Hewitt scoring goals off the field as eSports career soars
BRISBANE’s Jayden Hewitt gave up a burgeoning soccer career with the goal of making it in the world of eSports. It paid off.
Hewitt, 23, plays professionally with The Chiefs eSports Club, and – pre-COVID-19 – was flying around the world taking on the best players on the planet.
“There was a time people thought gaming was interfering with my football,” Hewitt said.
“But I figured out I was making more money playing Call of Duty rather than decent-level football.
“Now I get to travel to America for free to compete, I’m on a salary, so my family are really supportive.”
Hewitt joined Chiefs teammates at Bond University for a two-day workshop involving academics, psychologists and media and marketing masterclasses, aimed at giving them an edge on and off the competitive field.
“I learned a lot being at Bond the last couple of days,” he said. “We learnt from a sport psychologist about the mental side of eSports.
“Mental blocks can really affect players. The business side is also very interesting and it has been great hearing from so many different departments.
“Personal brand is really important too, so it was great learning more about that.
“Our main focus is to win ‘Champs’ – it is supposed to be international, but because of COVID, it is national. Long term we are looking to get in the Pro League.
“Pro League is a franchise league like the IPL in cricket. You have to be a really good player to get in.”
Hewitt plays Call of Duty at least 10 hours a day, and trains with the Chiefs as a team five to six hours a day.
Bond University is the official education partner of the Chiefs eSports Club in a first-of-its-kind alliance within the eSports’ ANZ region.