Despite recently starting his Junior year, Caden Stindt is already making a name for himself at UW-Platteville – but it isn’t in the usual academic, athletic or artistic circles one might expect. Instead, Stindt’s rising fame is due to his remarkable achievement of being crowned a Rocket League® tournament champion – not once, but twice in a row.
Hosted by the Division of Professional Studies, the Rocket League® tournaments are part of a growing esports movement at UW-Platteville, one seeking to promote teamwork and new connections among students. So far both online tournaments have proven successful, with each event drawing in registrants from a variety of programs and academic standings, leading several hopeful participants to even become waitlisted. But as successful as each tournament has become, one could argue they were even more of a success for Stindt – in more ways than one.
“Aside from winning, I enjoyed the past two Rocket League tournaments because of the community,” said Stindt, who is a Platteville native. “Each time I won I was on a randomized team of people, who I only met because we all signed up for the tournament. So these events are great opportunities to meet other people and just have fun while working toward a common goal.”
Teamwork isn’t the only factor responsible for Stindt’s success on the virtual field, however. Like anything worth improving, Stindt’s skill at Rocket League® took time and practice.
“I’ve been playing Rocket League since it first came out,” said Stindt. “So I’ve been around the game for a while. I don’t play it as much now because of school, but back then it wasn’t uncommon for me to play for twenty-plus hours a week.”
The amount of time and effort it takes to effectively compete in an esports match may seem intimidating, but for most UW-Platteville tournament-goers this dedication is an exception, not a rule. At the end of the day UW-Platteville’s esports tournaments are about having fun, an outcome that’s discovered by all who participate in them, regardless if one is a seasoned veteran or just starting out.
Having been a new player himself at one point, Stindt advised those recently getting into Rocket League and esports in general to simply enjoy themselves.
“Just play,” he said. “Play the game and see what’s going on in the online community. I’d also recommend watching professional tournaments and keep learning through all of it.”
When asked what the future holds for the two-time Rocket League champion, Stindt smiled.
“I guess I’m looking forward to being crowned the three-time champ.”
To watch Caden in UW-Platteville’s third esports tournament on Friday, Oct. 25, visit UW-Platteville’s official Twitch channel.