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Sitting at the end of town, butted up against the ocean, and a small village of homeless; sits All-Star Hawaii Nimitz field. Run by the ever energetic Brandon Cayetano, it offers a variety of field flavors ranging from open mounds, to a house field with several small 1 room building spread out with some containers. Having breathed new life into Hawaii's paintball scene, Brandon now turns to the airsoft community with high hoopes for the future on-island.
Basic Info:
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Field’s Name
Hawaii All-Star Paintball and Airsoft Games
Field Location
Nimitz Highway, Honolulu, Hawaii
What are the services your field offers?
The field specializes in promoting and hosting paintball and airsoft games to the general public.
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How long has this field been around?
All-Star, Nimitz opened in January of 2001.
Out of that time how long have you been running airsoft there? The field has been running airsoft games for nearly a year and a half now.
How did you get into opening the field? Did it just happen to work out or was it something that you wanted to do for a while?
I’ve been running paintball fields since 1983. My first field was located at Norfolk, in the mountains above Enchanted Lakes, Kailua. All-Star is actually my fourth field since 1983. The others were in Olomana and Paradise Cove, Ko Olina. In 1988, I closed the field I was running at that time and retired from paintball. After working for a major local ad agency as a professional computer graphics and layout geek and later as the Human Resources and Safety Director for a major Hawaii company, I decided that I wanted to get back into paintball and reopen my field, presently at Nimitz.
What were the first few month’s like, challenges or unexpected rewarding events? The first six months were chaotic in an exciting sort of way. All-Star Nimitz was a venue, which brought new looks to Hawaii paintball. I brought mainland style paintball to Hawaii, which, save for a handful of local traveling players, the local masses only knew about from paintball magazines.
All-Star’s accomplishments since opening day, 2001:
• All-Star is responsible for the "kick starting" of Hawaii paintball after years of stagnation. Hawaii All-Star spawned new players and brought former players out of retirement.
• All-Star is responsible for running thousands of players through our play park while teaching them important fundamental paintball safety at the same time.
• All-Star turned the game into a spectator sport, enhancing the image of paintball through the media.
• All-Star was successful in bringing tourney and newbie players together by "knocking down walls, hearsay and myths."
• Oahu's paintball stores had realized growth in their sales since the opening of Hawaii All-Star.
• All-Star's multiple play fields have allowed players to play within their limitations and not get mixed with players of higher talent and technology. For example: Rentals on field A; Walk-on/Intermediates on field B; and Tourney players on field C.
• Through the use of multiple judges per field, Hawaii All-Star upped the level of play with those players of good character while maintaining the highest level of safety and fun of each game. Cheaters are escorted from the field and BANNED FOREVER to insure the integrity of the sport.
• All-Star's implementation of Airfield bunkers influenced the establishment of multiple airfields on Maui and the Big Island.
• All-Star's 1st Annual "Who's Your Daddy" 5-man tourney was the LARGEST tourney in Hawaii paintball history. With thirty-nine teams participating from all over the state, it was bigger than the Great Western Series held at Turtle Bay in 1999. The mother of all Hawaii tournaments, an unprecedented $13,000.00 worth of prizes was given away thanks to the support from major local sponsors and Hawaii paintball shops.
• All-Star has put Hawaii "on the map" with players, fields and industry leaders not only on the mainland, but, around the world.
* Note: Hawaii's first actual arena Speedball tourney took place in 1987 in a joint event with my old field (TAG) and California's famed SC Village, held at Ko Olina's Paradise Cove.
Yup, I did all that.
What was your initial goal with the field?
My goals were to create a great venue for local players to play at. Just as important, another goal was to use the field as a vehicle for my community service work.
Has that changed at all, if so what is the field’s goal now?
My goals are still the same. However, it has expanded to now include airsoft and now the building of a much bigger “flagship” field, actually a “play park” to incorporate paintball, airsoft and other activities.
It’s obvious from your website that you are involved in and promote community service with things like your Vienna Sausage Airsoft games and the like. Have you always been civic minded? If not, how did you develop that quality? What kind of impact has that had on you?
I’ve always been community service oriented. My first “Foodbank” game was held at my Olomana field in 1984. All-Star is the only paintball/airsoft field in the State that’s actively involved in local community service benefiting Hawaii’s hungry and needy. Since 1984, using paintball as my vehicle and means to give back to the community, my paintball fields have been recognized for it's involvement with local organizations and agencies. Since opening my Nimitz field in 2001, and especially during recent years, agencies and organizations have included: Lokahi, The Giving Tree, The Hawaii Food Bank (monthly food drives), the Word of Life Food Kitchen, various troubled youth groups, New Hope youth ministry, the Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii, The Children’s Miracle Network, Habilitat, the Aikahi Elementary School Silent Auction, The Children’s Alliance of Hawaii, the Pearl Harbor Sailor’s Wives Club Charitable Organization “Dolphin Auction,” and the Boy Scouts of Hawaii.
I'm much more serious about it now having gone through some rough times in the early 90’s and personally experiencing homelessness and going hungry caused by me making some very bad life choices. Living in my car, after my funds ran out and with nowhere to go, it took me nearly two weeks doing battle with my pride before I opted to raid the dumpster (with others) behind what was once the Waikiki Burger King to find something to eat. I’ll never forget those times and that feeling of hopelessness. I do what I do now because of that and of the fact that heart disease has been forecast to take me within a couple of years.
What has been your best experience in regards to the field?
That’s hard to say, as there have been a ton of good times and obstacles met and conquered.
What has been the worst?
Betrayal.
About Airsoft:
I know you have been on the paintball scene since the beginning, but what about airsoft? I’m sure you saw its start here in Hawaii. Can you tell us your experiences with that?
Tyler and Grant Woo of Impact Games first approached me to host airsoft games at All-Star almost a year and a half ago. This included night games and soon expanded to special day events. All-Star decided to incorporate daytime weekend airsoft games as a regular feature in December of 2008.
What was your first experience with airsoft?
My first experience with airsoft was in 1985 when a friend of mine brought back an airsoft catalogue from Japan. All the guns were green gas back then. I was impressed by the authentic look of the airsoft rifles and pistols as well as the uniforms and gear offered.
I know you see a lot of guys coming out to play airsoft for the first time at your field. How do you think their experience now has changed from your first experience in the past?
By far, the wide range of equipment and gear offers today’s airsoft players a wide range of choice to enhance a player’s style of play.
What was the balance between airsoft and paintball when you first noticed it here? What changes, if any have you seen there?
Airsoft, like paintball in the past, was an underground sport. For years, airsoft has always been overshadowed by paintball, especially during the paintball tournament heyday between 2001-2006. There were six worldwide magazines to push paintball back then. Airsoft, despite it’s following, definitely took a backseat to paintball at that time. However, with its phenomenal growth, paintball began to experience major problems. The rift between tournament players and recreational paintball players became evident on the play fields and from the paintball manufacture’s standpoint on the mainland. Everyone catered to the tourney scene. Recreational paintball players became second citizens and were kicked to the curb. Then both manufacturers and tourney circuits became greedy and took it out on the up and coming tourney players. For example, for a Hawaii team to compete at NPPL Huntington Beach (the granddaddy of tourneys) to enter was $2000, personal gear per player (main gun, spare gun, uniforms, masks, pod packs, etc.) was another $2500. Paintballs, if you weren’t sponsored, as many teams were not, let’s say a team minimum of 20 cases at $50 a pop. All this and it doesn’t include airfare, hotel, transportation and food. Things just got too expensive and players began to leave the tourney venues and return to recreational paintball fields. Paintball fields dumped their inflatable airfields in 2008 to survive. Those fields that didn’t closed down. Paintball players quit the game, went recreational, or turned to airsoft. Today, airsoft growth is tremendous on the mainland. Same here in Hawaii. Whereas paintball was king in Hawaii statewide, especially because of All-Star’s efforts between 2001 and 2006, the tables have turned. Airsoft growth in Hawaii outpaces paintball 4 to 1 in my opinion.
What has your involvement been within the airsoft community? What impact have you personally had as well as through your field?
Well, foremost, I wanted to offer a venue where players could play under controlled conditions. And while I’m sure all the airsoft contingents offer controlled games at their respective events, some of these events are by invitation only. While there is nothing wrong with that, my question is: “What about the rec airsoft player who’s tired of breaking laws playing on uninsured renegade games on private or public lands? How does he/she access regulated play? All-Star offers that venue to help fill that niche. As far as my impact on airsoft, it’s too early to tell. But, from the positive responses All-Star gets from players and storeowners alike, I guess I’m heading in the right direction.
What was the community like in the beginning and what changes have you seen until now.
Nothing really changes. Everything runs in cycles. The secret is to make the most of the moment while it’s at hand.
Speedball vs. milsim games- what are your thoughts on this? Most say that here in Hawaii we simply play speedball games where unorganized people run around and shoot at each other, vs more organized milsim games. Many say that we could never have a true milsim game here due to lack of space. Any thoughts on that?
Yes, while space is a factor, it’s not as big a factor as ORGANIZATION. I believe the only way to stage a milsim game is 1) Get all the various airsoft group honchos together to plan it and come up with a gameplay/roleplay consensus or 2) Bring in a professional event planner to plan the game scheme and coordinate all aspects of the game and background planning. Yes, these people do exist as they’ve been doing it for paintball scenario games for years. As far as space, how big of a space do you really need for milsim? For example, my friend’s paintball and airsoft park in So Cal (www.hollywoodsports.com) runs milsim scenario games on his fields, which are no bigger than All-Star’s three-field footprint. To me, planning and organization is key. Another key is to get the players to adhere to the game rules, roles and objectives.
Along the lines of team play and organized events, have you ever tried to run airsoft team competitions? Do you ever see that happening here?
Funny that you should ask that. I’ve been toying around with a 5-man squad tourney event for the last few months. Yes, it can and will happen here.
Airsoft: Sport or hobby?
To all devoted players, it’s a sport. For the occasional player, it’s just a hobby. There should be no mindset to separate the two as both views are totally up to the player and both views are to be respected. Don’t make the same mistake the paintball world made.
As far as public perception, until airsoft can gain positive public notoriety, refrain from invading and playing on public lands, until we actively begin to police ourselves to protect the game and come together as a whole and not as many separate factions, the non-playing public will see us as a nuisance and danger. Hmmm. That’s the same thing I saved paintball from in 2001. All in all, we can be responsible and make leaps and bounds in the public eye or we can be our own worst enemy.
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