They call themselves "L.A. swat"...L.A. for lower Alabama.

They're fresh off a rookie division title in South Carolina and on their way to paintball's world cup in Orlando.

“World cup's a big event. You've got three to four hundred teams there--everything from the lowest level up to guys that get paid 100,000 dollars a year to play,” says Swat team member Pate Smith.

Swat's six-member team has been pieced together over the last four years, each player bringing his *own* strategy to the competition.

“It's more getting the angle on them when they don't know you're where you are,” says co-captain Wayne Presley.

“The adrenaline part. I had other hobbies but nothing with the adrenaline that paintball has,” adds co-captain Jimmy Colson.

“I like running down the field and shooting people in the face," claims Smith.

Guerrilla mentality aside...the basic rule of thumb is shoot the other team before you get hit, then capture the flag to earn points. Simple enough, were it not for the constant barrage of pellets to look out for.

"Alot of hard work to fine tune what we did this season. We started out the 10th place team and ended up winning it all," says Presley.

"You don't get shot if you're good...I don't get hit a lot," Smith adds.

This season alone, L.A. Swat's traveled 58-hundred miles to play in eight different events. The team finished in the top 10 in five of those…no doubt a direct result of the bond formed on the field.

"There's alot of comeradery through those long distance relationships," Colson says.

“We hang out. We have fun wherever we go, whether it be dinner or on the field. Win or lose, we have a great time."

LASWAT Tournament Paintball