J Rab (ghost)

justin Rabackoff is an elite player and a dominant force on the field. He is adorned with every paintball accolade and will go down as one of the greats of the game. These things are impressive, but are peripheral to the reason we decided to honor him. Justin's story goes back to the mid to late 90's when his father Steve was a dominant force and trailblazer of modern paintball technique. As the captain of Avalanche Steve was a household name in the paintball community. During one of the first tournaments that Oliver and I participated in we witnessed Steve pull off an amazing double bunker move that is still stuck in our heads. Seeing this opened our eyes to the possibilities of move making and game breaking. Steve has a very distinct way of moving when he is playing and is easy to recognize based on his body language. Much like John Richardson Steve made it look effortless, like he wasn't really trying, super fluid and smooth always in control. Fast, but never in a hurry he usually found himself in the right place at the right time to make a gamebreaking move. Steve eventually took a back seat to competition focussing on his family and helping grow various paintball companies. Years past and his first son Justin was ready to pick up a paintball gun. Justin developed as a confident and effective player helping DC Devastation and Arsenal win multiple tournaments. I remember seeing justin compete in the pro division and thinking it was Steve. It was only later that I realized it was his son. The way Justin moves is remarkably similar to his father. Watching Justin pick up where his father left off is and amazing dynamic to watch as it displays the passage of wisdom and shows the realization of a fathers efforts. Justin has surpassed his father in ability and on field accomplishments using the tools inherited and learned from his predecessor. Justin plays quiet but deadly always gliding in at the optimal moment to deviate the opposition. Much like a ghost Justin will spook you into the dead box before you know what hit you. I love watching these two guys interact and I can see tremendous pride in Steve as he watches his son succeed. These headbands are a shout out to fathers and sons, the act of passing the torch and bridging the gap between generations. Oliver and I played against Steve at the end of his career and Justin at the beginning of his. It has been wonderful to have a front row seat to the Rabackoff show. Justins headbands are named after some things that are important in his life.