Editing Ainsley Baddeley (section)

== Paintball career ==

=== Early involvement ===

Baddeley began playing paintball recreationally in woodland environments during the late 1990s.

In a 2019 interview with Paintball.shop, he recalled beginning his paintball career more than twenty years earlier and becoming interested in the sport through regular woodland games with friends.[1]

He subsequently moved into competitive tournament paintball.

His early competitive activities included participation in British tournaments and events on the [[Millennium Series]] European circuit.

=== Formation of the Lucky 15s ===

Baddeley founded the [[Lucky 15s]], a British tournament paintball team established in 2008.[2]

The team's name originated from a successful accumulator bet placed at the Cheltenham horse races.

According to Baddeley, he won approximately €4,000 from a small wager and used the proceeds to purchase matching equipment for his paintball-playing friends.[1]

The team's official history similarly describes the winnings as approximately £3,500 from a £6 bet.[2]

The name Lucky 15s referred to the type of horse-racing bet that funded the team's initial equipment.

The team adopted a horse emblem and green colours associated with the winning bet.

Baddeley initially played alongside the team before becoming increasingly involved in its management and development.

=== Development of the team ===

The Lucky 15s progressed from recreational and domestic competition into the higher divisions of British and European tournament paintball.

In August 2011, [[Planet Eclipse]] published an article describing Baddeley as the team's leader and highlighting its development despite limited sponsorship.[5]

The team subsequently competed in the Millennium Series and its successor, [[NXL Europe]].

By 2018, the Lucky 15s had earned promotion to the professional division of European tournament competition.[2]

Baddeley remained involved as the team's owner and coach, focusing on player development, recruitment and long-term competitiveness.

=== Player development ===

Baddeley developed a team structure intended to support progression from younger or less experienced players into the first team.

In his 2019 interview, he explained that the Lucky 15s established a second squad to create opportunities for developing players and provide replacements as established players retired or left the team.[1]

The two squads trained together, allowing newer players to gain experience alongside more established competitors.

Baddeley described this approach as a deliberate attempt to create a sustainable team rather than relying exclusively on an existing group of experienced players.

The team's competitive history and results are covered separately in the [[Lucky 15s]] article.