Danielle Kuntz| Staff Writer
Photo by Lauren Allen
BATTLE OF THE HOBBIES
Why Esports is the Most Grueling Sport at Hendrix “Wait— we have a gym?” These were the words uttered by Overwatch support player, Kaden Franklin, once I informed him that Hendrix does indeed have a fitness center. Athletes on the Hendrix Esports team are not used to working out in the traditional way. However, there is no challenging the fact that Esports has the most grueling workout program and practice routine out of all the sports at Hendrix, and maybe even in the entire nation. The process all starts with recruitment. When Coach Horton gathers the incoming freshmen that intend to try out for an Esports team, he tests them on a variety of skills, not just relating to their particular game. I asked him what these tests were like, and the following was his reply. “Oh, it’s ruthless… I give them a list of skills and they have only a week to prepare. Some of them have never even heard of finger skateboarding, or tried their hand in knitting— I know— crazy, right? But they have a week to show me what they got. And if they don’t got it, then they’re gonna have to join soccer, or something.” This may sound a bit harsh, but you’d be surprised at just how seriously the team takes their finger skateboard practice to improve finger dexterity— mainly, we use Tech Decks, and kind of gatekeep the brand, honestly. For those of us who can actually skateboard, we spend a lot less time doing that than using our fingerboards. I can only cruise on my real skateboard, but I can kickflip, ollie, and do a 360° on my Tech Deck. I spend at least two hours a day using my mini skatepark on my desk, and that’s outside of regular game practices. All for the grind— the Overwatch grind.
On the other hand, not all of us choose to focus on fingerboarding to improve our dexterity, though we all have to be proficient in it. A good amount of us also knit, even going so far as to compete in knitting competitions, which are usually filled with old ladies who are definitely both surprised and confused about us being there. Jack Ratcliff, Overwatch Captain and avid knitter, told me, “Knitting is far superior to fingerboarding. Sure, I own a Tech Deck, but I really don’t give a [crap] about using it. Coach doesn’t know it, but during our scheduled Deck time, I’m usually knitting. My friends tell me to stop. They simply don’t have any more room for all the stuff I make— blankets, hats, mittens, gloves, socks, scarves…” Jack goes on to talk about how he’s also turned his required knitting practice into a way to make money. “Oh, my Depop? Yeah, I make a lot of cardigans and sweaters for all the Harry Styles stans that flood the site. Honestly, I can’t blame them. He dresses like an old man but it’s kinda coming back into style, and it definitely gets me some cash, so it all works out.” As I’ve found out by writing this story, you can learn a lot of crazy things about people who seem pretty normal from the outside. But what is normal, anyway? Is it Coach requiring Esports recruits to knit and fingerboard to be on the team? Is it Kaden Franklin not knowing about the gym right below the Esports lab, even though he walks by it every day to get to practice? Is it Jack Ratcliff knitting to the point of no return? Whatever it is, it has one common factor— Esports. I dare you to try and find a more complex sport.
APRIL 2021
17
