Editing Tom Cole (section)

== Tournament administration ==

=== National Professional Paintball League ===

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 ===

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]