to the event?

Here is how I have come to terms with Prime’s 4^th 2^nd place finish at a PSP in the last two years. Prime is a sword. A Japanese Katana to be more specific. To make a katana, it took the swordsmith many weeks to complete and it is said that a piece of his soul was imbued with it during the manufacture (our coaches and experience would be that soul). There are actually 3 types of metal that go into this process but I won’t bore you with the fine details of Japanese sword making (however, the point of the 3 metals should not be lost as the ingredients i.e. the players on the team, are very important). Rather I will share with you what most consider the fine point of the process; folding the steel. The swordsmith will heat the steel, hammer it out and then fold it again. He then repeats this process, over and over again ultimately folding the steel as many as 20 times. This is what gives the steel its strength. It is bent and hammered and burned again and again… and each time it is beat, hammered, folded and heated… it becomes stronger and stronger. Between each heating and folding and beating, the soon to be blade is smothered with ash, clay and water. This actually creates the outer layer of the blade and pulls out impurities until it becomes as tough as it can be. Getting the analogy yet?

That is Prime. Those losses only strengthen us, unite us, and take our impurities out so we come back stronger and better until we are razor sharp.

Who wants it? You? Then go hard until you get it.

Learn from your losses. Learn from your heartbreaks. Learn from each other. Be that team you know you can be. Forge yourselves into the weapon you wish to become. YOU have to do that. No one will do it for you. YOU have to decide what it is you want out of this paintball thing… if it isn’t worth the hardships and the sacrifice… take that silver and go be a spoon.

Be water my friends…

Michael Bianca

Team PR1ME

PS Thanks to Gary Baum of PaintballPhotography.com for the amazing photographs!

Previously Posted

“Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.” – Colin Powell

Since Mike McGowan and I began the Prime program almost 5 years ago, a common topic of discussion has been leadership. Neither of us are perfect and we will be the first to tell you. No one is. However, we are striving to build qualities in ourselves to better our abilities to lead. The Prime Program currently consists of four divisional teams. There is PR1ME (the division 2 PSP team), PR1ME 2 (the division 4 PSP team), PR1ME Mayhem (the regional division 4 MiLP team) and finally PR1ME 5 (our division 5 MiLP team). In order for the program to run successfully and not fall into chaos, we assigned each team a “team lead”. As you can imagine, running this many teams between myself and McGowan is, for lack of a better term, a pooch. With around 40 individuals, all with their own personalities and skill sets, this was paramount to the Prime Program’s survival. Team leaders have a certain level of autonomy but ultimately team decisions filter up the chain of command. Order and structure is a must and should be followed/enforced with rewards and consequences.

Every paintball team, whether new or seasoned, has experienced a need for a leader to step up, get the ball rolling, move the team in the right direction, or whatever else may be necessary to get the team on track. Almost every team has experienced a moment of crisis or a “rough patch”. There is usually never a greater opportunity/need for a good leader than when a team is facing adversity. Now, adversity can be any number of things for a paintball team ranging from weakness at a position, weakness in a fundamental aspect of the game, depth of the team, finances, morale or even leadership itself. Here are a few of the qualities that I have seen/learned in regards to leadership as a coach, player and friend in the ranks of Prime:

“The Engine” – I read a fantastic sci-fi book when I was younger called “Armor” by John Steakley. The protagonist was a character named Felix, a scout in the futuristic military. He is burned out but absolutely refuses to die even when the odds are so far against him, any other person would have zero chance of living. His “engine” takes control and he becomes what he must to survive. A good leader must have that same engine (in this case however, not necessarily for killing nasty alien bugs). It is an inner drive that pushes you to see difficulties and find solutions. You become tenacious when looking for data and understanding what the issues are and how you will address them. It should be noted though that this same tenacity can cause you to stick with an idea that isn’t working. This is… Bad. You have to be able to recognize when to put the engine on a different course.
“Facts are Facts” – Reality can be tough to face at times but a good leader is grounded in realism. Someone once told me that realism is the mid-point between optimism and pessimism. How genius is that? Balance is key. You want to take the data provided through the “engine” and weigh it in a realistic manner. Don’t sugarcoat it! Look at it for what it is and base reactions and solutions on that. Everyone loves the guy who is always positive “We will practice harder and come back and win the next one”… three events later and your finishes have done nothing but fall… time for a dose of realism. Something is wrong. There are those who will refuse to face reality about their ability or place on the team. They must be culled for the simple fact they will slow the progress of others. Hopefully they will realize that this isn’t a personal attack. If they don’t, they were never team material in the first place. A good leader can see this and explain it.

“Everybody calm down!” –Staying calm actually has two effects: First, it shows your team that you are in control of your emotions which can be contagious. A calm team is a team that is listening. And second, it lets you think. Panic leads to rushed, ill-gotten decisions which more so than not, lead to disaster. Remember to breathe… all is not lost… unless someone screams “WE”RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!” and lights themself on fire. When the proverbial **** hits the fan, chill and focus on facts not unknowns.

“Friendly fire! Friendly fire!” – When things get downright ugly at practice or in the pit, even the most loyal of players can start to point fingers. They will put verbal rounds down range at the nearest and easiest target which is usually not them. Instead of focusing on the catalysts or even themselves, they start looking for a scapegoat. A good leader will never do this. If a leader sees his players doing this to one another, he will shut that down immediately and point out the real culprit in a calm manner. Keep everyone focused on the task at hand which is recognizing what is going wrong and how to fix it. Leadership is building up those around you and bringing the team together, not tearing it down.

“My bad” – I feel confident that if you were to ask any member of PR1ME who my biggest critic is, they would be quick to tell you I am. Accountability is a major factor that a good leader must possess. You will not always make the right decision and you will fail at times. And when you do, admit it and learn from it. Be sure to recognize your short comings because the sooner you do that, the sooner you can delegate to someone who has that quality or address it by consciously working on it. Be open to criticism and use it constructively. Honesty is a quality every leader should have in dealing with themself and others.

“Did you see that?!!” – I like to motivate my guys using baby steps or what I would call a “small win”. This is a great process to use in practice. If a player or team is struggling, I like to take them back to the basics and remind them that they are good at things. If you can create opportunities for members of the team to succeed, they in turn will set their own goals which usually will mirror your own. You must find the different ways to motivate your team. Every player is different. Learn how to talk to each one and as a group. Goal setting is vitally important, especially for a team just starting out. Keep them realistic though.

“All I wanted was friggin sharks with laser beams…” – Don’t get drowned with problems. It is incredibly easy to see a problem and then focus solely on it while everything else continues to move. Count on more arriving while you’re at it. Recognize the distance to your goals and keep everyone moving in that direction. Sure, you have to address problems but a good leader will see the big picture and not get bogged down. Address and keep moving forward.

“A sense of humor is good for you. Ever heard of a Hyena with heartburn?” – BTW, that was a Bob Hope reference… which brings me to my last leadership quality (for now… this is not all of them of course) – Humor! You have to laugh at things. It shows you are approachable and genuine. Especially if you can laugh at yourself or a situation. Humor relieves stress and less stress is good.
And that sums up my first attempt at leadership qualities. I cannot claim credit for all of this. I have read several books by great men and been blessed to be related to others. Recently, I had the distinct honor to help two personal friends of mine. If you want to see these qualities in action, get access to the LA Ironmen’s pit during an event. Watch my boys Mike Paxson and Shane Pestana lead. I guarantee you will see each of those qualities and more if you spend just a smidgen of time around them.

Thanks for reading!

The Three Legged Cat aka the Old Man aka Captain America aka Coach aka Mike Bianca

-Team PR1ME

Previously Posted