Paintball fans of Bowling Green have been turning to George Gotich for more than 10 years.

Gotich owns and operates Bull Creek Paintball in Portage.

“We give people a place to play paintball that is safe and regulated,” Gotich said. “So they don’t have to worry about sneaking into backyards and getting into trouble.”

Bull Creek Paintball, located only minutes from Bowling Green, has been operating since 1994.

Paintball, which has been growing as a recognized sport for over 20 years, has a wide fan base. Groups from the University, families and other teams reserve time to play on the Bull Creek fields.

Gotich describes Bull Creek as “family oriented paintball.”

Bull Creek Paintball consists of six different paintball fields on 30 acres of land in Portage.

The games “hide and go seek” and “capture the flag” are the basis of paintball. Two teams face off against each other and try to capture the opposing team’s flag. If a player gets shot with a paintball, they are eliminated.

Mike DeFrank, an avid paintball player and University student, says the game isn’t for the weak.

“You have to keep your cool,” DeFrank said. “You need to have patience to play paintball.”

DeFrank has been playing paintball for 10 years, when his brother took him to his first game.

“The first couple of times I didn’t like it, but it definitely grew on me,” DeFrank said. “It’s a thrilling game and even when you get hit with a paintball it’s an adrenaline rush.”

Sean Parmelee, a junior who enjoys paintball, says the physical nature of the game is most important.

“It takes a lot, physically, to play paintball,” Parmelee said. “You have to take the pain of being shot as well as run fast.”

Paintball can be played on flat land or in the woods. Different variations on paintball include scenario games, in which players can play as a character while completing assigned missions.

A steady group of people attend Bull Creek each week, Gotich said.

“Most of our business comes from private groups,” he said. “On Sundays we get 50 people or more.”

The doors of Bull Creek are open every Sunday to the public, while weekdays are set aside for players who have made

reservations.