Importance of the Front Middleman

The Middle Front is the most exciting position on the field.  Many times the job of the middleman is to sprint to the flag station off the break and pull that flag.  Often times if he succeeds, then his job has been done.  Remember, there is only one flag pull in each game! One trick we have learned to help keep our middleman alive as he breaks for the flag is this: When the back players are breaking they have the opportunity to see where the other team is breaking to, and one code we use to warn the middleman (lets call him the Flag Runner since he is breaking for the flag) is "FLAG, FLAG, FLAG!"  When a player from our team yells "FLAG, FLAG, FLAG!" that lets the Flag Runner know that he is going to have company; a player from the other team is breaking for the flag too.  With this information our runner can decide what measures he needs to take to protect him-self from this threat.  Often the other team's Flag Runner doesn't even know that our Flag Runner is there, which gives him the advantage.  When the other player is worrying about getting the pull he is not expecting a barrel to pop over and paint him!

So, you made it and possess the "flag".  You have done what was expected of you.  Now what?  Likely, if you don't find yourself in the dead box shortly after you pull the flag, you find yourself bombarded with paintballs.  Don't panic! Remember you did your job. Now it's time to get tight and communicate.  Ask or listen for the locations of the opponents. It wouldn't hurt to just sit there for a few seconds to let the opponent find some one else to shoot at.  Don't think of moving at this point; a lateral move would be unwise.  Actually, you are as far up the field as you can go until a push is possible.  Here is what you can do. First set yourself on the bunker in the center of the bunker.  Position yourself so that you could shoot off either side but you still are out of the fire lines.  Basically set yourself just inside of the two angles that the balls are coming from.  What you do now is snap shoot with the Right Tape for 5 seconds.  Then switch to the Left Tape for 5 seconds. Then repeat until you out shoot one of them.  For these exercises, you will want a fast paintball gun, (perhaps a Dye or Planet Eclipse Ego).  A fast loader is also highly recommended - like the Pinokio Hopper or a Halo B.