My first interviewee has been playing paintball for a solid 13 years, 11 of those competitive. He has been a well-known player in the CXBL since the league was created and has never missed an event! Jesse Benoit has switched rosters a few times throughout his CXBL career but is likely best known as one of the faces of Toronto Rage. Benoit has made a roster switch again this year accompanied by many of his Rage counterparts and they plan on stepping up their game even further this season as the new faces of Windsor Lockdown.
Benoit's competition know him for being a bit of a hot head on the field but also for being a genuinely nice guy off the field. Jesse himself admitted, "I like the in your face game and I try to bring the animal out of my teammates every point we play. I like getting that out of them and seeing people get shot into the ground. I know it sounds a bit brutal but I'm gonna have to quote an amazing movie some of you might know. 'It's not worth winning if you can't win big.'" Benoit is certainly a respected player in the paintball community and his intensity on the field is just one example of his passion for the game.
Jesse hails from Windsor, Ontario and began his paintball career playing NPPL with some very strong teams from that area. Unfortunately, the city has seen a massive decline in players and while Benoit says there are "some good up and comers", he seems to be one of the lone wolves who have continued fighting in the CXBL from that area. Of the up and comers in that area, Jesse explained that he "hopes they continue to excel".
Benoit's passion for the sport has forced him to make sacrifices. He says that, "the travelling has been a bit of a struggle financially seeing how I don't have anyone to split gas expenses with". The drive to and from practice usually takes him between three and four hours but he looks on this positively saying, "it's a good time to reflect on things, and just being on the open road makes me feel so natural, I love it!" In regard to the time and financial sacrifices that paintball requires, Jesse says, "Let's be serious, it gives us 1000x more than it takes, and the joy we get from it, and the feeling we all know that we get before the horn goes, makes it all worth it!".
Benoit's competition can look forward to seeing him continue to light up the field from the doritos this season. However, Jesse admits that Lockdown has some exceptional D-side players, "so it'll be a fight to see who starts and who plays those must-win points." Benoit says, "I prefer being second in, for the record" and "If there's anything I'll be switching up, it's the style of my game. I am really working on trying to be more consistent." So we can certainly expect to see Jesse playing an even smarter, more focussed game of paintball.
Jesse-It has been an absolute pleasure to learn about your paintball career and the plans you have in place for the season ahead. You have certainly earned the respect of the paintball community and I trust that you will continue to inspire in the 2012 CXBL Elite division.
Photo Credit:
Eric Kovacs Media
- What have you been doing as a team during the off-season to prepare for the 2012 CXBL season?
"This year stands out to be different than any of the past years I can remember. We've always been a top contender as a team, and generally the core has stuck together. We've fallen short with an upsetting 3rd place finish, three years in a row now with Rage. Now under a new name (Windsor Lockdown) we really had to put everything aside, friendships etc, and only keep on the top guys from Toronto Rage's 2011 roster. As an addition to the 8 guys that were chosen, we've picked up a line of Pro guys with Billy Bernacchia and some of his buddy's from the Hurricanes. We've got a great backing from Windsor Lockdown/ Next paintball and have been training HARD in an effort to not only win, but dominate."
- What have you been doing as an individual to prepare for the coming season?
"Personally, I've been training hard with boxing the entire off-season and feel like I'm in the best athletic shape of my life. The workouts that I've been enduring should make the physical/cardio end of paintball seem easy. The mental game for me is always there. As much as I'm known for flipping out and having a bit of a temper, deep down I'm nothing but confident in my team and my personal abilities. I've been here for yearrsssss, and I've put my heart and soul into this sport, been in the deep waters....experienced winning..and losing....and I know where I want to leave this sport and thats on the TOP."
- What do you feel is your team’s greatest strength headed into this season?
"Our teams greatest strength has to be the bond we all have. There isn't a team I know of that clicks the way we do on and off the field. We've been on the top for years and everyone knows how to win. People see us bicker and talk smack to each other but at the end of the day we're all doing it because we want to win so bad. Just look into our eyes this season and you'll see the strength and determination we're coming with."
- Which team do you feel will be your greatest competition this season and why?
"I'm not going to get boring with this question and say "ourselves," so I'll actually pick a team that I think will be our biggest threat. I'm going to have to say the Cowboys. They've got a good backing and have a mix of the 2011 and 2010 NAX champions. They've had their turn, and they have their rings. I'm calling it out right now, in this interview....we WILL beat them."
- Which team do you feel will be the weakest this season and why?
"The weakest team I see in the line-up is Rockstar. That's solely based on experience. I don't know if Alex is going to get a line of Dynasty guys last second and start smashing people, but as it sits, gotta go with them. At the same time that man is passionate about ball and has done great things with Rockstar as a franchise, so know that I do wish them all the best, and hope I'm wrong."
- Which player on your own team do you most respect as a player and why?
"That's a real tough question. I truly have so much respect for each and every guy on my team. I know this saying is completely overused, but it's the absolute truth; we're like family. Again I won't be boring so I'll have to pick someone. As a player, I think Dan Szypka is one of THE most underrated back players in paintball. We all know he rides that fine line when he plays, but in a way that's what makes him so good. He shoots people off the break more consistently then anyone I've ever played with. He's always alive and he's one of those rare back players that knows how to close a game and make that game breaking move. He's been the captain of our team forever, for a reason."
- Were there any changes this off-season that surprised you? For example, roster changes or league changes.
"Not really to be honest. With the wild things that have been happening in the league these last couple years, there's about nothing that will surprise me. We're in the trenches fighting our way to a Canadian Championship against a bunch of "American" pro's. It's a tough battle but the level of skill in Canada is rising because of it, and we're competing against some of the best. Nobody wants to be the best of the losers. To be the best, BEAT the best. We've embraced the challenge."
- Is there anything else you would like to add?
"Thanks for the interview, it's people like you that are going to allow the sport to keep growing!! I'll never turn my back on the sport I love, and the sport that has allowed me to travel, and meet all of these amazing people. At then end of the day I think that's the best part.
2012!!! Lets do it before the world ends ;) "
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Jesse! All my best wishes for a successful 2012 season!
Signing off,
The Paintball Wife
1 comment:
Sick interview. Nice back and forth, and its good to here from such a great player.
Post a Comment