If you were a 90s kid, early 2000s Millennial or a current Gen-Zer, gamers of different ages will all remember one first-person shooter game above all else; Counter Strike.
First released in 2000, the original game quickly grew to legendary status in the gaming community. When Counter Strike: Global Offensive, known by gamers as CS:GO, was released in 2012, the gaming landscape was changed forever. The following year, the first CS:GO international gaming tournament was held with the winning team netting $250 000 (roughly R2,5 million in 2013), proving the game’s potential to the world.
Today, CS:GO is still played, with a peak of about one million players having been online simultaneously at one point in May 2021.
Curro Krugersdorp has been promoting gaming and eSports in their primary and high schools as a developmental tool for their learners for a few years now. CS:GO was introduced to the learners as part of the Curro Cup collection of sports this year.
Their first team, called Helix_Gaming, consisting of five players, train together every night (when their homework’s done), each at their own home, on their gaming computers/ laptops in online CS:GO games.
Here they face off against opposition teams of, also, five players from anywhere in the world. Helix players decide on a strategy for each round of gameplay, focusing on the buying economy of weapons in the game and constantly ‘calling out’ enemy positions and other important strategic information to one another.
Playing in the Competitive Mode section, each player gains or loses experience points, which leads them to climb or fall on the ranking system. If they gain enough points, they move up to a higher rank segment, with the Global Elite rank boasting some of the best players in the world.
When it comes to the highest ranks that each of the Helix team’s members have reached, Jesse Kayser (co-captain) said he ranked at Supreme Master First Class level (second highest rank), Aiden Kotze (co-captain) at Legendary Eagle Master, Ethan Chipps at Distinguished Master Guardian, Thato Mohulatsi at Master Guardian Two and Jordan Baruffol at Supreme Master First Class.
Jesse and Thato explained that it’s tough to keep up their rank when things get busier at school. Sometimes, one game loss when you’re tired or just not in the right head space can snowball into multiple losses and, sooner than you realise you drop down a rank.
They’re currently training to take on the Curro Cup eSport division from 16 July where they’ll be facing off against other Curro schools’ teams.
Genevieve Strauss, team coach and Curro teacher said, “We want to provide the learners with the opportunity to participate in more extracurricular activities. Not every child plays hockey or rugby. It can also be a future work opportunity for the kids who can make millions competing. It also teaches them about teamwork.”
