2024 started with a successful round of tryouts. The team increased the mech line roster size, and created a D5 5-man line and additional D4 5-man line. The Xball line continues to compete in D4, looking to earn their way into D3 by year end. The camp has an intensified focus on growing paintball in the area - running 4 lines in multiple leagues.
So close...
2023 was a year of learning and trying new things in D4. New pickups throughtout the year, multiple families growing on the team, and injuries added some unknowns - but the team was able to pull through together and generally hang in the top third of teams at each event. A 3rd place in the NRPL Series left the XBall team hungering for more, with a majority on the brink of ranking into D3 the following year. The mech team became more active than ever, and nearly doubled in size.
Geling
2022 brought the team closer together as a paintball family. Injuries, familial additions, and roster changes rocked the crew. The importance of attending events for fun that were budget friendly became a focal point of the team, attracting many new players. The team was able to continue to play and gel together, and welcome these new players to the squads.
Growth, improvement, and a win!
Bringing up a few of 2020's D5 players, the group sustained a renewed focus on D4. The team played in leagues such as the NRPL, CFOA, ICC, and NXL. There was steady improvement throughout the season, with the team winning the final event of the NRPL!
Covid & New Players
The group held a combination of tryouts and absorbed a newly formed local D5 team. Core players from the Rejects D4 group integrated and helped train the D5 group up. They were able to place first in one of the events, confirming that they could compete. The D4 group was only able to field a few events. This was a building year.
Richmond Rejects
Leaving behind the name "Thunderstruck", the team voted on a winning name - "Richmond Rejects", to truly signify the origins of the group. They competed in World Cup in D4, with disappointing results. There was work to be done...
"Thunderstruck"
A bunch of local Richmond guys, some new - some coming out of retirement, met at Splatbrothers paintball and had issues mixing into practice. The stragglers / rejects of the crowd got together and formed a practice line, that went on to compete in D5 EPL as "Thunderstruck".