Michael Earley
Michael Earley (born 1984), also known as MikeE, is a New Zealand paintball player, tournament organiser, former paintball industry professional and sporting administrator. Active in the sport since the late 1990s, he has been involved in competitive paintball, club development, commercial field operations and tournament organisation in New Zealand, Asia, the United States and Europe.
Earley was involved in organising New Zealand's early international paintball participation through Team Kiwi, helped establish the South Auckland Paintball Club and its tournament series, and founded SD Pump Crew in Southern California. His professional career in paintball included positions with Lock N Load Paintball, Asylum Paintball and Giant Sportz, including work at Giant San Diego, SC Village and Hollywood Sports Park.
Since 2024, Earley has been based in Malta, where he has supported the development of Malta Paintball and its international competitive programme.
| Full name | Michael James Earley |
|---|---|
| Also known as | MikeE |
| Born | 1984 |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Residence | Gozo, Malta |
| Sport | Paintball |
| Disciplines | Speedball, X-Ball, pump paintball |
| Occupations | Paintball player, tournament organiser, referee, industry professional |
| Teams | Team Insane, Team Kiwi, Phoenix Tahiti, SD Crush, SD Pump Crew |
| Founded or co-founded | South Auckland Paintball Club, SD Pump Crew |
| Associated organisations | New Zealand Paintball Association, Malta Paintball |
| Former employers | Lock N Load Paintball, Asylum Paintball, Giant Sportz |
| First tournament | 2000 |
| Years active | Late 1990s–present |
Early career in New Zealand
Commando One Paintball
Earley began playing paintball as a teenager in New Zealand during the late 1990s.
He subsequently worked at Commando One Paintball, operated by Rob Tapper at Whangārata, near Tuakau, south of Auckland.
His early responsibilities included refereeing recreational games and assisting with field operations.
This was Earley's introduction to the commercial paintball industry, preceding his later work in tournament organisation and field management.
Team Insane
Earley began competing in tournament paintball in 2000.
He played for Team Insane, a New Zealand team active during the early 2000s.
His early tournament appearances included the 2001 Northland Open and competitions in Rotorua.
During this period, he became involved in New Zealand's developing competitive paintball community, which consisted largely of independent teams, field-operated tournaments and regional competitions.
Team Kiwi and international competition
Malaysia 2004
Earley was involved in organising Team Kiwi, a New Zealand delegation that travelled to Malaysia for an international paintball tournament in 2004.
The event was held at Xtion Paintball in Kuala Lumpur.
Earley assisted with selecting and organising the New Zealand delegation and travelled with the team.
At the tournament, he served as a referee on Field 2 and assisted with commentary rather than competing as a player.
Team Kiwi finished fifth in the competition.
In January 2005, Earley published an account of the delegation's participation, describing the tournament, the New Zealand team's involvement and discussions with Malaysian paintball representatives.[1]
The visit also included contact with members of the Malaysian paintball community concerning international competition and the development of organised paintball.
Asia Pacific Championship 2005
Earley returned to Malaysia in 2005 for the Asia Pacific Paintball Championship.
The New Zealand group included Peter Mumby, Gavin Mumby and Jason Newport.
The tournament began on 30 September 2005 at Xtion Paintball in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.
The trip continued Earley's involvement in international paintball between New Zealand and Malaysia.
Later Asian competition
Earley subsequently participated in tournaments associated with the Paintball Asia League Series and other Asian competitions.
His international playing experience included appearances with Phoenix Tahiti, a team from French Polynesia competing in the regional tournament circuit.
He also participated in the Malaysian Nations Cup in 2008.
During 2012–2014, Earley lived in Thailand and participated in the Bangkok competitive paintball community, including training at Expressway Paintball Club.
Paintball administration in New Zealand
New Zealand Paintball Association
Earley was involved in the New Zealand Paintball Association and efforts to develop a more formal organisational structure for the sport.
His work included engagement with regulatory issues affecting paintball in New Zealand, particularly the treatment of paintball markers, firing modes and compressed-air equipment.
He also worked with other members of the New Zealand paintball community on matters concerning national representation and international participation.
His activities formed part of broader efforts to establish paintball as an organised competitive sport rather than solely a recreational activity.
South Auckland Paintball Club
Earley was a founder of the South Auckland Paintball Club (SAPC), established to support regular competitive paintball participation in the Auckland region.
The club organised training opportunities and competitive events for local players.
SAPC became associated with the South Auckland Paintball Club Race Series, which was hosted at Asylum Paintball.
The series provided local tournament opportunities using the race-format style of competitive speedball.
A March 2014 press release published by Scoop identified Asylum Paintball as the host of the South Auckland Paintball Club Race Series.[2]
The club's activities complemented the national tournament calendar and provided opportunities for teams to compete without travelling outside Auckland.
Tournament organisation and refereeing
Earley was involved in organising and officiating paintball competitions in New Zealand.
His activities included tournament administration, event promotion, refereeing and head-referee responsibilities.
He also supported competitive player development through club-level events and access to tournament facilities.
New Zealand paintball industry
Lock N Load Paintball
Earley worked with Lock N Load Paintball, a commercial paintball facility near Auckland Airport.
Between December 2011 and August 2012, he worked as a marketing and operations consultant for Butterfly Creek and Lock N Load Paintball.
His responsibilities included marketing, operational development and supporting paintball activities at the facility.
The venue was listed in the WARPIG international paintball field directory in April 2012.[3]
Asylum Paintball
Earley served as Marketing Director of Asylum Paintball in Auckland from November 2013 to December 2015.
Asylum operated at the former Kingseat Hospital complex near Auckland.
His responsibilities included marketing, communications, tournament promotion and supporting the development of competitive paintball at the venue.
Asylum hosted events associated with the New Zealand Paintball Players League (NZPPL) and the South Auckland Paintball Club Race Series.
In March 2014, a press release published by Scoop quoted Earley as Asylum Paintball's spokesperson concerning the release of video coverage of the 2013 NZPPL series final.[2]
The release also identified Asylum as the host venue for the South Auckland Paintball Club Race Series and two NZPPL events.
Earley's work at Asylum included promoting competitive paintball to audiences beyond the existing tournament community.
Paintball career in the United States
Giant Sportz
Earley worked for Giant Sportz in Southern California from July 2015 to March 2017.
His position was Design, Marketing and Events Manager.
The role included marketing, graphic design, event organisation and operational responsibilities within the company's paintball businesses.
Giant Sportz was associated with several major Southern California paintball facilities.
Earley's work included activities at SC Village in Chino and Hollywood Sports Park in Bellflower.
He worked directly with Bear and Giovanni "Gio" D'Egidio, members of the family associated with the Giant Sportz businesses.
His responsibilities included supporting commercial paintball operations, event promotion and senior refereeing.
Giant San Diego
Earley also worked with Giant San Diego, part of the Giant Sportz paintball operations in Southern California.
His involvement included marketing, field operations and events.
The position formed part of his wider professional involvement in the Giant Sportz group.
SD Pump Crew
Earley founded SD Pump Crew, a San Diego-based paintball team and playing group focused on pump paintball.
The group brought together players interested in pump-marker competition and recreational play.
Its formation reflected Earley's involvement in the Southern California paintball community beyond his commercial employment.
SD Pump Crew operated within a regional scene that included established recreational fields, pump paintball groups and tournament competition.
SD Crush
Earley competed with SD Crush in events organised by the American Federation of Paintball Leagues (AFPL).
The team participated in the Southern California tournament scene.
His involvement continued his competitive playing career alongside his professional work in the paintball industry.
Malta Paintball
Development of the national organisation
Earley moved to Gozo, Malta, in 2024.
He subsequently became involved in the development of Malta Paintball, a registered voluntary organisation established to formalise and develop competitive paintball in Malta.
Earley serves as a non-executive strategic adviser to the organisation.
His work has included organisational administration, communications, international federation relationships, sponsorship support and planning for the development of training infrastructure.
Malta Paintball is registered under voluntary organisation number VO/2678 and is affiliated with the European Paintball Federation.
International competition
Earley has supported Malta Paintball's participation in international tournament paintball.
The organisation entered the Central Paintball Premier Series in the United Kingdom in 2025 and continued competing during the 2026 season.
In 2026, Malta also entered the UPBF Nations Cup at the NXL European Championships in Dreux, France.
Earley's involvement has included coordination with international organisations, communications and support for players participating in overseas competitions.
Player development
Earley has supported the development of regular competitive paintball participation in Malta.
His activities have included helping establish training arrangements, supporting the acquisition of tournament equipment, developing organisational systems and encouraging new players to enter the sport.
He has also contributed to plans for women's participation, referee development and the establishment of a dedicated tournament training field in Malta.
Continuing competitive participation
Earley has continued playing competitive paintball while working in the industry and supporting sporting organisations.
His international playing experience has included tournaments in New Zealand, Malaysia, Thailand, Croatia, France, the United States and Italy.
In 2026, he was preparing to compete at the NXL World Cup in Florida, including the Masters Over-40 category with The Leftovers III and a three-player competition with former New Zealand teammates.
These appearances were planned as of October 2026 and are not included as completed results.
Career summary
Earley's involvement in paintball has included competitive participation, tournament officiating, club formation, field operations and sporting administration.
His principal documented and reported contributions include:
- Organising New Zealand's participation through Team Kiwi at the 2004 Malaysian tournament
- Playing competitive paintball internationally from the 2000s onward
- Involvement in the New Zealand Paintball Association
- Founding the South Auckland Paintball Club
- Establishing and supporting the SAPC Race Series
- Working in marketing and operations at Lock N Load Paintball
- Serving as Marketing Director of Asylum Paintball
- Working as Design, Marketing and Events Manager for Giant Sportz
- Working with Giant San Diego, SC Village and Hollywood Sports Park
- Founding SD Pump Crew
- Competing with SD Crush in the AFPL
- Supporting the development and international participation of Malta Paintball
Timeline
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| Late 1990s | Begins playing paintball and works at Commando One in New Zealand |
| 2000 | Begins competing in tournament paintball with Team Insane |
| 2001 | Participates in the Northland Open and Rotorua tournaments |
| 2004 | Organises and accompanies Team Kiwi to Malaysia; referees at the tournament |
| 2005 | Returns to Malaysia for the Asia Pacific Paintball Championship |
| 2008 | Participates in the Malaysian Nations Cup |
| Early 2010s | Involved in the New Zealand Paintball Association and regulatory matters |
| December 2011 – August 2012 | Marketing and Operations Consultant, Butterfly Creek / Lock N Load Paintball |
| 2012 | Participates in European paintball competitions |
| 2012–2014 | Lives in Thailand and participates in the Bangkok paintball community |
| 2013–2014 | Establishes the South Auckland Paintball Club and develops its Race Series |
| November 2013 – December 2015 | Marketing Director, Asylum Paintball |
| March 2014 | Identified as Asylum Paintball spokesperson in published NZPPL coverage |
| July 2015 – March 2017 | Design, Marketing and Events Manager, Giant Sportz |
| 2010s | Works with Giant San Diego, SC Village and Hollywood Sports Park |
| 2010s | Founds SD Pump Crew and competes with SD Crush in AFPL events |
| 2024 | Moves to Malta |
| 2025 | Supports Malta Paintball's participation in CPPS |
| 2026 | Supports Malta Paintball's international competition and development programmes |
See also
- Paintball in New Zealand
- Paintball in Malaysia
- Paintball in Thailand
- Paintball in the United States
- Paintball in Malta
- Team Kiwi
- Team Insane
- South Auckland Paintball Club
- New Zealand Paintball Association
- Lock N Load Paintball
- Asylum Paintball
- Giant Sportz
- Giant San Diego
- SD Pump Crew
- SD Crush
- Malta Paintball
References
- "Paintball.co.nz Historical Archive", 2005. Historical New Zealand paintball reporting and Team Kiwi coverage. Exact archived article URL to be added when recovered.
- "Blacksheep Media Release 2013 NZPPL Video", Scoop, 16 March 2014. Identifies Michael Earley as Asylum Paintball spokesperson and confirms the venue hosted the South Auckland Paintball Club Race Series.
- "International Paintball Field Directory", WARPIG. Historical listing of Lock N Load Paintball, entered 19 April 2012.
- "Asylum Paintball", Cylex New Zealand. Historical business directory identifying Michael Earley as a marketing contact.
- "Asylum Paintball", Tourism New Zealand. Historical business listing.
- "Malta Paintball", official website. Organisation, programmes and international activities.