Is Gaming Really a Sport?

     Determination, practice, coaching, training and professionals are all words that are relevant to sports.  You wake up pumped for your football game and start getting ready and call your team members to get them ready too.  The same rush that you’re having for football, basketball, or baseball, the same type of rush is running through another team.  Gamers.  Oh, they’re obese and have no physical intentions whatsoever.  You’re wrong.  Yes, i’m an active gamer.  Yes, I get made fun of for it, but that’s just my school’s immaturity.  I wake up and eat breakfast after turning my Xbox on to let it load the game.  I play Xbox for about 2 or 3 hours and then go on a run or workout.  People say gaming is a hobby, not a sport.  People that play sports are “famous” and “rich” and are “professionals.” Well, try telling Tom Taylor or Dave Walsh that they are none if those.  Tom “T-Squared” Taylor is the team captain of Str8 Rippin and Dave Walsh (”Walshy”) is a member of the team Instinct.  T-Squared signed a multi-year contract for $250,000.  He’s been all over MLG Insider and MLGpro.com and anyone who knows about MLG (Major League Gaming) will know those two names.  I have been dreaming of going to an MLG event ever since I asked my friend what MLG was, and he responded, “Oh, it’s just some guys that play videogames and get paid a lot.”  “It must be more to them than just a videogame then.  It seems as if it’s their lifestyle.”  I responded.  I thought to myself how cool it would be to play videogames all day and get paid to do so.  But it’s much more than that!  Being an MLG Pro takes determination, practicing your strategy, having a good coach and trusting him with his/her instructions, training before an event and settling in with a team without feeling awkward or of less value.  Having hundreds of people watch you 4-shot a semi-pro on Main Stage will keep you smiling all day.  Adrenaline is built in just the thought of competing in an MLG event.  Gaming has every aspect as any other sport, but it’s not just a sport.  Gaming is a passion.