Tom Cole
Tom Cole, also known as Tommy Cole, is an American former professional paintball player, team captain and tournament executive. He is best known for leading Bad Company, serving as president of the National Professional Paintball League (NPPL) and subsequently becoming president of the National Xball League (NXL) in 2015.[1][2]
Cole is also president and chief executive officer of Major League Paintball (MLPB), the organisation overseeing the modern NXL and related tournament competitions.[3]
He was included in the inaugural class of the Iconic Paintball Hall of Icons in 2023.[4]
Playing career
[edit]Bad Company
[edit]Cole began playing paintball in 1986 and spent his competitive career with Bad Company, an American professional tournament team.[1]
He became the team's captain and was associated with its development during the 1990s and early 2000s.
Bad Company competed in major American tournaments, including the NPPL series and Paintball World Cup.
The team was particularly associated with Kingman International and its Spyder paintball markers. During a period when many professional teams used substantially more expensive equipment, Bad Company demonstrated that competitive results could be achieved with relatively inexpensive blowback markers.
At the 2001 NPPL Chicago Open, Bad Company defeated established professional opponents including the Ironmen and Lockout during preliminary competition. Contemporary reporting noted that most of the team's players were using Spyder markers equipped with Centerflag electronic trigger systems.[5]
At the 2001 NPPL World Cup, Bad Company reached the professional ten-player final round and finished fourth.
During the awards ceremony, Cole highlighted the team's use of Kingman Spyder Xtra markers.[6]
In April 2002, Bad Company finished second in the professional division at the Beyond 2002 tournament in Miami, Florida, behind Strange.[7]
Cole remained the team's captain during the 2002 NPPL season. Contemporary professional rosters included players such as JC Whittington, Jason Andre, Gary Arbaugh and Steve Pisek.[8]
He was still competing as Bad Company's captain at the inaugural NPPL Super 7 tournament in Huntington Beach in February 2003.[9]
Player development
[edit]Cole was also involved in developing professional players through Bad Company.
The team provided early professional opportunities for JC Whittington, Jason Andre and Wayne Davis, who subsequently competed for other established professional organisations.
Iconic Paintball has recognised Cole's communication and leadership skills as important features of his playing career.[4]
Tournament administration
[edit]National Professional Paintball League
[edit]Cole became involved in the administration of the NPPL during the 1990s, when the league was organised around professional teams seeking greater influence over tournament rules and conditions.
He was serving as NPPL president by 2000.
At the inaugural Spyder Cup, held at Three Rivers Paintball in Pennsylvania on 27–28 May 2000, Cole advised organisers on field layouts and tournament scheduling.
Bad Company was among the professional teams providing referees for the competition.[10]
On 12–13 January 2001, Cole participated in NPPL organisational meetings in Las Vegas, representing the league as president.
The meetings addressed tournament safety, judging, costs, sponsorship, league governance and the relationship between professional teams and tournament promoters.
Cole presented attendance research based on historical tournament records, documenting the growth of NPPL events between 1998 and 2000.[11]
During the 2001 season, he was reaffirmed as president while the league attempted to re-establish its governance arrangements.
Cole resigned later that year and was succeeded by Chuck Hendsch, who subsequently established a new NPPL corporate organisation.[12]
United States Paintball League
[edit]Following the financial collapse of the NPPL Super 7 organisation in 2008, Cole became involved with the proposed United States Paintball League (USPL).
In January 2009, contemporary reporting identified him as the new competition's intended ultimate judge.
The USPL was organised around professional teams seeking to continue national seven-player competition following the closure of the previous league.[13]
National Xball League
[edit]2015 revival
[edit]In 2015, Cole became president of the revived National Xball League following the suspension of the national tournament programme operated by Paintball Sports Promotions (PSP).
The new NXL adopted professional and amateur X-Ball competition alongside traditional five-player, ten-player and pump-marker divisions.
In an April 2015 interview, Cole identified tournament costs as a concern and outlined plans to improve efficiency and provide more affordable entry options for amateur competitors.[14]
The revived league held its first event, the NXL Great Lakes Open, at Victory Park in North Ridgeville, Ohio, on 5–7 June 2015.
The inaugural season also included the Mid-Atlantic Open and the NXL World Cup in Florida.[15]
Cole continued leading the NXL as it expanded its domestic competition programme and developed relationships with regional tournament organisations.
Major League Paintball
[edit]Cole subsequently became president and chief executive officer of Major League Paintball, the umbrella organisation associated with the NXL and its related competitions.
By 2023, MLPB was overseeing the NXL's international development, including NXL Europe.
The organisation announced an expanded European programme for 2023 under Cole's leadership, with competitions in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and France.[16]
As of 2026, Cole remained listed as president and chief executive officer of Major League Paintball and president of the NXL.[2][3]
Paintball industry career
[edit]Cole has also held commercial roles within the paintball equipment industry.
He was associated with the operation of the Bad Company paintball store and worked for Kingman International, the manufacturer of Spyder markers.
His responsibilities at Kingman included business development and sales.[1][17]
These activities complemented his involvement in professional tournament competition and league administration.
Recognition
[edit]Cole was inducted into the inaugural Iconic Paintball Hall of Icons class, officially identified as the Class of 2023.
His individual profile in the induction archive is labelled as a 2022 inductee, although the official programme identifies 2023 as its inaugural class.
The recognition highlighted his contributions as Bad Company captain, his work in player representation and his subsequent leadership of the NXL.[4]
Selected career milestones
[edit]| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1986 | Began playing paintball |
| 2000 | Documented as NPPL president |
| 2001 | Captained Bad Company to fourth place at the NPPL World Cup |
| 2001 | Resigned as NPPL president |
| 2002 | Captained Bad Company to second place at Beyond 2002 |
| 2009 | Named as intended ultimate judge for the USPL |
| 2015 | Became president of the revived National Xball League |
| 2023 | Included in the inaugural Iconic Paintball Hall of Icons class |
See also
[edit]- Bad Company (American paintball team)
- National Professional Paintball League
- National Xball League
- Major League Paintball
- Kingman International
- Spyder
- JC Whittington
- Chuck Hendsch
- Iconic Paintball Hall of Icons
References
[edit]- Paintball Nerd, "Fun Five Interview with Tom Cole", 25 February 2023. Interview covering Cole's playing career, Bad Company and Kingman International.
- National Xball League, "About Us". Official league leadership listing.
- Major League Paintball, "Leadership". Official listing identifying Cole as president and CEO.
- Iconic Paintball, "Hall of Icons: Class of 2023". Official induction profile documenting Cole's career and recognition.
- WARPIG, "NPPL Chicago Open 2001", June 2001. Contemporary coverage of Bad Company's performances and Spyder equipment.
- WARPIG, Bill Mills, "NPPL World Cup 2001", October 2001. Professional results and Cole's comments about the team's Spyder markers.
- WARPIG, "Beyond 2002", 12–14 April 2002. Contemporary tournament report documenting Bad Company's second-place professional finish.
- WARPIG, "NPPL 2002 Professional Rosters". Bad Company roster identifying Cole as captain.
- WARPIG, "NPPL Huntington Beach 2003", 7–9 February 2003. Contemporary coverage identifying Cole as Bad Company captain.
- WARPIG, Bill Mills, "Kingman Spyder Cup", 27–28 May 2000. Report documenting Cole's tournament planning role and NPPL presidency.
- WARPIG, Bill Mills, "NPPL 2001 Season Organizational Meeting", January 2001. Contemporary account of league governance and Cole's participation.
- WARPIG, Bill Mills, "NPPL to be Liquidated", 2 December 2008. Retrospective account of NPPL governance and Cole's resignation.
- WARPIG, Bill Mills, "US Paintball League Seeks to Fill Gap Left by NPPL", January 2009.
- PBHub, "Interview with Tom Cole of the NXL", 11 April 2015. Archived interview originally published on PB Nation, covering the revived NXL.
- Paintball Media, John Amodea, "The New NXL: Everything You Need To Know", 1 May 2015.
- National Xball League, "The NXL Europe Season Preview, New Growth through the Major League of Paintball", 7 April 2023.
- SportsTravel Magazine, "Of Sports, By Sports, For Sports", 2020. Professional biography covering Cole's previous industry and tournament roles.