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PAGE 2B - THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS - TUNE 18, 2008
— Paintball
Cont. from Page IB
On the field, the teamwork
between them is crucial to
advancing in the game. Vickery
said the game has matured into
what may be the safest sport
in the country. A decade ago,
parents and activist groups were
trying to get the sport banned
due to injuries and players not
being safe.
According to Vickery, the game
is now about players wanting to
win fairly without hurting some
one.
“I would rather hit someone in
the pack and get a clean hit than
show off and shoot them in the
mask,” he said. “It comes down
to treating the other player like
you want to be treated. It used
to be about ego, but now is more
like other sports and wanting to
win and have a good time.”
Safety is the number one factor
for the players and field operators
like Chuck Thornton. Thornton
is the owner of Athens Paintball
and hosted the June 14 Georgia
Field Owners Association
(GFOA) tournament.
“Safetywise, [paintball] is one
of the safest sports out there,”
said Thornton. “The players use
their eye protection like they are
supposed to. A lot of the guys,
especially for the tournaments,
wear extra padding and they use
the barrel plugs when they are
off the field. Most players are
really conscientious at this level
of the game.”
The GFOA has a 20-page set
of rules for the games includ
ing acceptable clothing and con
duct. On the field, referees watch
the players and will pull a player
violating the rules.
Thornton said, “These guys are
coming out here to play a game.
They come out here to escape ...
to get away from the average and
ordinary. You are getting more
of an adrenaline rush than with
a video game and you get the
physical exercise.”
The most appealing factor
to the game according to both
Vickery and Thornton is that
anybody can play.
“I’ve seen a guy with muscular
dystrophy that couldn’t move
his arms rig up a shoulder sling
to hold the marker and put an
electronic switch between his
teeth to fire. He would aim and
bite down to fire. He was hav
ing a blast,” said Thornton. “In
the last two years, I have had
more groups of high school girls
come out to play and the only
guys were the boyfriends they
dragged along.”
A complete list of fields in
Georgia can be found by a quick
Internet search. It would include
Knights Crossing Paintball on
Cowart Road in Commerce, and
Athens Paintball in Winterville.
Most fields offer rentals for
people who want to play on
the weekend or just to see if the
sport is for them for around $40.
Beginners can get gear that costs
less than $500 for a set.
Vickery, who owns two mark
ers, said the cost depends how
much a player wants to get
involved in the sport.
“Low-grade equipment doesn’t
win tournaments,” he said. “A
really intense player cannot go
out there with a marker from
Wal-Mart, it doesn’t match their
skill. This is when you see them
spending $1,200 to $1,500 on
a marker. You go in and try to
win.”
While paintball has evolved
from the late 1970s into a nation
al sport that has dedicated cov
erage on TV, the fundamental
idea has been maintained. It’s all
about having fun and taking part
in an activity you enjoy.
Sport Shorts And Rec News
Girls Basketball
GREG PAYS MORE
PLATINUM • SILVER • DIAMONDS
Greg Reeves Fine Jewelry
613 Hawthorne Ave., Athens • Mon.-Sat. 9-6
FREE APPRAISALS • FREE STONE REMOVAL
ASK FOR GREG
706-369-0000
CONSIGNMENT VEHICLES, WHCH WILL TOTAL IN THE HUNDREDS,
AND MANY MUSEUM ITEMS ARE NOT PICTURED DUE TO SPACE.
WE WILL NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR PICTURED VEHICLES SOLD PRIOR
TO THE AUCTION. CALL FOR ADDITIONAL INFO ON VEHICLES.
www.carolinamotorama.com • e-mail: corvetteworld72@aol.com
cm 6 CD&mdle- EWorld 6
CLASSIC
CMA
WT ■ Iff I
MUSEUM AUCTION
FISH DAY
• 4-6” Catfish $39.00 per 1 □□
• 6-8” Catfish $59.00 per 100
• 8-1 1 ” Catfish $95.00 per 1 □□
To purchase 8-11 ” catfish, you must bring your own container and water (Too big to bag).
Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Hybrid Blue Gill,
Rear Ear Sun Perch, Minnows, Koi, Grass Carp
Thursday, June 26 • 5 ■ 6 p.m.
Maddox Feed • 1915 Winder Hwy.
Jefferson, GA
706-367-9207
Friday, June 27 • IMoon -1 p.m.
Southern Outdoors • 20519 Hwy. 441 INI.
Commerce, GA
706-336-8875
596-3061 • No Pre-Orders Necessary! Just show up!
Tommy’s Fish Truck • 501-796-6349
www.pondandlakestocking.com
Water Aerobics
Offered At Rec. Dept.
This Commerce Rec. Department
activity is a water exercise class for
adult men and women in gen
eral, but it is particularly benefi
cial to individuals with arthritis,
muscular disease, osteoporosis,
heart disease and recovery from
joint replacement as well as other
disabling injuries. Water aerobics
strengthens all muscles and joints
without the stress, stiffness and
soreness which accompany land
exercise programs. Workouts will
require participants to use their
arms, legs, hips and neck and will
elevate the heart rate through the
buoyancy of the water.
Experienced water aerobics
instructor Sharon Pruitt will lead
the class on Mondays, Wednesday,
and Fridays at 11 a.m. The class
will continue through early August.
Cost is $3 per class at the gate. No
advance registration is required.
No children will be admitted to or
allowed during class.
Rec. Basketball Camp
For the first time, the Commerce
Parks & Recreation Department
is offering a basketball camp for
children who feel like basketball is
“their thing.”
This camp will stress the very
basic fundamentals of the game
and thus strengthen any player’s
foundational skills.
Former Commerce Middle
School coach Sam Chaney will
serve as the instructor.
Designed for girls and boys who
are rising fourth graders through
rising eighth graders, the camp
will run 10 a.m. until noon July
21-25 at the Commerce Middle
School gym. Registration will be
$40 for city residents, and $60 for
non-residents. Registration will be
limited.
Mom And Tot Swim
Commerce Park and Rec will
host a structured swim activity for
children ages six months through
two years.
The activity is scheduled for each
Tuesday from 11 a.m. -11:30 a.m.
through the end of July. Mothers
or fathers will handle their child in
the water.
The sole purpose of this activ
ity is to acclimate the child to the
water, producing a greater comfort
level.
Pam Minish will lead the activ
ity, which will require no advance
registration.
The fee is $3 per visit. Children
should wear air tight rubber pants
or a special swimming diaper.
— '08 GRHOF Inductees Announced
HELEN, GA
CLASSIC MUSEUM AUCTION
AUCTION & CAR CORRAL
JUNE 20 & 21.2008
On June 20 and 21. Gore's Corvette World will auction
all the collectibles at the Doug Michael Museums located
in the beautiful picturesque city of Helen. Georgia. This
collection consists of vehicles once belonging to singing
greats Elvis Presley. Patsy Cline. Faron Young and many
others. Muscle cars, sports cars, antique cars, exotic cars
along with several horse drawn carriages dating back to
the 1700s encompass this vast collection. This would be an
ideal time for a mini vacation for the entire family.
A consignment of hundreds of other classics will be offered
at this auction and car corral. If you wish to enter your clas
sic vehicle call early before we run out of spaces. We will
offer vehicles with reserves and many at absolute auction.
Don’t miss the action!
Auction Friday and Saturday with live entertainment in the
saloon both nights. A total "fun filled weekend”
HOST HOTELS AVAILABLE - CALL FOR INFO!
FOR MORE INFORMATION
GORE’S CORVETTE WORLD, INC.
768 MAULDIN ROAD • GREENVILLE, SC 29607
(864) 277-5555 • (864) 430-8214 • (864) 423-7817
MAKE ALL CHECKS PAYABLE TO “HELEN EXPO”
AND MAIL TO ADDRESS ABOVE
AUCTIONEER WILL BE ERNIE TAYLOR, JR.
LICENSE #NR2534
PERSONAL CONTACTS:
GENE GORE (864) 430-8214 or
DAVE JARCHOW (864) 423-7817
“A CORVETTE WORLD PROMOTION”
ENTRY FORM
NAME:
ADDRESS:
CITY, STATE, ZIP:
CHECK ONE: J AUCTION J CORRAL
TYPE VEHICLE(S):
Cont. from Page IB
row, and is a member of East
Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame.
Some credit Payne, along with
fellow Hall of Famer Hubert
Platt and Atlanta’s “Dyno Don”
Nicholson for inventing match
drag racing in the south in the
mid-60s. Payne and Platt were
teammates, taking on all comers
in their hot rod Fords.
Up next is Wilbur Rakestraw,
from Dallas, who raced across
the south with the Southern
Racing Enterprises. Rakestraw
competed in 30 NASCAR Cup
events between 1956 and 1961,
picking up one top five finish at
Columbia, S.C., and recording
six top ten finishes. Rakestraw
also competed in the first three
Daytona 500s.
Next is car owner Walter
Dewey “Dub” Smith. With
Atlanta mechanic Harvey Jones
turning the wrenches, Smith’s
cars won many races at the
Auction
Consignment Will Be $125.00 Per Vehicle With
5% Buyer And Seller Fees. Set Up Times Will Be
Thursday, June 19 And Friday, June 20 (Before
Noon). Auction Times Will Be Friday At 3:00 P.M.
And Saturday At Noon. Consign Early For #s.
Car Corral
The Car Corral Will Be All Outdoors In Front Of
The Saloon. Limited #s So Please Consign Early.
Corral Fees Arc $75.00 Per Vehicle With No Sales
Fee. Call Today!!! Set Up Times Are Identical To
The Auction Cars.
Working On Fundamentals
Savannah Mullis works during a dribbling drill Wednesday
morning at the Lady Tigers basketball camp as coach Eddie
McCurley looks on. The camp focused on girls in grades 3-8,
with the intent being to teach the fundamentals of basketball
and help current players improve their game.
Peach Bowl in the early 1960s
with John Sudderth behind the
wheel.
In the late 1960s, Smith was
part of the efforts to revive
Lakewood Speedway, along with
Ernie Moore and former Atlanta
Mayor William B. Hartsfield.
Smith passed away in the late
1980s.
Finally, we reach race promoter
Mike Swims of Woodstock.
Swims may have been one of
the most important promoters in
dirt track racing. Swims served
as Vice President and General
Manager of both Dixie Speedway
and Rome Speedway, and was
one of the founders of the Hav-
A-Tampa dirt late model series
in 1990. Under his guidance, the
tracks flourished, drawing com
petitors from all over the coun
try for their annual “Shootout”
dirt late model events.
Swims died in September of
2007 following a seven-year long
battle with cancer.
The Hall of Fame induction
ceremony and banquet will
be held on October 24 at the
Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in
Dawsonville.
Brandon Reed is a reporter
for MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Contact him at brandon@main-
streetnews.com.
“TODAY” is almost here!
Watch The Commerce News for upcoming details!
www.CommerceNews
