Why gaming is so important to this collegiate esports player
To Milon Dawson, an esports player at Iona University over watch Team, gaming is a means to challenge yourself and push your own limits while also serving as a social outlet where you can build friendships with people with similar interests and goals. As a novice player on the over watch B-Team Dawson is hungry to climb the ranks while accumulating as many skills and lasting relationships as possible.
“I used to play a lot of games with my older brother,” Dawson tells In The Know. “He always beat me, so I always wanted to be better than him. I never had the opportunity until I really started to understand games better and really practice them.” Dawson’s quest for improvement is what led him to Iona University in the first place as he was impressed by the school’s competitive esports program.
Dawson’s current favorite game is over watch, a popular team-based 5v5 shooting game. “I’ve played over watch for four to five years, but I never really had people to play with, so I stopped playing,” says Dawson. But when he tried for the team, his skills were still sharp enough to make the team as a freshman.
Dawson’s final role on the team was that of a “healer,” helping his teammates recover during battle. Dawson applauds his role on the team, explaining that his “[greatest] My strength as an esports player is being able to be there for my teammates.” When things aren’t going well in the arena, Dawson prides himself on being there to reassure his team and help them in any way he can.
As a player on the B-Team, Dawson’s goal is to improve and eventually rise to the highest level of competition. “I want to be on the A team someday, but I know it’s going to be a lot of work,” says the esports player. “I play as much as I can – I try to practice on my own and try my best to get better as a player.”
As Dawson continues on his path of improvement, he will do so alongside a dedicated, like-minded group of friends and teammates who have helped shape Dawson’s positive esports experience. “I just enjoy having friends and people who understand the games we play and just having a family feel to each other,” he says.
Dawson’s goals as an esports player go well beyond just making the school’s A team. Dawson wants to push himself to be the best over watch Gamer he can be and hopes his drive and hard work will allow him to pursue competitive esports well after college. “I think I’ll probably be playing games forever,” he says.
While Dawson’s goals as a gamer have stretched far beyond simply beating his brother, his dedication to improvement has helped him become a formidable esports player, and Iona may have a future star on his hands.
Why Gaming Matters to This College Esportsman appeared first on In The Know.
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