2026 Hall of Icons

The 2026 Hall of Icons inductees feature our newest style of voting, Eras. Each of the three eras of paintball the Growth Era, the Golden Era, and the Modern Era. The class is headlined by JC Whittington and features some of the best players from the games history.

JC Whittington, Golden Era

Notable Teams: Bad Company, Arsenal

JC Whittington emerged as a superstar in the late 90s and early 2000s on Bad Company alongside NXL President Tom Cole and he quickly became one of the best players in paintball. Scoring wins using entry level markers, JC moved on to Captain legendary pro team, Arsenal, where he created the blueprint for the modern and versatile NXL style of play. He could control the field at all three levels and was arguably the most poised and clutch player in the World during his prime.

Whittington was known as an energetic and aggressive player who thrived in the fast paced formats that defined modern professional paintball. His willingness to pressure opposing teams and create momentum shifting plays made him particularly effective in front positions where speed and divisive play were critical. At a time when the sport was becoming increasingly athletic, Whittington embodied the new generation of paintball competitors who approached the game with intensity, high-speed decision making, and relentless offense from any spot on the field.

He took Arsenal to the heights of the professional paintball world and defined an entire era of play that is still seen today.

Davey Williamson, Golden Era

Notable Teams: XSV, Ironmen, Dynasty

Davey Williamson played during the golden era of professional paintball, competing with teams like the Ironmen, XSV, and San Diego Dynasty. Often known for his brash and unapologetic style, his unique ability to demand the most out of his teammates led to multiple world titles and a feared reputation as a stabilizing counter-puncher on the field.

Williamson was recognized for his strong fundamentals and disciplined gameplay, as well as his ability to quickly diagnose the opposition and open holes on the field. Rather than relying purely on speed or aggression, his style emphasized intelligent positioning and methodical elimination of opponents.

Players from that era often describe Williamson as a fiercely competitive and dependable player capable of performing under pressure in the games biggest moments. His contributions during XSV and Dynasty’s extended run of success during the 2000s illustrate the depth of talent required to sustain dominance in professional paintball’s most competitive years. One of paintball's first true professionals, anywhere Davey went, his teams would win through the tenacity and sheer determination he brought.

Alex Martinez, Modern Era

Notable Teams: XFactor

Alex Martinez represents the modern generation of professional paintball athletes who helped carry the sport into its current era of highly structured teams and tightly run organizations. Emerging in the professional ranks during the mid 2000s with his team San Antonio XFactor, Martinez became known as an elite backline player.

Martinez’s game has been characterized by adaptability, poise, and a strong understanding of modern field layouts. As the sport evolved toward faster formats and tighter field designs, players like Martinez thrived because of his ability to attract and retain top-level talent on his program. His ability to adjust to the evolving professional environment allowed him to remain competitive well into his 50s as the game continued to modernize.

Within the context of paintball’s continuing development, Martinez represents the athletes who helped sustain the professional scene after its initial boom years. His career reflects the transition from the sport’s early tournament culture to the highly organized professional leagues that define modern competitive paintball.

Frank Connell, Golden Era

Notable Teams: Dynasty, Avalanche, All Americans

Frank Connell is one of the few players who won World titles across multiple eras during one of the most competitive periods in professional paintball history. At a time when back players focused less on movement and athleticism and more on cunning and strategy, Frank combined his high level of athleticism with a razor sharp mind and punishing timing closing out games.

Connell’s style of play was the prototype that would help define the versatile style of back players in the modern game. Known for his intense presence and paintball IQ, he contributed to his team’s ability to control games through coordination and efficient communication rather than reckless aggression. Connell’s ability to perform within multiple team systems and competitive environments speaks to his skill and understanding of high-level competitive paintball.

Frank is one of the game’s best examples of multi-era dominance and his ability to still compete today at the highest levels of ICPL shows his truly unique style and skill. He will be remembered in the Hall of Icons as one of the most winningest players in the sports history.

Brian LB Fow, Golden Era

Notable Teams: Image, Infamous

Brian “LB” Fow emerged from the canopy of the woods during the height of the professional tournament boom in the late 1990s and early 2000s, competing alongside some of the most recognizable names in paintball’s early professional circuit. His ultra-consistent style of play and ability to close games helped in defining the competitive standard of the NPPL era.

Fow was widely regarded for his adaptability from the back line of the field and his controlling presence and passion. At a time when the game was still building its identity, rather than being locked into a single role, he demonstrated the ability to adapt between aggressive play and structured mid-field control. That flexibility was particularly valuable in early tournament formats where fields varied dramatically and strategies changed from event to event.

Brian's role as a leader and player on Infamous during the early 2000s vaulted him into paintball stardom and players from that era often remembered Fow as a intense competitor that brought aggression to backline roles. His career reflects the evolution of paintball during the early professional era when athleticism, teamwork, and timing began replacing the more rigid styles of the sport’s earliest competitive years.

Ed Poorman, Growth Era

Notable Teams: Avalanche

Ed Poorman was part of the generation of professional paintball players that helped transition the sport from its early woods-based tournaments into the emerging professional speedball and hyperball circuits. Competing during the late 1990s and early 2000s with his team Avalanche, Poorman’s team included several of the most influential players of that period. Ed’s adept skill in bringing together talented rosters and as a culture builder was unmatched in the 90s and 2000s and his player-first driven approach became the sports standard by 2004.

Poorman’s reputation among his peers was built around disciplined play and positional awareness and his ability to let his players be who they were instead of putting them into a box. His ability to maintain composure during long points made him a valuable teammate during a time when tournament formats were evolving and teams were still defining modern positional strategies.

Within the broader story of paintball’s professional growth, Poorman represents the type of player and team owner whose consistency and reliability allowed elite teams to maintain stability. His sport defining brand, Warped Sportz, paved the way for individualized style and substance that would later become the industry standard for product design.

Chuck Hendsch, Growth Era

Notable Teams: Dynasty

Chuck Hendsch represents one of the rare figures in professional paintball who shaped the sport both as a competitor and as a leader behind the scenes. In the early 2000s Hendsch competed at the highest levels of paintball, including involvement with the early San Diego Dynasty organization during its formative years in the NPPL era. His understanding of the competitive structure and the professional environment helped influence the direction of teams and leagues during paintball’s rapid expansion in the early 2000s.

Hendsch was known less for flashy individual play and more for strategic awareness and organizational leadership on the field; a stabilizing presence who approached paintball like a developing professional sport rather than simply a weekend competition. His experience in the tournament circuit eventually translated into executive roles where he helped guide professional leagues, including serving as NPPL president during the height of the sport and later becoming involved with the formation of the US Paintball League.

His legacy lies in bridging the gap between player and administrator; focusing on making paintball larger than ever imagined. Few individuals in paintball history have competed at the professional level and later played such a direct role in shaping the structure of the sport itself. Hendsch’s influence helped define the modern tournament ecosystem, ensuring that professional paintball could grow beyond its grassroots origins into a worldwide structured competitive circuit.