With the 2012 CXBL Elite season now behind us and NAX yet to come, I thought this the perfect time to reflect and to dream about what is ahead for each team. This was certainly a season full of surprises and excitement and I wanted to get the player’s perspective on their highlights and struggles. Join me over the coming days as I hear from a member of each CXBL Elite team and be sure to post your comments and questions too!
This interviewee became involved in
recreational paintball 12 years ago and more seriously began his tournament
career in 2008. Derrick Weltz’ first competitive team was known as Shut Down
Kids or “SDK”. Together they had hopes of playing D3 NPPL in 2009 but due to
the bankruptcy of the NPPL that season, the group began to search for a CXBL
team to join. After attending a variety of RXL and MXL tryouts, Derrick and 3
of his SDK teammates became part of Woodstock Defiance RXL.
Under the direction of
Travis Kropf, Nelson Fonseca, Ed Evans, and Adam Mutsaers, the 2009 Defiance
squad won the RXL title meaning that they would make the bump to MXL in the
2010 season. Weltz and the majority of his Defiance teammates stayed together
for the MXL season, adding only Pat Padovan and Zach Burke to the roster.
Finishing the 2010 MXL season in 1st place, Woodstock became the
first central team to win the title in two divisions in consecutive years. Facing
a big jump to CXBL, Derrick and his teammates faced many questions as to where
all of their players would end up between Defiance and Cambridge Raiders.
Because both teams existed within the same camp, the decision was made to sell
the Woodstock Franchise and merge many of the Defiance players with 4 Raiders
veterans under the Cambridge name. In 2011, Weltz’ first season as a CXBL
competitor, Raiders finished 3rd within the central conference
earning them a spot at NAX. Not bad considering many of the players, Derrick
included, had been RXL competitors only 2 years prior.
Weltz has also had many opportunities to play at PSP and NPPL
events throughout his competitive paintball career including playing NPPL
events with Raiders and PSP New Jersey with 3CT. While Derrick is one of few
players to make the bump from RXL to CXBL in 2 seasons, his greatest paintball
highlight thus far was playing with Demons Red at PALS Thailand. He reflects,
“It was the hottest climate I’ve ever played paintball in. It puts 2010 PSP
World Cup to shame, if anyone remembers that!” It also gave Weltz the chance to
play with a team from Iran and they were very successful despite having to find
ways to communicate across a significant language barrier.
Derrick,
you’ve been part of my personal paintball family since the 2009 Defiance season
and it has been an absolute pleasure to watch you develop as a player
throughout the years. Best of luck at NAX ---try to maintain your penalty free
year!
Photo Credit: Sheldon Carless
- What is your general impression of the 2012 Elite standings? Were there any major surprises or did the season finish as expected?
“To
be honest everybody is in NAX that I expected, except one. I assumed Recon
would have been in and Daytona would have been left at 7th place. Nothing
against those guys on Daytona but the Elite division if full of talented teams.”
- What do you feel was your team’s greatest strength this season?
“Hmmm
that's a tough one, I don't think we ever really relied on one strength this
season. One thing that has helped us tremendously off the field is the guidance
of our friends from the south, Alfred De Los Santos, G-no Benedicto, and Eric
Prum. We brought them on board, to not only add depth to our roster but
to give us some leadership and to help develop us into better all -around
players.”
- What are you able to take away from the 2012 season that will allow you to develop as a player and as a team throughout the off-season?
“We
were able to take away a new style of play and execution of plays from this
season which will help us be successful in seasons to come. Obviously I can't
reveal too much information.”
- What was your highlight of the season?
“My
personal highlight thus far is my penalty free season. Anybody that followed
last year’s stats will be aware of my penalty riddled season (22 minutes, 4
majors and 1 minor). Accomplishing this task wasn't luck; I had to alter
my style of play. Before, I played almost with reckless abandonment. Although
it did allow me to excel in my rookie season, in the top league it hindered my
team. This season I've taken more of a slow and methodical approach and I
take the bites when I see them come available.”
- Which individual on your own team do you most respect as a player and why?
“This
is a tough question, but as a player it would have to be Gno. His ability to
stay calm and relaxed in clutch situations is something I admire and respect in
his playing style.”
- Last season Raiders went into NAX seated 3rd in the Central conference and 7th overall. This year, with the new Elite division, the Eastern, Western and Central teams have played against one another all season and only the top six teams have a shot at the championship rings. Your team finished 6th in the 2012 Elite season, meaning you head into NAX as the lowest ranked team. I am sure this is not the way that your team expected to finish the season. Can you tell me a little bit about how you got here and what you will do to prepare for NAX in hopes of finishing at the top?
“Well
going into this event we were ranked 2nd, and like you said we ended up 6th.
That kind of speaks for itself. We just pooped the bed. Leading into this event
we knew the only way we wouldn't make NAX is if we lost both our games and N2,
Recon and Daytona won all of their games. So it was very slim chances as those
teams all played the top teams. Knowing that, we didn't practice or
dissect the layout as well as we normally do. We had poor attendance at every
practice, just because everybody wants a little summer vacation and July was a
beautiful month. That is what took us off our high horse and put us where we
deserved to be after not putting in the time or effort like other teams had.
But be assured that will not happen again in our run for NAX.”
- It was rumoured that your team had some issues with paint during your match against Daytona. In a game such as paintball, there seems to be a variety of factors outside of player control that can affect the match. How did your team respond to this situation? What can you do as a team to continue to keep positive and still play your best when something outside of your control affects your game?
“I’m
not trying to take anything away from the Daytona guys as they played great and
took advantage of our downfalls. But yes we unfortunately had probably the
worst batch of paint I've ever shot. I hope when the match goes up it shows our
pits and how frustrated/defeated we were within the first 10 minutes of the
match. We couldn't keep enough clean pods and we had a really hard time getting
5 working guns on the field. It was the first time since 09 when I started in
the Raiders Camp that I've seen Raiders have an unorganized pit, and not taking
anything away from other pit staff. But we do have the best pit staff in the
league (Corey and Meg, hats off to you both). Luckily we were able to get new
paint for our match against Vancouver the following day (hats off to Jay Steele
and Eddie Ralf on helping out) but that paint wasn't enough to help us against
Vancouver.”
- If you had to choose a team other than your own as most likely to win NAX, who would you choose and why?
“I'd have to give it to
Lockdown. Some players may not like this comment but I know all the Heat guys are
on absolute fire this year and so are the Damage guys. But looking past those
players, I'd have to say Lockdown is a stronger roster. That is if they can
stay out of penalty trouble which they have been riddled with at NAX in the
Semi-finals game every year for as long as I can remember.”
- Is there anything else you would like to add?
“You
are doing an amazing job at this whole internet blogging thing and I wish you
the best, and for people reading please go like Outside the Mesh on Facebook!
Niki, Nolan and I will also miss your home cooked healthy meals! And congrats
on the new house, see you moving day, maybe.”
“Best
of luck to all teams participating at NAX!”
Thanks
for taking the time to answer my questions, Derrick. I wish you and your Raiders
teammates all the best at NAX!
Signing
off,
The
Paintball Wife
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