Aaron Widzinski hopes SplatTastic Parties introduce paintball to the younger generation.
The mobile paintball target shooting booth is designed for children age 6 and older.
“It’s about introducing kids, who are the future of the sport, to paintball,” he said. “It is something the sport needs.”
Paintball was a $584 million industry in 2012, according to IBISWorld, an industry and market research firm.
More than 3.5 million people participated in paintball in the U.S. last year, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. The sport peaked in 2007 with 5.5 million participants and has slowly declined each year.
Widzinski runs SplatTastic Parties with his wife, Alicia, and his son, Avery. The family started the business a year ago.
Paintball is more than just a second, sideline job for Widzinski. He has worked as a sales representative for Kee Action Sports for the past 17 years. Kee is an international manufacturer of paintballs and equipment with offices in Bentonville.
The business was born after Widzinski used one of Kee’s mobile tents to set up a paintball target shooting booth a tailgating event at his son’s school, Jerry “Pop” Williams Elementary School in Farmington, last year.
“We had a line of 40 kids that went through the tent during the three-hour event and parents kept coming up and asking us if we did parties,” he said. “That’s when we came up with the idea to try this out as a side business.”
He has since purchased his own inflatable and mobile tent for parties. He’s also modified targets to gear them toward younger shooters.
SplatTastic Parties will set up again at Williams' tailgate party from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday. The school is at 322 N. Broyles Ave.
The booth uses Kee’s JT SplatMaster line that's spring-loaded and easier for children to use.
Widzinski said SplatTastic is designed for children age 6 to 12. The Sports and Fitness Industry reports 316,000 people in that age group participated in paintball last year. Youngsters account for 9 percent of all paintball participants.
SplatTastic’s party rate is $200 and includes two hours of unlimited shooting time for party participants. All ammo is included, as is all cleanup afterward.
Widzinski said only one paintball shooter is allowed in the 25.5-foot-by-9.5-foot shooting booth at a time. All shooters much wear goggles and are supervised by Widzinski.
More information can be found at splattasticparties.com.
By The Numbers
Paintball Participants
More than 3.5 million people participated in paintball in the United States last year, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. Below is a percentage breakdown of participants in various age groups