Wellington Phoenix (paintball team)

Wellington Phoenix was a competitive paintball team based in Wellington, New Zealand. The team's contemporary website records tournament participation as Cannon Fodder in 1999 and adoption of the Phoenix name on 19 March 2000.[1] Phoenix competed in several tournament formats during 2000–2001, while later recruitment notices and photograph albums document activity during 2009–2012.[9][10][11]

History

Cannon Fodder, 1999–2000

The team's website records its first tournament as a Kāpiti three-player competition in 1999, entered under the name Cannon Fodder. The team finished second, reporting wins against Warp Speed, Kapiti Assassins, Kiwi Extreme and one House Steiner entry.[1]

Cannon Fodder subsequently entered two squads in the Hawke's Bay Triples in February 2000.[1]

On 19 March 2000, members attending a practice with House Steiner and Warp Speed agreed to adopt the name Phoenix, following a name and logo suggestion from Peter “RePete” Hamilton. The group's 1999 beginnings and its adoption of the Phoenix name in March 2000 are therefore distinct milestones.[1]

Tournament competition, 2000

Phoenix finished fourth at the South Pacific Championships, held at Thunderball Adventure Games in Wellington on 22–23 April 2000.[1]

Later that year, Phoenix won the five-player Wellington Cup. The team's report names Tag n' Release, Vipers and Fullboar as the other finalists and credits House Steiner with refereeing.[1]

At the 2000 New Zealand Paintball Nationals, held on 21–22 October at Actions Paintball in Swanson, Phoenix scored 680 preliminary points and finished second in the Second Division, behind Tag n' Release.[3]

The team's Nationals report credits RP Scherer/RPS and Paintball Supply NZ with sponsorship, Wayne Hilliam of Lynx Custom with equipment support, and Thunderball Adventure Games as its home field.[1]

Tournament competition, 2001

Phoenix entered three squads in the Hawke's Bay Triples in February 2001. Phoenix Red finished second, Phoenix Grey third and Phoenix Orange eighth.[1][5]

At the Northland Open on 25 February 2001, held at Jubilee Park in Whangārei, Phoenix finished third overall with 730 points. The team used an eight-player rotation, including guest player Willy Aull.[1][4]

The team's history page records fourth place at the 2001 South Pacific Championships and fifth in the First Division at the Volcanic Rotorua tournament.[5]

Phoenix did not reach the divisional finals at the 2001 New Zealand Paintball Nationals, recording 695 preliminary points.[6]

Break and return, 2005–2011

In a recruitment notice posted on 15 December 2010, a team representative using the name Rosey described Phoenix as having begun in 1999. The notice stated that most core members took a break in 2005, while some remaining players joined Wellington Hybrid and played X-Ball in Australia.[9]

According to the same account, Phoenix returned to competition at Ace's High in Palmerston North in 2009 and attended the Rotorua Queen's Birthday event and North Shore Paintball's GAO in 2010. These details are the team's retrospective account.[9]

The notice sought two or three additional players, particularly for back and middle positions. A subsequent post announced training for 9 January 2011; it did not provide a complete roster.[9]

Documented activity in 2012

The team's Facebook page states that Phoenix was established in 1999.[7] Its public photograph albums include NZPPL Event#1 Lock and Load Auckland and 2012 NZPPL Event 2, documenting later activity associated with the New Zealand Paintball Players League.[10][11]

The Event 2 album contains 84 images and credits Kelsey for the photography.[10] These albums do not establish a complete playing roster or verified final placings.

A separate album, Ryan Greenspan training, contains three images. Its publicly documented material does not establish the training date, location or participating team members.[12]

The shared name and Wellington association connect these records to the team's published history, but the available material does not establish an unchanged membership between the early squads and the team documented in 2012.

Historical squads and roster

2000 Nationals squad

The team's contemporary Nationals report names eight travelling players:[1]

Ryan Pike
Peter Hamilton
Jeremy Hooper
Adon Upjohn
Mark Waddell
Glen Webber
Mark Candy
Evan Lewis

Margaret “Megz” Hamilton is separately credited with photography, video, scheduling and team support, rather than listed as a playing squad member.[1]

Hawke's Bay Triples squads, February 2001

The event report uses several nicknames that are identified on the team's roster page.[1][2]

Squad	Named players	Placing
Phoenix Red	Peter “RePete” Hamilton; Jeremy “Goat” Hooper; Danny Connery	2nd
Phoenix Grey	Ryan “Rabbit” Pike; Mark “Ogre” Waddell; Mark “Candyman” Candy	3rd
Phoenix Orange	Adon Upjohn; Glen Webber; Chris; Shane [R]	8th

The source does not securely establish full names for Orange's Chris and Shane [R].[1]

Northland Open squad, 25 February 2001

The team's account names the following eight-player rotation:[1][2][4]

Peter Hamilton
Mark Candy
Adon Upjohn
Jeremy Hooper
Evan Lewis
Willy Aull
Mark Waddell
Ryan Pike

Rob Maddox's tournament report explicitly identifies House Steiner player Willy Aull as a guest playing for Phoenix at this event.[4]

Website roster preserved in February 2002

An undated roster page survives in a 6 February 2002 archive capture. The capture date does not establish when the roster was compiled or that every listed person played together at a particular event.[2]

Player	Nickname	Leadership or support role explicitly listed
Ryan Pike	Rabbit	Captain
Peter Hamilton	RePete	Vice-captain
Wayne Hilliam	Link	Coach, player and airsmith
Grant McNeil	Bookie	—
Shane Grant	El Diablo	—
Mark Waddell	Ogre	—
Jeremy Hooper	Goat	—
Adon Upjohn	Cyclops	—
Glen Webber	—	—
Mark Candy	Candyman	—
Danny Connery	—	—

A separate section lists Evan “Forest” Lewis and James Courtenay among people who had played with the team. They are not presented as additional members of the main roster above.[2]

These historical lists do not establish Phoenix's membership in later seasons.

Tournament results

Year	Competition	Squad or classification	Recorded result	Source
1999	Kāpiti three-player tournament	Cannon Fodder	2nd	[1]
2000	South Pacific Championships	Phoenix	4th	[1]
2000	Wellington Cup	Five-player	1st	[1]
2000	New Zealand Paintball Nationals	Second Division	2nd; 680 preliminary points	[3]
2001	Hawke's Bay Triples	Phoenix Red	2nd	[1][5]
2001	Hawke's Bay Triples	Phoenix Grey	3rd	[1][5]
2001	Hawke's Bay Triples	Phoenix Orange	8th	[1][5]
2001	Northland Open	Overall	3rd; 730 points	[4]
2001	South Pacific Championships	Phoenix	4th	[5]
2001	Volcanic Rotorua tournament	First Division	5th	[5]
2001	New Zealand Paintball Nationals	Preliminary round	695 points; did not reach finals	[6]
2012	NZPPL Event 1	—	Activity documented by team photograph album; placing not established	[11]
2012	NZPPL Event 2	—	Activity documented by team photograph album; placing not established	[10]

Valhalla national rankings, 2001

The Valhalla National Rankings recorded Phoenix entries separately by format and squad.[8]

Format	Entry	National ranking
Seven-player	Phoenix (WGN) Red	7th
Five-player	Phoenix (WGN)	5th
Three-player	Phoenix (WGN) Red	8th
Three-player	Phoenix (WGN) Grey	9th
Three-player	Phoenix (WGN) Orange	15th

These are calculated national rankings, not finishing positions at a single tournament.[8]

References

External links