Competitive gaming gaining pace at SU
More than 100 million people play online games each day, and more people
currently play esports than all the other sports combined.
So says Professor Mark Campbell, a senior lecturer and Course Director for the
MSc Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology in the Department of Physical
Education and Sport Science at Limerick University, who recently visited
Stellenbosch University (SU) to share insights on sport science research in
esports.
SU is home to 74 esports players, and the Maties Esports team this year
successfully defended its title at this year’s national University Sport South
Africa (USSA) esport tournament held at Sol Plaatje University in Kimberley,
scooping first places in Rocket League, Clash Royale and the FIFA men and
ladies’ single events. Kayla du Plessis was the only woman competitor
representing SU in the FIFA ladies’ event. Maties’ Rocket League team did not
lose a single match and scored a triumphant 27-0 victory in one of its events.
SU also came out tops in Clash Royale with a team that included its first woman
competitor in this discipline.
Maties Esports caters for both competitive and recreational gamers, explains
Yaseen Gangat, Sport Manager of Maties Esports Club. "The talents we have found
this year have provided the club with a solid foundation and we are excited to
defend our title again next year at the USSA championship to be held in Durban."
He adds that the club’s owes much of its success to its inclusive competitive
and recreational environment, which allows talented gamers to thrive.
Top performing Maties Esports player at the USSA tournament, John Walenga who
was the runner up in the FIFA section at USSA, has been playing FIFA for more
than 12 years. "I play FIFA because it resonates with my lifestyle. I am a huge
football fan too, so it is fun to be able to play with the players I see on TV."
Walenga has been with Maties Esports since its inception in 2022. "I love how
free and open (esports) are. I generally play FIFA in my free time, so being
able to do something I love (as a sport) is even better." Esports players
approach each clash with the same discipline and dedication as one would expect
from traditional sporting codes. "It is an industry that is very much on the up
and up, with opportunities for lucrative careers," says Walenga.
Training and discipline
Esports is classified as a "mind sport", much like chess, and it is administered
by Mind Sports South Africa. However, at university level, e-sports were
introduced as a recognised university sport in 2019 by USSA. FIFA, Clash Royale,
and Rocket League are the most played games at this level. Countering the
perception that esports are "just games" and not real sport, Walenga says that
top competing players require concentration and focus, sometimes even more than
for physical sports as tournaments often last for several hours.
During his recent talk at SU, Campbell explained how Europe’s first esports
science research lab in Lero at the University of Limerick has found, through
various diagnostic tests, that gamers have superlative skills when it comes to
planning, strategy, decision-making and task switching. These are enhanced with
regular practice as well as supplementary physical exercise. Variable training
helps improve players’ scores, noted Campbell.
Kimara Singh, Media and Communications Manager: Maties Sport, says it takes
"hours and hours" of practice for esports players to prepare to compete in the
respective specialised games. Tournaments take place almost every other weekend
and are an important part of the preparation for a big event like the USSA
competition. Walenga shares his training regime: "To prepare for tournaments I
try to play as many practises as possible, trying out new formations and
mechanics to perfect skills for a move."
There’s of course a fun factor involved with gaming, as esports are also one of
the largest growing sports globally, offering lucrative opportunities and
attractive prize money. Maties Esports player Ethan Dysel is a competitive gamer
for Limitless, a professional esports team based in America. This team is
regarded as the top Rocket League team in Africa, explains Gangat, and the only
one to be invited to the $45 million Gamers8 event in Saudia Arabia. "This is
fantastic news for Maties Esports because it will inspire other club members and
show them the true potential of esports," says Gangat.
Women and e-sports
While Azola Sikisi says she spent her childhood "wasting a dozen 50 cent coins"
playing games like Pac-Man in her neighbourhood’s makeshift arcade, the
"training" certainly paid off and she is now one of about 20 women representing
SU in the indomitable Maties Esports team. Contrary to the stereotype that only
teenage boys like to game, Campbell noted during his talk that the average age
of gamers globally is upwards of 34, with the gender split worldwide being
almost 50/50.
Sikisi notes that while it can sometimes be difficult for women gamers to find
their niche, as many of the most celebrated games in esports tend to cater for
men, the women’s gaming community is gradually growing. Gangat agrees, saying
that Maties hosted a woman-only FIFA and Mortal Kombat tournament earlier this
year. "We have a lot more work to do to grow the female gaming community at SU,
but this is a good start."
Through organisations such as Mind Sport South Africa and the Confederation of
African E-sports, South Africa is blazing a trail for esports on the continent.
As one of the most successful universities in the esports arena, SU is also in
the final planning stages of a state-of-the-art esports hub to be located on its
Stellenbosch campus. It is hoped that the world-class venue will help to attract
more esports talent to SU. "Maties Esports has a few professional players,
including Dysel and Ian Conradie, who are recognised as among the best Rocket
League players in Africa. We are always looking to recruit the best talent,"
says Gangat.
To sign up to join Maties Esports:
https://sport.sun.ac.za/sport-membership/
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