Over hill at 28, and PhazerZone welts prove it

[Junkie]

- Ty Young

I like trying new things in life, but when I played my first PhazerZone game, I found there are some lessons in life better suited for others.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the game. What I didn't like was getting put in my place by a couple of kids only a few years older than my young son.

After taking my first steps into the PhazerZone room at GameOn Family Entertainment Center in Ahwatukee Foothills, I realized I may be in over my head. Myself and two other old guys - that would be the over 28 crowd - met in our changing room. As we pulled our nylon flak jackets over our heads and strapped in our paintball helmets, we couldn't help but overhear the conversation coming from the next room.

Our opponents, five children between ages 10 and 15, were already in gear holding their CO2 paintball rifles and discussing their strategy.

Strategy? I thought I was going to show these kids up.

Anyway, we all took our places in the PhazerZone course. The black lights above and the glow-in-the-dark paintings on the ways provided a surreal setting for what would turn out to be an exhilarating - and a bit painful - experience.

I peered down at my Tippmann 98 Custom paintball gun, fully loaded with translucent, glow-in-the-dark rubber balls. I found my target - 10-year-old Cody Stepanski of Ahwatukee.

Did I feel bad picking on a 10-year-old? Not yet.

Then the horn sounded, milliseconds before that telltale sound "slap, slap, slap" of the rubber balls flying around the room at 40 mph.

I peeked around the barricade to see tracer fire consuming the 2,500-square-foot room. Then a new noise hit me, namely a rubber ball smacking against my helmet.

Then another hit my arm - should've worn long sleeves! Then another off my leg.

Where were these kids shooting from? They were firing with marksman-like precision.

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