i have played paintball about every other week for the past 3 years. im a softmore at my high school and im in all honors classes, i have never skipped school, and i have never gotten into a physical fight with anyone.
paintball is a very safe and regulated sport. for instance at any commercial paintball field you are required to wear a certified facemask at all times when on the field or firing the marker. you are also required to keep the velocity of the paintball under 300 feet per second, anything over and you cant play. and at most fields you can only use thier paint so that nobody can bring any altered paintball ie. frozen paintballs. if someone breaks their arm palying football, hockey, or basketball people just say "it happens all the time youll get over it". but if somone gets injured in paintball they immediately start protesting and trying to get it banned. the most dangerous part of paintball is the tanks which have to be checked every couple of years. the only way logical way somone can get injured by these tanks is if they deliberately alter the safety devices and/or valve. in my years of playing the only injuries i have recieved from playing paintball are a couple of sprain ankles and wrists. and just to add something all the equipment and supplies that i own have been paid for by me. i got a part-time job, which has tought me valuable lessons about work ethic, just to pay for paintball, and i am now the manager of the restaurant and have recieved a scholarship. so in a way because i played paintball i get to go to college and expand my intellect. well im done ranting i hope i have convinced someone.

Maybe I can give a different perspective. I played Division 3 Tournament paintball in the PSP. Paintball Is not a violent sport. It is also not a dangerous one. We have less injuries each year than Tennis or Bowling. Paintball is not about shooting people. True, that does play a big role in the success of your team, but the object of the game is to hang the flag on your opponents side. Paintball is a very well organized sport with two major American leauges, and a major european one as well. I would say paintball teaches teamwork over anything. Certainly more so than it teaches violence. Paintball isn't a discriminatory sport either. If your too skinny, too slow, or too clumsy, you can't play traditional school sports such as football, basketball, or baseball. We have positions for players such as these. I personally think paintball is the perfect place for kids who may have trouble fitting in, trouble playing other sports, or those who are just looking for a new hobby, or something more consturctive to do than the options they might choose if left to their own devices.