The Charger Blog
Known as Ӱԭsoccer with cars,Ӱԭ Rocket League is a wildly competitive esport that the UniversityӰԭs team members say takes hours and hours to master, combining split second decision making with deft mechanics and a true sense of collaboration among teammates.
September 14, 2022
When Alesandro Martinez Ӱԭ24 decided to attend the University of New Haven, he knew he wanted to join a club or team so he could meet some new friends and immediately feel part of the community. A notice online about esports and the Rocket League team caught his eye.
In high school he was a casual gamer Ӱԭ mixing it up with friends and taking part in online competitions Ӱԭ but his primary focus had been on his studies and playing varsity soccer. One of his favorite games was Ӱԭ the game known as Ӱԭsoccer with cars.Ӱԭ
ӰԭItӰԭs super fast paced,Ӱԭ Martinez says. ӰԭWhile its concept is a simple one, people say itӰԭs one of the hardest games to master and I liked that challenge. The summer before my first year, I emailed the coach and said 'Hey, can I try out?' The traditional way to get involved is for a head coach to reach out to you directly to recruit you, so I guess you could call me a walk-on.Ӱԭ
When he wasnӰԭt in his criminal justice classes or doing course work, Martinez spent hours honing his Rocket League skills Ӱԭ practicing, scrimmaging with others, and reviewing the matches Ӱԭ Ӱԭlike watching film for traditional sports.
ӰԭBasically, thereӰԭs how you move your car, in-game aerial training, shooting, and decision making,Ӱԭ he says. ӰԭThereӰԭs so much that goes into it. To get used to making these millisecond split decisions takes thousands of hours of practice.Ӱԭ
By the second semester of his first year, Martinez was named team captain.
Bryson Gundry, coach of the UniversityӰԭs Rocket League and Call of Duty teams and a practitioner in residence in esports in the Sport Management Department in the Pompea College of Business, says players have to master the mechanical and mental aspects of the game. ӰԭRocket League is a very fast-paced game,Ӱԭ he says. ӰԭThere isnӰԭt time to stop and think, so players need to have great awareness and communication to compete at the top.Ӱԭ
The esports scene at the University is a vibrant one, Martinez says, and his team feeds off the energy when they are practicing in ӰԭThe Stable,Ӱԭ the 1,330-square-foot esports training and competition center in the Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation.
Rocket League is one of six esports teams at the University Ӱԭ , , , , and being the others. Each have three varsity players and three academy or JV players. The teams offer each other a lot of support, and the excitement that builds during matches and training is infectious, the players and Coach Gundry say.
ӰԭComing from a university where the entire esports program was run by students, I quickly found it's truly an amazing opportunity to see these players be able to compete for the University of New Haven,Ӱԭ Professor Gundry says. ӰԭHaving full support from the University directly is a massive upside in the huge world that esports encompasses. The matches are extremely fun to watch, much like traditional sports matches.Ӱԭ
Esports continues to grow as a global phenomenon. In a , Brett Knight wrote that according to game data from the firm Newzoo, Ӱԭthe global esports audience was on track to reach 532 million this year, including 261 million Ӱԭesports enthusiastsӰԭ who watch esports content more than once a month.Ӱԭ Knight noted that the NFLӰԭs 2022 Super Bowl Ӱԭdrew an average of 112 million viewers, according to .Ӱԭ
"As the pandemic unfolded, the University community turned out regularly online to support the Rocket League team and being part of that did so much to make the pandemic less isolating," Martinez says. "It helped that one of his teammates was his roommate and another lived next door."
ӰԭMy first year, during COVID, we were playing in our dorms, and one teammate was next to me and the other was in the room over, and we were playing ,Ӱԭ Martinez says.
They were into their fifth overtime in the game, and the main stream had 300 people tuned in, and Ӱԭall our friends were watching. I remember passing to a teammateӰԭthen he put it away, and I was yelling as loud as I could. That crazy reaction of happiness and release Ӱԭ thatӰԭs why I love it.Ӱԭ
Professor Gundry says that kind of connection within the UniversityӰԭs esports community makes an impact on team success.
ӰԭI believe having an atmosphere where they are not only teammates, but also friends, creates a healthy environment, and opens the door for many discussions and areas we can improve on,Ӱԭ he says. ӰԭWhen I bring up an idea, or point out a flaw in gameplay, none of the players are afraid to voice their own opinions and ideas, and this leads to an organic conversation that allows us to grow as competitors.Ӱԭ
The esports teams play year-round. Early in September, they finished filling out rosters. The three varsity Rocket League players are Martinez, Matthew Windsor Ӱԭ24, and Glenn Scott Ӱԭ26.
The team will play in at least two collegiate leagues this year and they opened their season against the on September 6. This season theyӰԭll face teams including , Rutgers, the , the , and the .
Windsor, an electrical engineering major, who plays trumpet in the UniversityӰԭs Marching Band, says balancing it all can take some serious scheduling, but he says he wouldnӰԭt have it any other way.
ӰԭWhat I love best about competing for the University is the support,Ӱԭ Windsor says. ӰԭHaving the support of a director, coach, teammates, and even other teams, helps me strive toward my goals while having fun doing so.Ӱԭ
Windsor says the team will build from two particular moments from last season. ӰԭThe first was losing to a team we felt we should not have lost to,Ӱԭ he says. ӰԭThe feeling of disappointment I felt made me realize how much I care about the team and my teammates. We came together as a team and improved from that experience which led us to the next moment.Ӱԭ
That next moment Ӱԭ that Windsor and Martinez remember so well Ӱԭ was when they took on of Midland, Michigan Ӱԭ a team thatӰԭs won numerous national titles, has professional players on the roster, and, in July, was named National Program of the Year by the .
ӰԭWe took the number one team in the collegiate scene to a game five, which felt so euphoric,Ӱԭ Windsor says. ӰԭEven though we lost, that match made me realize how good a team we were and showed the bond we made throughout the year.Ӱԭ
The team has its sights on making a deep run in their league playoffs and in the . Just 16 college teams qualify for the national championships, and those teams typically have professional players on their rosters. Nonetheless, Martinez says, ӰԭThis year, thatӰԭs the goal.Ӱԭ
Rocket League matches can be streamed on . Later this semester, the team hopes to have a broadcast team offering color commentary on live streams. You find the team online Ӱԭ Alesandro MartinezӰԭs online user name is HeyImMartzy, Matthew Windsor is , and Glenn Scott is Auryx. Updates on the matches can also be found at .
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