Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Gaming can boost your love of sport
MOST teenage boys aspire to be sports stars or professional gamers.
Dean Davids, 17, has enjoyed the best of both worlds.
Dean lives in Thornton and is in matric at Pinelands High School.
Three years ago, he played football for Jean Marc Ithier Soccer Academy.
He swopped his football boots for eSports, where competitions take place on a video game between professional players.
He is a whizz on the game Counter Strike: Global Offensive, (CS:GO ) a first-person shooter game.
“I used to be really into soccer,” he said. “It was a lifestyle for me. I used to sleep, breathe, and eat it.
“Everyday, I’d come home from school and play soccer, and it’s kind of similar with gaming now. I’m not really a big guy, and physique is very important when it comes to soccer. I really enjoyed gaming and I was told I was really good at it too.”
In 2016, he was offered a contract to play for Flipside eSports, and had to make a decision between football or esports.
“I chose gaming because of the interest and I thought I’d make it further with gaming,” Dean said.
He is a professional Counter Strike: Global Offensive player for Goliath Gaming. Dean has competed in multiple events, namely: rAge Expo CS:GO 2016, Mettlestate CS:GO tournament 2017, and the Esports World Conference 2017 CS:GO qualifiers. He placed fourth in all events.
Dean believes that esports should be classified as a real sport, while his parents support his choice to be an esports player.
“School is important, but I also want to be the best in the world at CS:GO,” he said.