By Luis Delos Santos
After watching Gilas Pilipinas finish dead last in the 2019 Fiba Basketball World Cup with an abysmal 0-5 win-loss record, I began to wonder: Where should we Filipinos place ourselves in the world of sports?
We don’t lack in talent, as there are a lot of gifted athletes in the country. Heart? I don’t think that’s the problem either—just watch amateur and professional ballers display on court a high level of dedication to perform on top of their games.
Where we come up short, I think, is in the physical aspect. Being tall and strong is a big advantage in basketball and other sports. Watching the Philippine team in the Fiba World Cup, however, is like watching David vs Goliath, except slingshots are not allowed in basketball.
A new kind of competition is creating a buzz over the past few years, and it just might be the sport we Filipinos can actually compete in globally. Esports, or electronic sports, is a competitive video game matchup that does not require the physicality or height advantage of traditional sports. The gamer-athlete just sits in front of a monitor, holding a controller or keyboard and mouse, trying to beat his opponent.
The fast-rising, multimillion-dollar industry will take a giant leap next month. For the first time, eSports will be contested as a medal event in a multisport competition sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee, as it will be featured as a medal sport at the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games hosted by the Philippines. Players from nine countries will duke it out in six titles at the biennial regional event: Mobile Legends, Arena of Valor, Dota 2, Starcraft II, Tekken 7 and Hearthstone.
The inclusion of eSports in the SEA Games is about to strengthen and expand the eSports community, many of whom are millennials like me. I am already excited for the Philippine team, and I really hope we could place for each game that will be played in the tournament.
Purists, however, will tell you that eSports is not an actual sport because it lacks the physical aspect of one. I disagree. Esports require the essential qualities of any other sporting event: commitment and dedication. Players come into practice sessions to perfect their game in pursuit of victory, to show everyone that they are the best at what they do.
Some might argue that eSports is “just a game,” but it is not.
These eSport athletes put in the work day in and day out by practicing anywhere from eight to 12 hours a day. Training for long hours is strenuous to the body and brain, but athletes push themselves to perform at their best despite the fatigue. Sport also requires skill and focus, with split-second decisions often deciding the outcome of the match.
Recently, I have read an article about a Chinese eSports team that invests heavily on the wellness of their players. The team wants its athletes to perform at their peak condition and hired a nutritionist, psychiatrist, and a physical trainer.
Such developments remind people that eSports is not merely a game. It is a legitimate sport. It is the sport of the future. And it just might be the sport we Filipinos can dominate.