PB2X führten ein Interview mit Karlijn van Rongen, welche als gute Fee für die Millennium Series arbeitet. Wir haben das Interview für Euch.
Although you might never see her on the field at the Millennium Series events you will find her deep behind the scenes and working very hard to bring Europe the best paintball has to give. Karlijn van Rongen is from the Netherlands and has been helping with the Millennium events since 2002. As the 2005 Millennium season rapidly approaches Karlijn is busy hard at work to once again bring the best of the best to the European paintball scene. Congrats Karlijn on being a PB2X Top Gun!
1. How did you get into paintball?
Karlijn: My ex-boyfriend plays paintball, he got me to go to one event (Campaign Cup 1999) and I got hooked! At first because of watching it was so exciting, later on because I got more involved.
2. How long have you been playing?
Karlijn: You won't believe it…I've never played! I am such a sissy, I would probably crawl under my barricade J and I would want to be good right from the start, so if I would ever start playing, I would practice secretly until I was the best and then go out there…this will probably never happen hahaha!
3. What has been your favourite event to play?
Karlijn: Not for playing but just for being part of it…that's a tough question…I think I like the diversity so much, it's really hard to choose…as long as the weather is good and all of the die hard teams are there, I'm having a great time!
4. What is your occupation?
Karlijn: I work for a large over head company of 59 garden centres in the Netherlands, called Intratuin. I am Assistant Buyer there and I coordinate all the other Assistant Buyers. I am also participant in all new projects such as Fireworks, Candy sales and our new ERP-system which we will implement soon! I get to butt into almost everything and run around like a headless chicken – which is what I'm good at!
5. Any hobbies outside paintball? (Is that possible??)
Karlijn: No real hobbies, besides spending lot's of time behind my true laptop! I just love my job, hanging out with friends, partying and paintball!
6. What did you do before paintball became a part of your everyday life?
Karlijn: Good question! I think all of the hanging out with friends and partying stuff, but then one weekend a month more often!
7. What is your favourite thing about paintball?
Karlijn: About the game: the fact that you have to have that climax within the 7 minutes you get (not talking about X Ball™ right now), and also that the games are becoming faster and faster, it's such a rush (Yes! Even when you watch! It's hard to breathe sometimes!).
About the tournaments, it's just a secret world, you walk around early in the morning, see lot's of people you know and share this with…the fact alone that you can walk into the breakfast room in a four star hotel with your muddy shoes and pants, and see all of the same kinds of people there! (and see everyone grin at the horrified faces of the personnel in the hotel haha) It's just such good time, with great people in lots of different places, all doing the one thing they love most!
8. What is your least favourite thing about paintball?
Karlijn: Lack of sleep and lack of good food on site (or time to eat it!), but hey we'll sleep when we're dead!
9. What has been your favourite marker setup?
Karlijn: No clue! I only know that I like guns that have themes (Fly, Karnivor), but that's only because they look good!
10. Name 5 players for your own fantasy paintball team
Karlijn: I don't think that's up to me! I would just pick the cutest hottest 5 guys and let them play!!!
11. What is your favourite food?
Karlijn: McDonalds and Pizza Hut!! But also: Dunkin' doughnuts, Subway and Krispy Kremes (we don't have that over here!)
12. What is your favourite „inspirational“ paintballing music?
Karlijn: Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park…and of course the paintball rap, that is such a good song!
13. What teams have you played with before?
Karlijn: None! But I have had the pleasure to hang out with Endurance, Backlash and Consilium Dei!
14. What is your pre-game ritual?
Karlijn: No eating, no breathing, just pacing up and forth at the sideline, praying my team will do well!
15. What is your favourite paintball video/DVD?
Karlijn: Push! That was the first one I really enjoyed. Sunday drivers was also great because I was there at the premiere at Sun on the beach in Old Town Kissimmee, that was a great feeling, but Push is the first one to stick that long (and the only one I saw a million times, so that I know when people are saying what!!)
Some additional questions for our Top Gunner:
Where are you from?
Karlijn: I am born in the Netherlands, and still live there! Hopefully someday I will fool everyone and turn into an American
How did you get involved with the Millennium series?
Karlijn: I have worked for the PSP before the split up with NPPL and have learned a lot there. But since that had no future for me, I started talking to one of the Millennium Series staff and they gave me a try out at Campaign Cup 2002. When all went successfully there, they offered me a part time job, and I took it! I get to make up cool new plans, and butt in again
What is your official title for the Millennium series?
Karlijn: I don't think there is one; I do almost everything administrational other people don't have time for. I stay away from rules and schedules, for rules we have Joern Windler and for schedules and draws and stuff we have Adam Einstein. Adam is our director of operations and I think I am Event coordinator or something…but it's difficult to give it a name, because we have the local team and the promoter who basically do all the stuff beforehand, I just show up and help when needed! I also take care of content of the website, answer all players, vendors, sponsors and others questions, take care of our marshalling teams and communicate as much as I can to the outside world!
I've got the best job there is!!