Ian Southern

Ian Southern is a New Zealand paintball organiser and former sporting administrator best known as a co-founder and the inaugural director of the New Zealand National Paintball League (NPL), established in 1997.

Together with Dave Pellet, who was associated with the Auckland paintball business Splatman, Southern developed the concept for a coordinated national paintball competition incorporating established tournaments and a developmental division for newer teams.[1]

Southern was identified as New Zealand NPL Director, 1997 in the league's original introductory letter, circulated to the New Zealand paintball community in December 1996.[2]

The NPL represented an early attempt to formalise tournament paintball in New Zealand through national scheduling, consistent competition rules, organised refereeing and cooperation between commercial playing fields.

Paintball involvement

Auckland tournament paintball

Southern became involved in the administration of competitive paintball in New Zealand during the 1990s.

At the time, organised tournament paintball was largely coordinated through commercial fields, individual event organisers and existing regional teams.

Major competitions were held in different parts of New Zealand, but there was no consistently administered national league incorporating both established tournament teams and newer players.

Commercial paintball operators provided playing facilities, equipment and refereeing support, while individual tournaments operated with varying schedules and organisational arrangements.

Southern was associated with the Auckland paintball community during this period and worked with Dave Pellet in developing a proposed national competition.

The historical account The Rise and Fall of the New Zealand National Paintball League, preserved by Mercenaries Star, credits both Southern and Pellet with originating the NPL concept.[1]

Splatman

Splatman was an Auckland commercial paintball operator associated with Dave Pellet and the original National Paintball League.

The historical NPL account identifies Splatman as operating four Auckland paintball fields when the league began in 1997.[1]

Splatman was one of three commercial field operators participating in the inaugural competition.

Southern's work with Pellet connected him to this network of Auckland paintball operations.

Although the historical account associates the NPL's two founders with Splatman, the surviving sources do not establish Southern's exact employment, ownership or management position within the commercial business.

His independently documented position was director of the National Paintball League.

National Paintball League

Development of the league

During 1996, Southern and Pellet developed a proposal to establish a coordinated national paintball league.

Their plan sought to bring existing major tournaments into a common competition structure while creating regular opportunities for developing teams.

The league was also intended to improve the administration and consistency of tournament paintball.

A historical account published by Mercenaries Star identifies Southern and Pellet as the originators of the organisation.[1]

The original introductory letter was circulated in December 1996 in preparation for the inaugural 1997 season.

Southern signed the document as the league's director.[2]

Introductory letter

The original NPL introductory letter, titled Welcome to the New Zealand National Paintball League, survives in the Mercenaries Star archive.[2]

The document outlined the league's objectives and invited teams to participate in the inaugural season.

It identified three principal priorities:

Improving the professional standard of tournament organisation.
Coordinating existing New Zealand paintball tournaments to assist with the promotion of the sport.
Developing professional and consistent refereeing standards to improve the general standard of competition.

The letter also emphasised cooperation between tournament organisers and the development of a more unified competitive paintball community.

Southern's stated ambition was to make 1997 a significant year for the national development of paintball.

The document concluded with his name and title:

Ian Southern — New Zealand NPL Director, 1997.

The original entry deadline was 10 February 1997.

The introductory letter is one of the earliest surviving documents establishing Southern's direct involvement in organised New Zealand tournament paintball.

Independence from commercial interests

An important feature of Southern's original NPL proposal was the intended separation of the league's administration from individual commercial paintball businesses.

The introductory letter stated that the NPL would not operate as an equipment retailer or promote particular paintball manufacturers, brands or commercial playing fields.[2]

The document also explained that the organisation did not intend to sell markers, accessories or paintballs outside tournament operations.

This position was notable because the practical operation of New Zealand tournaments depended heavily on commercial field operators.

Southern's stated approach was therefore to establish an organisation that could cooperate with businesses providing playing facilities while maintaining a separate competition identity.

The surviving letter documents this as an objective of the proposed league rather than proof of any particular legal or financial structure.

Founding field operators

Three commercial paintball operators initially participated in the NPL:

Operator	Location	Fields
Splatman	Auckland	4
Strategy Tag	Whangārei	1
Actions Paintball Sports Arena	Auckland	1

The participating businesses agreed to provide playing facilities for scheduled tournament competition.[1]

The league used a rotating arrangement under which participating fields hosted teams during the competition season.

The aim was to distribute the financial and organisational burden associated with tournament play between field operators.

Commercial operators generally received greater revenue from recreational customer groups than from regular tournament players, who could occupy fields for substantial periods.

The rotating system was designed to reduce the commercial disadvantage to individual field operators while supporting the establishment of regular competitive paintball.

Two-division competition structure

The NPL began in 1997 with two competition divisions.

First Division incorporated established major tournament events, while Second Division offered regular competition for newer and developing teams.

The league's historical account and original Second Division information sheet document how the two divisions were intended to operate.[1][3]

First Division

First Division incorporated major tournaments already established or being introduced to the New Zealand competition calendar.

These included:

New Zealand Paintball Nationals
Queen's Birthday tournament
Northland Open

First Division tournaments were generally scheduled approximately three months apart.

The major events provided competition for established teams from different regions of New Zealand.

Teams competing in Second Division were also encouraged to enter First Division events for additional experience.

However, Second Division entries could not win the First Division championship, and their performances in those tournaments did not contribute to their Second Division standings.

The arrangement was intended to preserve a distinction between established tournament teams and newer competitive players.

Second Division

Second Division was designed to introduce developing and recreational players to regular organised tournament paintball.

The competition followed a round-robin format in which teams were assigned to different participating commercial fields.

Games were scheduled during two months of each three-month period, with the remaining month allocated to a First Division tournament.

The inaugural season comprised six scheduled rounds.

1997 NPL Second Division schedule
Round	Month
1	February
2	March
3	May
4	June
5	August
6	September

Competition days were scheduled for the second Sunday of each designated month.[3]

The championship-winning team was to receive 10,000 paintballs and the title of New Zealand NPL Second Division Champions.

The programme created opportunities for developing teams to participate in a structured season rather than relying exclusively on occasional independent tournaments.

Competition rules and administration

The original Second Division information sheet contained detailed rules governing team registration and tournament participation.[3]

The league adopted rules derived from the Australian Paintball Players League (APPL).

Teams were required to field at least four players in each game, with additional reserve players permitted.

Games used an elimination format and were played on speedball fields operated by the participating commercial venues.

The rules did not impose a limit on the number of paintballs used during a game.

Team captains were responsible for player conduct, understanding competition rules and raising disputes with the head marshal.

Only the captain was authorised to discuss disputes with the head marshal.

The use of consistent competition procedures supported the objectives set out in Southern's introductory letter.

Membership and tournament fees

Second Division required individual player registration with the National Paintball League.

The original information sheet specified:

Item	Fee
Individual NPL membership	NZ$10 per player
Team field fee	NZ$30 per competition day
Paintballs	NZ$0.12 per ball

Each player was required to complete a registration and indemnity form.

The team field fee contributed towards refereeing and event administration costs.

Captains were advised to order paintballs in advance of competition days.

The league also planned to provide team information packs containing competition rules, field maps, contact details and game schedules.

These administrative arrangements reflected Southern and Pellet's broader objective of formalising tournament competition.

Player development

The original NPL structure provided a pathway between recreational paintball and established tournament competition.

The Mercenaries Star historical account records that a number of new teams formed during the league's operation.[1]

Some existing First Division teams established or adopted affiliated Second Division squads.

These additional teams provided opportunities for newer players to develop their skills and potentially progress into established tournament lineups.

The system enabled participating players to compete regularly against different opponents while gaining experience with organised rules and refereeing.

The historical account credits the NPL with introducing a number of players in the Auckland and Whangārei tournament communities to structured competition.

Administration and later history

Inaugural directorship

Southern's position as NPL director is independently documented by the original introductory letter signed for the 1997 season.[2]

The document establishes his leadership role in the league's formation and public promotion.

The surviving sources do not provide a complete register of NPL officials or identify all of Southern's responsibilities during each tournament.

It is therefore not possible to determine from the published records whether he personally officiated at events, managed financial administration or organised individual tournament venues.

His documented contribution was as co-originator of the league and its inaugural director.

Relationship with Dave Pellet

Dave Pellet was Southern's collaborator in developing the original NPL.

Pellet was associated with Splatman, one of the principal commercial paintball operators participating in the league's inaugural season.

The historical account preserved by Mercenaries Star attributes the founding concept to both individuals rather than identifying one as the sole founder.[1]

Southern's surviving introductory letter documents his role in presenting the proposal to the paintball community.

Pellet's involvement was associated with the development of the organisation and the participation of commercial playing fields.

The precise division of responsibilities between the two men has not been established.

Reorganisation after 1999

The original two-division NPL structure operated until 1999.

According to Mercenaries Star's retrospective account, the organisation eventually lost the support of its participating commercial field operators.[1]

The work involved in maintaining regular competitions and administering the league proved difficult to sustain.

Following the withdrawal of the original operators, Kyn Jackson of Actions Paintball Sports Arena assumed responsibility for the remaining NPL administration.

Jackson discontinued Second Division.

The surviving First Division continued primarily as an association of established tournaments operating under a common name.

The available historical account does not identify Southern's individual role in the final administrative changes or establish precisely when he ceased participating in the organisation.

Subsequent activities

The surviving paintball-specific sources document Southern's involvement in the establishment and inaugural administration of the NPL.

His subsequent tournament, commercial or sporting activities have not been established from contemporary paintball records.

The historical accounts available for this period concentrate on the league and its competition structure rather than Southern's personal career outside its formation.

Contribution to New Zealand paintball

Southern's principal documented contribution to New Zealand paintball was the establishment of the original National Paintball League alongside Dave Pellet.

The league represented an attempt to connect independent tournament organisers, commercial playing fields and players through a coordinated national structure.

Its objectives included improving the standard of refereeing, coordinating tournament schedules and providing competitive opportunities for newer players.

The separation of First and Second Divisions also created a developmental structure that allowed newer teams to participate in regular competitions while established teams continued to attend major events.

Southern's original introductory letter provides direct evidence of the organisers' ambitions and their understanding of the difficulties facing tournament paintball in New Zealand during the 1990s.

Although the two-division structure ended in 1999, the NPL was part of the development of organised tournament paintball before later leagues and tournament-registration systems emerged.

The original National Paintball League should be distinguished from the New Zealand Paintball Players League (NZPPL), which operated during the 2010s. No direct organisational continuity between the two leagues has been established.

Historical documentation

Original NPL introductory letter

The principal surviving primary source identifying Southern is the introductory letter circulated in December 1996 and preserved by Mercenaries Star.

The document is signed by Southern as New Zealand NPL Director, 1997.

It outlines the objectives of the proposed organisation and the deadline for team registrations.

Mercenaries Star league history

The retrospective article The Rise and Fall of the New Zealand National Paintball League identifies Southern and Dave Pellet as the originators of the league.

It provides details of the founding field operators, the league's competition structure and its subsequent reorganisation.

The article also records the development of affiliated teams and the role of Second Division in introducing players to tournament paintball.

Second Division information sheet

The original Second Division tournament information sheet preserves details of the league's inaugural competition structure.

It includes scheduled rounds, team registration procedures, competition rules, fees and prizes.

Although the document does not independently identify Southern as its author, it provides direct evidence of the competition introduced during his inaugural year as league director.

Historical significance

Ian Southern was one of the organisers involved in establishing structured national paintball competition in New Zealand during the 1990s.

His work with Dave Pellet brought together commercial field operators and established tournaments under the original National Paintball League.

The league's stated objectives demonstrate an emphasis on professional tournament administration, cooperation between regional organisers and the development of refereeing standards.

Its two-division format also recognised the need to support developing players and teams rather than concentrating exclusively on established national competitions.

Southern's surviving 1996 introductory letter is an important primary document in the history of organised New Zealand paintball.

It records an early effort to develop paintball as a nationally coordinated competitive sport.

References

The Rise and Fall of the New Zealand National Paintball League. Mercenaries Star. Retrospective history identifying Ian Southern and Dave Pellet as founders, the participating commercial operators, league structure and the changes following 1999.
Welcome to the New Zealand National Paintball League. Original introductory letter circulated in December 1996, signed by Ian Southern, New Zealand NPL Director, 1997.
New Zealand National Paintball League – Division Two Tournament Information. Original competition information sheet detailing the 1997 schedule, rules, fees, registration procedures and championship prize.
Annual Tournament Events. Mercenaries Star, 2001. Historical tournament calendar identifying the original NPL as defunct by 2001.

External links