Scouting Santa Barbara’s eSports Scene

For These Players, Gaming Is Much More Than a Hobby

Mark Stockhoff playing 'Rocket League'

Thu Oct 06, 2022 | 08:55am

Zach McNees, 18, just started his freshman year at George Fox University as a signed athlete.

But he didn’t need summer workouts, new soccer cleats, or a tennis racket for this venture. That’s because he was signed to the school’s eSports team, where he and dozens of other students will represent George Fox in video gaming tournaments — on computers and consoles like Xbox and PlayStation.

McNees, who’s from Goleta and graduated in May from Providence High School, was recruited to play Rocket League, a virtual soccer game played with rocket-powered cars instead of “human” players.

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