Syrian Suicide Squad

Syrian Suicide Squad (SSS) was an Auckland-based amateur paintball team active in New Zealand during the 1990s. The team participated in regional paintball activities and the New Zealand Paintball Nationals, with its results appearing in contemporary tournament records and the Valhalla National Rankings.[1][2]

History

Syrian Suicide Squad was part of Auckland's competitive paintball community during the 1990s.

Paintball writer Neil M. Harris described Syrian Suicide Squad as a well-known Auckland amateur team in his article The Lone Gunman: Memoir of a Big Day Out. The account mentions the team's presence at a paintball gathering held at Splat Attack Paintball in Silverdale on 25 April, although the event year has not been conclusively established.[1]

The team also competed in organised tournaments during the period when New Zealand's competitive paintball scene was developing its national league structure.

1997 New Zealand Nationals

Syrian Suicide Squad competed at the 1997 New Zealand Paintball Nationals, held on 25–26 October at Actions Paintball Sports Arena in Te Atatū, Auckland.

The tournament featured 11 teams competing in a five-player centre-flag format.

According to the contemporary tournament results documented by Rob Maddox, Syrian Suicide Squad finished ninth overall with 422 points.[2]

The team also appears in the retrospective 1997 standings preserved by the Valhalla National Rankings database.[3]

1999 Re-organisation and Reformation

The SSS was finally folded in 1998, when the team made the decision to go Semi-professional. The team was offered sponsyrship by Kyn 'Action' Jackson and David Pellet. Not all of the team were keen to go professional and some members dropped out (Tim and Jakie Coates), and some new members joined. The sponsorship came with strings. The name was deemed too close to offensive, and the team was re-formed as Phoenix. This should not be confused with the Wellington based 'Team Phoenix" formed in 1999.

Players

Neil M. Harris founded the Syrian Suicide Squad with Tim Coates and Dirk Koorrneef. has been identified through retrospective participant testimony as a member of Syrian Suicide Squad.

Harris was also associated with Mercenaries Star, an early New Zealand paintball information website that preserved tournament results, rankings, calendars and historical records.[4]

Patrick DiCamillo

David Armstrong

Kelvin Geen

Kirk Koornneef

Matt

Tim Coates

Jackie Coates

Later history

The team's precise establishment date and final period of activity are not documented in the currently available sources. Its involvement beyond the 1990s requires further verification.

References

Neil M. Harris, The Lone Gunman: Memoir of a Big Day Out, historical New Zealand paintball account, previously recovered in WikiPaintball research.
Rob Maddox, 1997 New Zealand Paintball Nationals, contemporary tournament report originally published through Paintball.co.nz, transcription preserved in WikiPaintball historical research, October 2026.
Mercenaries Star - Valhalla Hall of Heroes, 1997.
Mercenaries Star - Archived New Zealand paintball information website.

External links

Valhalla 1997 national rankings