HELLION "SKY" MAKES CATSHACK REPORTS & PBWOMAN

LANI "SKY" FOX INTERVIEWED BY PBWOMAN
PBWoman.com - May 12, 2010 – In a recent interview posted on PBWoman.com by Pam "Cookie" Robertson entitled "The Commander's Wife", Hellion Lani "Sky" Fox is asked by to tell what it's like to be the wife of a big game general:

Lani “Sky” Fox is an unusually interesting person when it comes to paintball. She runs double duty. being both wife and teammate to one of the most challenging commander positions of the year. Her husband and teammate, DJ "Honu" Fox will be commanding "The Man" side against the infamous and most adored Barney of Blue’s Crew at CPX Sports Living Legends of Paintball III produced By Viper. One thing I have personally noticed about Sky is that she is always up for the challenge when it comes to a hard job. I found her answers to be very interesting and supportive.

1. How do you feel about Honu commanding at LL3? I think this is a great opportunity for him and I'm very proud of him for taking on the task because as we've found out it's not an easy one.

2. Does it effect your relationship at home? Not at all. If anything it brings us closer together because we have a common interest and now everything he's told me over the years isn't over my head because I understand it now.

3. Do you get treated any different on the field or at a game than other teammates? I don't see any different treatment other than maybe not quite soooo much ribbing from the guys. I certainly do not expect any special treatment. I chose to get into this sport which is predominantly male and was aware of what may come from that. I believe our teammates have been very good at accepting me and really once you're around me you realize I can give as good as I get, so no need to curb your instincts around me.

4. Do you feel like you are under more pressure has a wife or a team mate to be supportive and take home a win? As a wife we are teammates so in either sense "we're in it together". The win really isn't important, yeah it's nice, but paintball is about having fun and getting together with your extended family. In all of our time together we've always been an "us against them" kind of couple and not in a bad way, just in a "we know we can always go to each other for support" kind of way.

5. What are some of the things you do has a wife to support his role has a commander? I've been active in trying to pinpoint some of the problems I've seen in the past in the base and trying to remedy them before they even start at LL3. In the time I've spent in different bases in the past couple of years I also see what works so we have been bouncing ideas off each other since he agreed to take on this role. The biggest change since he's agreed to do this is that he's on the phone a lot sometimes with some of the teams we are playing with and I get dizzy watching him pace the floor and doing laps around the living room.

6. Does the fact that you and Honu play on the same team make it easier or harder for you to play at games? I think it makes it easier because as I said we can bounce ideas off each other on the way to the game and on the way home we talk about what worked or what didn't so we know for next time. We also know each other very well so many times we don't even have to talk on the field. I'll see him doing something and I know instinctively what I should do. It's kind of cool because I've done things without thinking and he gets so proud. Almost like a proud dad.

7. Any comments to others who may have a spouse wanting to play? One of the many reasons I started playing was because our boys were getting older and they want to play so I started playing primarily because when they are ready it'll be great family time. Now that I've played I really enjoy it and it's a good time. Remember, there are all kinds of jobs that need to be done (front lines or near the base). You don't have to be physically gifted or a crack shot, the goal is to have a good time, getting exercise in the meantime and telling stories around the campfire after.

PBWoman is advertised as "The 1st Official Home for Female Paintballers on the Web -- All Tuff. No Fluff." For more information on PBWoman, contact Bambi. J. Bullard, PBWoman Writer and Media Contac, or write to PBWoman at P.O. Box 90, Winnsboro, Texas 75494.

LANI "SKY" FOX INTERVIEWED BY CATSHACK REPORTS
The Catshack - April 19, 2010 – In a recent interview posted in the Tomcat's Corner of The Catshack Reports by Paul Forcier, Hellion Lani "Sky" Fox is asked about what it is like to be a woman in a predominantly male sport like paintball:

In an effort to show the world that paintball is not just a male dominated sport I have taken the initiative to interview some ladies who love and play the sport right along side of us men. These ladies are a force on and off the field but when you see their markers pointed at you prepare, they will not hold back and their mind is set on sending you to the dead box. Today we have a visit from Lani Fox a member of the well known Hellions based out of Chicago.

Name: Lani “Sky” Fox (my first name is pronounced like Loni)

Age: 35

Occupation: Legal secretary/paralegal

Marker: Phenom

Home Field: CPX

Team: Hellions

How did you get involved in paintball? My husband has been trying to get me to play for years and I finally gave in and went to an open game and loved it, so I continued to go to games and improve my skills.

For all of those new people who ask does it hurt, what would you say? I would say yes it does, but no more than getting hit with a rubberband. It stings for a second and then it goes away. Besides, you’re having too much fun to notice anyway.

Out of all of the sports available why did you choose paintball? I’ve competing in different sports throughout the years. The only one I could still actively play at this point is softball because there are summer leagues. So, when I decided to give paintball a try, I was hooked. Now, I play more paintball than softball and wouldn’t trade it for the world.

To date, what has been your favorite playing experience? One was when my husband and I were holding off 15 guys coming up a trail and they had no idea where we were and you could hear them all yelling “where the heck are they?” It was early in my career and it was a very memorable experience.

What tips, that you have learned, would you give to fellow players? Don’t be scared or intimidated, you have the same gear as everyone else and are just as capable of shooting them.

Other than paintball, what do you do for fun? Softball and recently started taking karate classes.

When you are outnumbered on the field what is it that you do to stay in the game? With my team we coordinate through radios and hand signals that even if we are outnumbered we don’t feel like we’re out of the fight. Better to go out fighting than just walking away.

Who do you look up too in the sport and why? I don’t really have anyone I look up to. I got into the sport as a way to spend time with the family and found out I loved playing too. I’ve met a lot of great people who have taught me a lot and contiue to learn, but I can’t really pinpoint any one person. As I’m meeting more of the well known people and getting to know them I can appreciate their contributions and all the hard work they’ve put into to get the sport known around the world.

What has been the funniest off field antics you or someone else has done that you were a part of? I have to say off field is full of fun stories and great comraderie. One of the best is watching people try to work the Indo Board (which is a surfing balance trainer – think large rolling pin with a cutting board on top of it) after playing all day.

How can the industry attract more women to get involved in paintball? Acceptance. I think we’re trying to do that with pbwoman.com and just getting women more visible on the field is helping I think. There are certainly stereotypes to overcome and that’s what we hope to do with the website and as players on the field. I think a lot of girls see their boyfriends, husbands, etc. paintball magazines with a bikini clad woman showing off a marker and that may turn them off. I would like to see more women players being showcased. I look at those pictures and say “I don’t think she can play in that.”

We welcome stories from all of you women players. In an effort to get more of the ladies involved we want to hear from you. Send us your story at cryptic@catshackreports.com

Paul Forcier

Read the full interview and accompanying photos at The Catshack Reports.