Fellow paintball fans pay respect to fallen Officer Kocab

Aaron Vega knows.

If it were someone else who had taken the fall, Tampa police Officer Jeffrey Kocab would be one of the first to sign up for the paintball fundraiser to raise money for the family.

"He loved the sport. He played his heart out on the field. And he loved to help people," says Vega, a fellow officer. "He was a good Christian, a good husband, a good man."

On July 31, paintball enthusiasts from around the Tampa Bay area will compete in a benefit tournament for the families of Kocab and Dave Curtis, the two officers killed last month after a traffic stop.

Kocab and Vega played together on the Tampa Bay Vengeance, a traveling group that competes in tournaments. Several members were returning home from a Chicago event, where they won first place in their division, when they got the news their teammate had been shot and killed.

"I had invited Jeff to come along with us, but he couldn't," Vega says. "It's something you think about, how fate changes things. He was robbed of his life; this is just a small way to pay tribute to all that he gave us."

Besides a wide circle of friends and colleagues, the two officers left behind families who will grieve and struggle with the men's absence for a long, long time. Curtis was married and the father of four boys ages 8 months to 9 years; Kocab's wife, Sara, was nine months pregnant with their first child. The widow gave birth to their stillborn daughter, Lilly, on Wednesday. The couple had known the baby had a severe birth defect and could not survive.

One of the tournament sponsors is Warriors for Christ, a paintball ministry founded six years ago at Baylife Church in Brandon as an outreach for young men and boys. The group eventually teamed up with the Bell Shoals Baptist and FishHawk Fellowship churches and includes players ages 10 and older, as well as adult men and women.

What makes the faith-based group different from secular counterparts? Co-founder Don Thompson says members strive for good sportsmanship, opening competitions with a prayer. They also stress good works. In the past two years, they've raised $20,000 for local charities, including The Women's Resource Center, a Haiti ministry and the Emergency Care Help Organization.

"This isn't just about us getting together for fun, although that's what we do have," Thompson says. "Besides fellowship, we really wanted to bring people together for selfless acts. That's what Christ inspires us to do."

Thompson loves the adrenaline rush he gets from paintball, and playing with his sons and wife side by side.

"The playing field evens out. You're not separated by age and sex," he says of the sport. He describes paintball as a "high-tech adventure, like a high-speed tag in the woods."

For 14-year-old Samuel Pea, playing for the Warriors for Christ is a chance to work off a little steam, which we all know is good for teenage boys.

"It's a great stress reliever. And I like all the good causes we support," he says. "This is a lot like My Space and Facebook, because it connects you to people."

Kocab's enthusiastic presence will be sorely missed by his fellow players. They're honoring him and Curtis the best way they know how, in what they hope will become an annual event.

Says Vega: "I know Jeff will be smiling down from heaven and cheering us on."

PAINTBALL TOURNAMENT

WHAT: Fundraiser to help the families of slain Tampa police Officers Jeffrey Kocab and David Curtis. Open to anyone; players ages 10 to 17 need parental consent

WHEN: July 31; registration at 8 a.m., safety briefing at 9 a.m. Last game is at 2 p.m.

WHERE: FishHawk Fellowship Church, 15326 FishHawk Blvd., Lithia

ENTRY FEE: $20 per person suggested donation; $250 for corporate sponsors

EXTRA: Up to $3,500 of paintball gear and markers will be given away in drawing and is available for viewing at Tiki's Paintball, 428 W. Brandon Blvd., Brandon.

REGISTRATION: www.wfcpaintball.com, Tiki's Paintball, or mail a check to WFC, c/o Veterinary Center at FishHawk, 5484 Lithia-Pinecrest Road, Lithia 33547