In video games, the spawn is where a character or player starts their journey. It’s also where a character may land itself after they lose a life in the game. So it can be considered both the start and a continuation of a journey.

In 2007, I graduated from West Virginia University, but not with the broadcast journalism degree I was working so hard to get. I thought my game was over when I left the radio station to further my career in retail. It wasn’t my first choice of career, but I worked my way through the ranks to become a manager in a variety of specialty retail stores. I always loved video games, and finally having the chance to be a manager at GameStop renewed my love for games, and led me down a path of content creation and finding an interest in esports.

I re-spawned. I found that passion for broadcasting again, and as much as I wanted to go to school to get my masters, I never had the time. I never thought I was good enough.

A variety of things happened during the height of COVID. I got married. I left retail and started a 9-5 job. It was yet another re-spawn, but I still felt like something was missing.

In January of 2022, I lost my Uncle. He was my world, and I felt my whole being shatter into a thousand pieces. But as I listened to the stories of the people he worked with, how passionate was about his career, helping the community, and trying to be the best person he could possibly be, it changed me. It made me realize time can disappear at any moment, so why should I keep re-spawning into a life I regretted? When we moved to Texas, leaving our family and friends behind to re-spawn yet again, I decided it was time. I needed to finally do what makes me happy. I wanted to combine my love for esports, gaming, and sports into a degree I could be proud of, and I enrolled in my MA in New Media Journalism in February 2023.

In this journey, my room has been my safe space. It’s where I go when I’m feeling down, or when I need inspiration, or when I just need to relax, surrounded by the things that make me happy – video games, music, and sports. It’s my ultimate spawn point, and now I want to share it with you.

I’m going to be exploring esports as a business; where it started, where it has been, and the future it’s moving into. That future includes the youth of esports. More and more pre-teens and teens are trying to make this their future, looking up to esports athletes and gaming creators the same way they look up to professional athletes. School are adapting esports, from grade school all the way through college, helping kids achieve their dreams. Parents are starting to embrace their children playing video games rather than chastising them for not going outside.

I’m going to be studying how this new world has changed people mentally, physically, and socially. I also hope to explore esports at the educational level.

I hope to share this place as your spawn point. Welcome to my spawn room, I hope you enjoy your journey.