One thing I have often struggled with when writing certain articles is that fact that there will be people out there that simply are in no health to start playing sports YET. Physical activity is one thing. I can do push-ups literally outside of my bathroom, do yoga at home, run on a track and still be in close proximity to a bathroom or anything I may need, but when I go to a soccer field or track there may not be an outhouse. Of course, this extends to individual needs depending on your disease.
Also notice how I capitalize the word “yet”. This is no caps lock error. The reason I did this, and the reason I’ve been hesitant to even mention the idea of e-sports is because too often I hear people say “I’m too sick to participate in sport or be active.” Notice the complete absence of the word yet? Let’s add that to the sentence: “I’m too sick to participate in sport or physical activity yet.” This single word implies thought towards future participation. Now, you may ask, “why does this matter?” The simple answer: mind set is everything. If you have no plans for future action, you will stay right where you are today. Do not let this be an excuse. So, words of warning. This is NOT an alternative to sport and physical activity, but more so a stepping stone. It is a crutch on the rehab to walking sort-of-speak. So with that in mind, let’s dive in.
I have recently expanded my view into the world of streaming, Twitch, and using that as a forum of live interaction with you guys. What I never thought of was something called E-sports. E-sports is basically a form of competitive video game play. Now, think of that in terms of competitive Gears of War and it is purely video gaming at a more competitive layer. Yet, combine E-sports with something like FIFA 17’s Pro Clubs, where you can create yourself as a player, control that player, and play on a team of 10 others as if you are really on a full soccer team; now we are on to something!!
Back in the summer, I wrote an article for a soccer club I worked for discussing the benefits of video games for their athletes. Now I’m faced with the idea of: are there any benefits to E-sports for those with disease? So naturally I began investigating it.
To my complete and utter surprise, the E-sports FIFA Pro Club circuit is intense. They have two divisions on this particular League. Each team holds trials to acquire players, and there is a dollar value associated to each player to ensure that no team just simply stacks their players. I mean, this is a fake dollar value, there is no real money involved, it is just a system to balance teams. It could easily be a point value rather than dollar. To me, it is all very interesting. I’ll be honest I don’t fully understand it and am still investigating to see where exactly it all leads. I mean, trials to get on a team? That’s pretty intense but can it offer a reasonable alternative for those unable to leave the house yet?
This last question is exactly what I am attempting to answer. These leagues seem well organized. You get a schedule and you do in fact play at certain days and times of the week. It is essentially a team commitment without having to leave the house. So, is this the alternative?
I have read articles about imagery and the use of video games to actually get better at whatever sport you are playing. I have written on this topic myself. I have also read articles about how simply using imagery may be able to influence physical changes in your body (i.e. make you stronger, quicker, etc). While some of this is a controversial and often debatable topic, I believe some of it may hold true. If does hold true, then theoretically, joining an E-sports team and playing should produce similar benefits as joining a sports team in real life. Now, it must be said that in these studies using imagery, actually lifting weights produced a much bigger increase in strength than simply imagery. The same would hold true here. You won’t get the maximal benefits of actually joining a real sport team, but it could theoretically give you a taste of what is to come.
That being said, can I make any conclusions on this? Not yet, but that is definitely what I am setting out to do. I have signed up for one of these leagues and currently am trying to sign with a team (really cool in a really nerdy way, but whatever!). I am also trying to set up my own Twitch account, or at least Periscope again to be able to share the games that go on for those interested in seeing what it’s all about. This will run parallel to the Gear Up Against Disease events that will be going on bi-weekly in partnership with Sarcastic Owl Productions. Depending on how the interest pans out, I may expand the Gear Up Against Disease page with some information and stats about this as well. From what I have heard, this is not a scarce community on Twitch, but rather a big up and coming scene gathering attention by the day.
The last thing I want to say is also one of the first things I pointed out. I don’t want anyone thinking that this is a permanent replacement to actively participating in sports. I really don’t think you can fully replace that in-person interaction, or fully capture the moment of success, over a video game. Rather, this could be an excellent alternative for those who have not yet been able to transition out of their home while doing physical activity, yet want to experience some form of sport. To those who cannot join a sport team, don’t give up! Keep doing those reps at home. This journey is not a sprint but rather a marathon. It took me over 6 months from when I first began working out to the point in which I tried to play sports. These things take time. Keep battling on, keep striving for improvement. You will get there and I will see you out on the field!