Kendallz Extreme Sports redefining paintball in Guyana

By Vishani Ragobeer

IMAGINE players running around with markers (sports gear that resembles a gun) that projects paint that will be splattered on whatever or whomever it makes contact with. Now, add the idea of strategising and coordinating your ‘attacks’ with other team members to ensure that the other team resembles a scene from Phagwah. That’s what a game of paintball is like.

Kevin Heinz, the founder of Kendallz Extreme Sports- a local business that offers paintball activities, contended that paintball is an unconventional sporting activity that facilitates team-building because of its inherent reliance on teamwork.

“Paintball is a game where strength and speed are not nearly as important as strategy and communication, therefore these events will provide an engaging experience that challenges each participant to remain fit while increasing their communication and strategic planning skills,” Heinz told the Pepperpot Magazine in a recent interview.

This business started in 2011, focusing on corporate events. But, the appeal of this unconventional sport attracted persons who were just looking for a novel recreational activity. That resulted in the business expanding to accommodate families and groups of friends.

The main focus on Kendallz Extreme Sports is the paintball activities but what Heinz and his team have been trying to ensure is that whenever you book with them, it’s not just paintball activities. Instead, it is a combination of paintball and other sports and activities such as cricket, volleyball, football, bush-cooking, and swimming. Teams are taken to the Soesdyke-Linden highway where they participate in all these activities.

A high-ropes obstacle course and canopy zip-lining will be activities that will be added soon. But more importantly, Heinz is seeking to establish branches in Berbice, Linden, and Bartica to ensure that persons in other parts of Guyana would be able to benefit from these activities.

PAINTBALL AS A SPORT

Beyond team-building and recreation, paintball is a recognised international sport. But it is not yet recognised in Guyana.

Currently, Heinz is in talks with the relevant authorities to have paintball registered as a sport in Guyana. This will allow for the local development of the sport and Heinz himself is interested in establishing a national team that would be able to compete with teams in the Region and internationally.

“We’re trying to get people to understand that you can actually build a career off of paintball,” Heinz, a trained ‘paintballer’ himself, emphasised.

Once registered as a sport, it will also be easier for individuals to procure their gear. Currently, this is a challenge and according to Heinz, some authorities are wary of the markers because they appear to be guns.

“If you procure any piece of equipment from us, we document the serial number and in the event somebody was to misuse it, we can trace it back to the person and provide that information to the law enforcement,” he said, assuring that much emphasis is placed on security.

With Guyana’s expansive land space, he also indicated that there can be opportunities for sports tourism. He highlighted that paintball is a non-contact sport which is particularly apt in these ‘COVID times’.

In the months ahead, Heinz will be inviting international players to help train locals in this sport. He also indicated that if anyone is interested in starting a field in any region in Guyana, they can contact the consultancy arm of Kendallz Inc and they will be guided through the processes from procurement to day to day operations.

Heinz can be contacted on Facebook and Instagram at Kendallz Extreme Sports