Another week, another interview. But today we have a two-in-one combo! Introducing Zach and Sam, our twin players in Illini Esports. Each plays on different teams and has different experiences. Read more to find out what games these guys are playing and what they do!
What year and major are you in?
Zach: This year I am going to be a sophomore at UIUC. I’m technically not in a major at the moment. I’m part of the Pre-Engineering Program that’s in the Division of General Studies. I’m planning on applying to transfer to computer engineering during the fall.
Sam: Sophomore majoring in CS
How involved in Esports were you prior to Illini Esports?
Zach: I haven’t been that involved in Esports prior to Illini Esports. I used to watch some CS:GO games a few years ago and I went to an official tournament for it, but that was it.
Sam: Before Illini Esports I was not involved in any Esports
What made you choose the game that you are playing now?
Zach: The way I got into Echo Arena was funny now that I think about it. I had just gotten myself a VR headset and I was really excited to try out some new games, but I didn’t know anything besides Beat Saber. I was looking around Illini Esports discord and I ended up talking to some people about my interest in a new VR game, and next thing I knew I was playing some matches with BoscoStixs and Haazman!
Sam: I have greatly enjoyed Valorant since its release, being similar to Overwatch which I played on console for a long time. I wanted to try getting a spot on a newer team, so with Valorant being a new game, I thought I’d give it a shot.
What does training before a match look like?
Zach: So, the training before a match consists of us getting on once a week and we play some casual games against random people. We practice all our plays, and we give some time to practice shooting the goal. I ended up being the goalie for most of that practice because I was more of a defensive player. Aside from that, we would play some scrimmages with other teams. It was great practice because everyone was very skilled, but it was also a super exciting and fun time for the team. Every scrimmage ended on a good note, and we would go over things that worked and things that we needed to improve on.
Sam: Before matches, we have done VOD reviews, scrimmages with other schools or teams, along with general aim training and competitive matches to keep our aim and other skills up.
Any interesting stories about a certain match or experience?
Zach: As a new player to Echo Arena, and a new VR user in general, I sure had my fair share of exciting plays in our games. I don’t have anything specific in mind, but it was always a thrill to go into a competitive match and have the game of my life!
Sam: I think the most interesting thing we did was a crossover event with a few other colleges. This is where we scrambled our Valorant teams and played with each other. It was a lot of fun to meet new people and jokingly trash talk my teammates when I killed them in-game. I think events like these were the most enjoyable, along with being good practice to see my teammates’ flaws in gameplay and get practice in full games.
Any upcoming events our students should know about for 2021?
Zach: As of now, there aren’t any upcoming events that I know the Echo Arena team has for 2021.
Sam: There isn’t anything I can think of right now!
How can more people get involved with Illini Esports?
Zach: I think the best thing people can do to get more involved with Illini Esports is to reach out to people on the IE Discord. I managed to get myself involved by talking to people who were active on the server, so I know firsthand that this is a great way to meet new people and learn about the IE communities for the games you love.
Sam: If you’re interested in playing any games, just reach out. People are always willing to play, so if you want to join weekly scrims for fun you can always give it a try.
Anything you want to shout out?
Zach: Shout out to my teammates last year who introduced me to Echo Arena! I loved the time I got to spend with them every week and I’m excited to see what progress we make this year! Also, shout out to my brother Sam who was on the Valorant team last year. Although we’re on two completely different games, he still inspires me to give it my all when I see the amount of work he puts in.
Sam: Shoutouts to Angie for her great management of our team and BottomFrag (Eli) for doing well as our IGL.
Thank you so much again to Zach and Sam! For more interviews check out Illini Esports on Twitter and Instagram and give us a follow to see what tournaments we are in next.