By SHRUTHI PRADEESH

Sierra High

Communication by Design

His hands begin to sweat. His mind and heart race at the same time. Konnor Spears’ eyes dart back and forth between the players and the game.

The Sierra High junior knows they’re losing. He can feel the pressure mounting. Time ticking away. If he doesn’t do something quick, they’re going to go home with a sour taste of defeat in their mouths. He can’t afford to lose even a single second of concentration because of the effect it would have on his team.

Spears winces as he takes blows from all around, not being able to locate the shooter who was bringing him closer and closer to defeat.

Suddenly, it hits him.

Spears quickly turns and hides behind a boulder, taking refuge from the raging shooter. Spears crawls out and finds his enemy standing under a tree. Exposed. Ripe for the taking.

Approaching slowly from behind, Spears prepares to strike, his weapon gripped tight in his hands. He raises his arm over his head and smashes his opponent who disintegrates into thin air just as the game expires.

Spears beams with joy. His friends shower him with cheers and praise. He did it. He’d won the game … and with just a second of clarity, too. Spears takes off his gaming headset, re-entering the real world, as the thrill of victory soars through him.

Spears is one of Sierra High’s very best eSports players. Spears has been on the team for a year now and his skills in League of Legends, the game of choice, speak for themselves. He has been playing video games from a very young age and being an original member of the Timberwolves’ eSports team allows him to showcase his love for video games while connecting with people who enjoy the same.

“Konnor is a great team player, who is very supportive of the other team members,” said Dianna Puett, Sierra’s eSports coach and theatre teacher. “He knows his position and he plays his position very well.”

Spears is a two-sport athlete in a modern world; an athlete with one foot rooted in a grass tee box and the other in a digitized map. While golf is a test of his individual ability and mental toughness, eSports allows for an element of fun and teamwork. Spears’ success in both golf and eSports come from his dedication and passion for the game. His ability to be a good teammate lets him dive into the fantasy world of gaming with ease and his commitment allows him to be one of the best gamers on campus.

So, which is tougher – golf or video games?

“Golf is a very mental sport,” Spears said. “Dedication matters. eSports, on the other hand, is having fun with a little bit of competition.”

What does it take to be an eSports player? Simple mechanical skills, such as working a keyboard and mouse, and basic knowledge of the game. Regular practice also plays an important role in the life of an eSports player. More importantly, though, eSports demands a strong mental capacity and quick-thinking. Puett says on average eSports players have to make between 100 to 300 decisions in a minute.

“It’s a whole lot more than video game playing,” she said. “Can you figure out a strategy, work together and commit? … We’re passed the basics, and (Spears and his team) are working on a winning composition now.”