[TechPB-Mike]

Per this thread taking place over at PBN-

http://www.pbnation....=3589961&page=2

And of course, since this is a chance to take a chip at me, you can certainly expect PBN's greatest and brightest mods to start questioning intentions and yada yada-

http://www.pbnation....90#post71152790

Our "intention" was to support the college paintball league, pure and simple. What caused the USF Paintball Club to drop the event was our misinterpretation of ONE rule, which is stated here-

NCPAPaintball.org >> Nationals >> Registration >> Link to PBNation http://www.pbnation....d.php?t=2071178

"In order to enter the field of competition a player must be a full-time student at the University (this means the school or campuses must have the same admission process). The primary exception for this is graduating seniors that do not need the full-time credit load to meet their graduation requirements. - JoshNCPA"

We took that definition at face value. It also says-

I believe all of the Class A Universities offer Enrollment Verification services - Which we all brought from the Office of the USF Registrar
two Enrollment Verifications per player - we did this and brought two per player
verification will be referenced to the Roster listed on APPA’s website - yep that checked out


Then if you read here, for Class AA Chris Raehl says below-

For Class AA, bring something with your name and birth date and your student ID.

- Chris Source - http://www.pbnation....58#post33030258


There was no such thing as an "illegal student" on our roster, or "illegal player". Yes, most of us met the rule listed above. We just didn't know there were ADDITIONAL rules that needed to be followed. It doesn't say it on that thread, we read it, verified the players were in their graduating semester, and we moved on preparing for the event.

That post that is referenced from the NCPA website, should say that - if you are graduating and are not full time, you need enrollment verification for the current AND previous semester, to verify that you were a full time student the semester prior. It doesn't say that! Let's read it again-

"In order to enter the field of competition a player must be a full-time student at the University (this means the school or campuses must have the same admission process). The primary exception for this is graduating seniors that do not need the full-time credit load to meet their graduation requirements."

Does it say anything about being a full time student, the semester prior in that post? No

We met the requirements as it was stated on that post, which is referenced on the website here-

http://ncpapaintball...s/registration/ >> Class A Enrollment Verification Process

We read that, we thought we met the requirements and we continued with saving money and preparing for the event.

FACTS -

1) Every person on the USF Roster was an active, degree seeking student at the University of South Florida
2) Every player on our roster, turned in TWO SEALED COPIES of their enrollment verification. We were hiding NOTHING from the NCPA or Chris.
3) The reference to the thread on PBNation is MISLEADING, as it says nothing about verifying the semester prior, or being a full time student the semester prior.

The students from USF who attempted to participate in this event made a SIGNIFICANT investment of time, money and resources to prepare for this event. We all purchased brand new jerseys, went through HELL with USF to get them approved, we bought a hotel room that no one stayed at to meet the "stay at an NCPA Hotel or pay the NCPA $200" rule, many took time off work to play this event, plus endless amounts of money spent on entry and paint to prepare for it.

Anyone know what the prize is for winning an NCPA event? Neither do I

We were going there with the hopes of supporting and participating in the event. This event isn't exactly "thriving" if you haven't noticed. How many teams were out there? Maybe a little more than 60 or so college teams? Out of how many hundreds, if not thousands of colleges across the US we can only scrap up around 60 to play at a NATIONAL event?

We tried to support the league, question anyone who says otherwise

[Jdalty]

The Nation strikes again.

[Pongo]

first!

dammit ninjas

[TechPB-Mike]

I'll also note that TechPB has done it's best to cover the event almost every year since we started this site up. A few years ago, TechPB was the ONLY booth at the event! We have photographed it, covered it and tried to help advertise for it every single year since we launched the TechPB Business. All with no financial reward to us, we simply showed up to help the players get more out of the event.

[Snake-Eyes]

this is dumb mike USF should play NPPL instead

This post has been edited by Snake-Eyes: 18 April 2011 - 02:21 PM

[TechPB-Mike]

also, anyone want an USF NCPA Jersey?

never worn!

http://markerbids.com/item.php?id=1540

[mpg2384]

TechPB-Mike, on 18 April 2011 - 02:22 PM, said:

also, anyone want an USF NCPA Jersey?

never worn!

http://markerbids.com/item.php?id=1540

mine

[AceComets]

TechPB-Mike, on 18 April 2011 - 02:22 PM, said:

also, anyone want an USF NCPA Jersey?

never worn!

http://markerbids.com/item.php?id=1540

if i didn't have to work tonight this would be mine.

sucks you got the shaft on the NCPA thing...but i'm sure something good will come out of it.

[Jdalty]

TechPB-Mike, on 18 April 2011 - 02:22 PM, said:

also, anyone want an USF NCPA Jersey?

never worn!

http://markerbids.com/item.php?id=1540

I want this so much..

[mpg2384]

I see a lot of grey in these rules and why do you have to go to multiple threads/sites to get all the answers

[paintballjla]

i know nothing about the ncpa Just form the post from people on pbn but i can tell that it is a joke. My main question is why they do not screen the participants before the day of the event, do you think that the NCAA waits till the event to screen the players. That is the only college run event that i know of that dose not have some kind of prescreening process for the participants. What a JOKE.

[TechPB-Mike]

mpg2384, on 18 April 2011 - 02:33 PM, said:

I see a lot of grey in these rules and why do you have to go to multiple threads/sites to get all the answers

That's what they are blaming us for. USF has played a couple of these, and NEVER went through this much red tape. They played Class AA last year with NO enrollment verification, played the Qualifier a few weeks ago with no hassle or red tape, but now, because I'm on the roster, they get worked over hardcore by the event promoter?

I can promise you something, if I wasn't on the roster, NONE of this would have happened to those students.

I almost went to this event mic'd up, ALMOST. For some reason, against my better judgement, I didn't do it this event. I had a gut feeling we were going to get worked over, but I didn't do it and I will regret that decision for the rest of my life. I almost went to this event with a hidden camera, but I figured that would make ME look like a paranoid nutcase.

Hindsight is always 20/20

My God if I would have gotten this on film..................

[Tygur]

Is the NCPA run by PBNation?

[afnav2011]

TechPB-Mike, on 18 April 2011 - 02:10 PM, said:

Does it say anything about being a full time student, the semester prior in that post? No



Anyone know what the prize is for winning an NCPA event? Neither do I

2.1. Player Eligibility
2.1.1. All players must be eligible to compete in NCPA events. Eligible players must
2.1.1.1. Be enrolled as a full-time student, or
2.1.1.2. Be working full-time in a school-sanctioned co-op program between two semesters of
full-time enrollment, or
2.1.1.3. Have been enrolled as a full-time student the previous semester, be enrolled as a
part-time student the current semester, and graduating at the end of the current semester,
or
2.1.1.4. Have an exemption from the NCPA President or CEO. Exemptions may be granted
under certain circumstances, including
2.1.1.4.1. Students accepted in a degree program who are not enrolled for the current
semester due to active military service, or
2.1.1.4.2. Graduate students enrolled at least half-time while also employed by the
University in

Above copied straight out of this year's rulebook.

So yes, it does state that you needed to be full time unless you were graduating this semester (in which case you had to be full time the previous semester). I do not know what the status (in-school) of everyone on your team was, but the rule seems pretty clear. I played AA events this year without having to prove eligibility (along with everyone that played on all the teams) outside of a student ID and government ID. It may have been because this was the final event being overseen by the national level staff and not the regional level, they wanted to make sure everyone was good to go. I'd ask around to other class A teams and see if they had to prove eligibility and if not why you were singled out.

And the prize for winning is a trophy. No money/prizes (though you may get a good sponsorship out of it).

[RealtorTommy]

So if your paying your way through school and working at the same time, you can't play if you are under the credit hours Chris establishes?

I doubt anyone would step forward but I bet that there was atleast one player that didn't meet these requirements who played the event.

[afnav2011]

Chris doesn't establish the hours required for full time, that is up to each individual school. But yes, from the way the rule is written, it would appear so. This is probably to prevent people from stacking their teams with pros and have them only be registered for one class.

[TechPB-Mike]

^^^ yes we found that later on that evening, thank you

We know what the rule is NOW. Doesn't do any of us any good, considering we're all graduating this semester, but yes thank you, we know what the rule is now, and we also know exactly where to find it.

We checked the site, we clicked the link to PBNation, took it at face value and thought we were ok.

The link to PBNation where is says "The primary exception for this is graduating seniors that do not need the full-time credit load to meet their graduation requirements." is in two places-

http://ncpapaintball...s/registration/

Click both links that say "Class A Enrollment Verification Process", both bring you to the thread on PBNation, NOT to the updated rule in the rulebook!

Two separate places on the registration page, are links to that thread on PBNation. We had no clue that there were additional rules in the rulebook. Why not just point us to the damn rulebook to begin with? Why have your customers rely on a 5 year old thread on PBNation, if the information isn't correct?

Telling players that they can be less than full time in their graduating semester, and NOT telling them that they had to have been full time the semester PRIOR is a pretty big piece of information to leave out. That's one hell of a caveat to leave out.

[Tygur]

As long as the student is a student at a college or university they should be allowed to play. This will help grow the league and the sport of paintball. I know some people will say,"What keeps a school from enrolling a pro as a student in one class and calling them a part-time student?" Make sure there are rules to prevent this.

I love this sport, it is my passion. I started a paintball club at the college I went to. I have seen the club grow and hope one day it will compete in the NCPA someday. But if things happen were a team can't play because of a shady rule or whatever, then I don't want them to be a part of that.

[TechPB-Mike]

RealtorTommy, on 18 April 2011 - 03:55 PM, said:

So if your paying your way through school and working at the same time, you can't play if you are under the credit hours Chris establishes?

I doubt anyone would step forward but I bet that there was atleast one player that didn't meet these requirements who played the event.

And see, this is how I interpreted the rule that zapped me. I figured ok, you're not a full time student so you can't play the NCPA. BUT... in your final graduating semester, you can play the one event, that happens to be hosted during your final semester before graduating.

Chris told me at the event, that the rule was designed to prevent players from deliberately stretching out their graduation date to play the NCPA paintball tournament.

What about people like me? I've been taking 2 classes a semester since 2009 due to family and work, because I have a family and I can't afford to quit working cold turkey to pursue full-time enrollment, I'm not allowed to EVER play in an NCPA college paintball tournament?

Even though I'm a degree seeking student, and a supporting and active member of my college's paintball club?

I'm not allowed to participate in a single NCPA event ever? And by the way, I'm currently enrolled in THREE 5000 level graduate courses at USF for 9 credit hours. By most standards, that's full time. He certainly didn't want to hear that, that's for sure

70% of this club is gone in 3 weeks, they are almost all graduating.

It's a good message to send to college paintball players. If you can't afford to go full time, don't waste your time helping your club have representation at the NCPA, you won't ever be playing it.

[RealtorTommy]

I would have never been able to play then as when I was a student in college I also needed to earn a living to support myself.