Editing 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 '''[[New Zealand Paintball Nationals|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]

{| class="wikitable"
! 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]

{| class="wikitable"
! 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 ==

{| class="wikitable"
! 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]

{| class="wikitable"
! 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]

== See also ==

* [[Paintball in New Zealand]]
* [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
* [[Northland Open]]
* [[New Zealand Paintball Players League]]
* [[Valhalla National Rankings]]
* [[Wellington Hybrid]]

== References ==

# [https://web.archive.org/web/20011020080141fw_/http://www.blacksun.co.nz/phoenix/news.htm Phoenix — contemporary team news and tournament reports, 1999–2001. Archived 20 October 2001.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020206094854fw_/http://www.blacksun.co.nz/phoenix/roster.htm Phoenix — team roster, undated. Archived 6 February 2002.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020613133336/http://www.paintball.co.nz/nats00.htm Rob Maddox, The 2000 Two Day NZ Nationals Tournament, Paintball.co.nz. Archived 13 June 2002.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20011217012758/http://www.paintball.co.nz/north2001.htm Rob Maddox, The 2001 Northland Paintball Open, Paintball.co.nz. Archived 17 December 2001.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20011217030354fw_/http://www.blacksun.co.nz/phoenix/history.htm Phoenix — tournament history summary. Archived 17 December 2001.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020806192513/http://www.paintball.co.nz/nats01.htm Rob Maddox, The 2001 Two Day NZ Nationals Tournament, Paintball.co.nz. Archived 6 August 2002.]
# [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100034777492278 Phoenix — team Facebook page.]
# [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/VALHALLA/2001Hall.htm Mercenaries Star — 2001 Valhalla National Rankings.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20130207171540/http://paintball.net.nz/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3014 Rosey, Team Phoenix — Looking for Players, NZ P8NT, 15 and 21 December 2010. Archived 7 February 2013.]
# [https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.466101656738181&type=3 Phoenix — 2012 NZPPL Event 2 photograph album.]
# [https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.429421957072818&type=3 Phoenix — NZPPL Event#1 Lock and Load Auckland photograph album.]
# [https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.389163424432005&type=3 Phoenix — Ryan Greenspan training photograph album.]

== External links ==

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20011216045903/http://www.blacksun.co.nz/phoenix/ Archived original Phoenix website]
* [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100034777492278 Phoenix on Facebook]
* [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100034777492278&sk=photos_albums Phoenix photograph albums]

[[Category:New Zealand paintball teams]]
[[Category:New Zealand paintball history]]