CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 39 G rowing up, many kids dedicate a good portion of their childhood to "playing soldier," prowl- ing the woods near their homes, ducking behind trees and firing fake guns at imaginary enemy com- batants. For Nate Gienger, the love of playing soldier was something he never grew out of, even aer spending three years doing the real thing, serving as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, which is why in 2012, shortly aer being medically retired from service, Gienger chose to open Fayetteville's largest paintball park, Black Ops Paintball, lo- cated at 2112 River Road. For the uninitiated, paintball is a game that developed in the 1980s, wherein players compete by trying to eliminate their opponents using what are called "paintball markers," which fire dye-filled, fragile gelatin paintballs. e result is an experience not unlike a real-life game of "Call of Duty," only with the added benefit of being out- doors and getting exercise. "One of my philosophies is that, the youth of this country spends all day playing video games, even a lot of my friends who have le the military—who were in great physical and mental shape Nate Gienger, former soldier and Black Ops Paintball owner, takes fun seriously ULTRA Demi-Bold Across from Best Buy and Target M-F 8a-10p | S 8a-8p | Su 10a-6p (910) 864-1500 2043 Skibo Road, Ste. 101 Fayetteville ULTRA Demi-Bold Across from Best Buy and Target M-F 8a-10p | S 8a-8p | Su 10a-6p (910) 864-1500 2043 Skibo Road, Ste. 101 Fayetteville ULTRA Demi-Bold Across from Best Buy and Target M-F 8a-10p | S 8a-8p | Su 10a-6p (910) 864-1500 2043 Skibo Road, Ste. 101 Fayetteville ULTRA Demi-Bold Across from Best Buy and Target M-F 8a-10p | S 8a-8p | Su 10a-6p (910) 864-1500 2043 Skibo Road, Ste. 101 Fayetteville ULTRA Demi-Bold Across from Best Buy and Target M-F 8a-10p | S 8a-8p | Su 10a-6p (910) 864-1500 2043 Skibo Road, Ste. 101 Fayetteville While much of Black Ops Paintball's business is dedicated to hosting birthday parties, providing space for businesses to conduct bonding exercises and impromptu walk-on games, the park is also used for professional tournaments, tournaments that sponsored players like Caldwell participate in.

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