Photo By Stephen Warns | Complexity Gaming members and Soldier Showdown 6 participants pose after the Soldier...... read more read more
FRISCO, Texas – Spc. Tijvan Rock rolled to the Soldier Showdown 6 esports championship Saturday at Complexity Headquarters.
Rock, competing under the gamer title TRZREAPERS, topped a field of 12 esports Soldiers from across the Army with 83 points for his first title. The Soldiers competed in Madden, Mortal Kombat, Apex, Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone. Staff Sgt. Brandon Vernacchia of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, competing under BRANDO, was second with 76 points and Staff Sgt. Stetson McCallister of USAG Wiesbaden, competing under BLACKCATSAVAGE, was third with 65 points.
The Army Entertainment Esports program, which falls under the U.S. Army Installation Management Command’s Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Directorate, conducted the tournament.
The tournament, sponsored by USAA and the Army and Air Force Exchange, was open to active-duty U.S. Army, Army National Guard, Army Reserves and active-duty military stationed at Army-led joint bases. Army MWR and the Exchange awarded prizes to the top three gamers.
Rock, a network communication systems specialist at Fort Stewart who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in information technology, credits gaming for building his skills as a Soldier.
“As a Soldier, I look at it like, ‘If I put the same amount of effort and energy as I do with gaming into my Soldier tasks, I can get things accomplished,’ ” Rock said. “I always look at it as if I was able to progress, as far as gaming goes, it’s not only going to help me while I’m in the Army, it will also help me on the civilian side as well.”
Gaming is a way of life for Rock, who started when he was 2. He said his grandparents were playing Sega Genesis and Atari consoles and it just kind of spiraled, he said.
“My grandma was playing Mario Kart, and she would teach me,” Rock said. “All of a sudden, I’m winning, and she asked me, ‘What are you doing?’ I told her, ‘Just winning, grandma.’ ”
Rock was aware of the many opportunities within the Army, particularly with gaming, when he enlisted. Rock said many of his uncles are in the military and told him about gaming’s benefits, and he learned about the Better Opportunities for Singles Soldiers program when he was deployed to Latvia.
“One of my friends was in BOSS, and he told me about the different programs within BOSS,” Rock said. “I didn’t get into doing anything like Soldier Showdown until one of my friends showed a Facebook post. And he told me it was a competition where you get to play games and compete. It would be fun, and just try it out. I gave it a shot.”
Fortnite was Rock’s strongest game, and he said Madden was his weakest. Fortnite played to Rock’s strengths of multitasking and effective dexterity.
“I knew coming in that people had Fortnite experience, but they weren’t on the level that I was because I tend to play with Fortnite streamers,” Rock said. “When you get to play with the people I played with and you get to the top 10 or top 5 in the world, it takes a toll. You see the different echelons.
“Not only do I know the map, but I knew how to rotate on the map,” Rock said. “It was one thing if I had movement, but having prior build knowledge, it helped me to advance. People might have known how to build, but they didn’t know how to move or shoot and aim.”
Rock said he intends to compete in Soldier Showdown 7, and he has a message for gamers and aspiring gamers.
“Keep at it,” Rock said. “The gaming field can also be on par with going to school and earning a degree. I’m currently going to school as well. Having time to manage school, work and gaming, it takes a mind that really knows what it wants.”
| Date Taken: | 10.17.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.17.2024 13:22 |
| Story ID: | 483348 |
| Location: | FRISCO, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 9 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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