In Fortnite a 13-year-old player was recently signed by a professional eSports team. The boy is supported by his parents, but he can only play until 9 PM and also has to study for school.
What is it about? To have the best players in the team even before the start of an official eSport league in Fortnite, the eSports team Team Secret has scouted and signed some of the top Fortnite gamers in Europe. Among them is Kyle “Mongraal” Jackson from a suburb of London.
What makes this unusual: Kyle is only 13 years old, which apparently went unnoticed! Does his young age and his obligation to attend school interfere with his career as a pro eSports player?
Has always been good at games and doesn’t look like 13
In a video on the BBC’s site, Kyle talks about his new role as a pro gamer. That he is only 13 years old had gone unnoticed, as he looks and sounds older. And indeed, the boy appears to be more like 16 in pictures and in the video interview with the BBC.
The boy is probably a natural talent: He has been playing since he was 8 years old. And at 11, he slowly noticed that he was probably better than most other players. He ranked high on the scoreboard in all games, often even above semi-pro players.
This is how Kyle approaches it: Another factor for his success is probably Kyle’s analytical approach. When he fails, he watches the replays and analyzes them. This prevents him from making the same mistakes over and over again.
“9 PM is curfew!”
This is how Kyle’s parents react: Since Kyle is still a minor, his parents had to grant him permission to become a pro gamer with Team Secret. But they support their son, albeit with conditions:
- He must turn off the computer promptly at 9 PM
- On certain days and times, he is not allowed to play at all
- Additionally, Kyle must study regularly and prepare for school
- For this, his father has already announced that he will accompany him to tournaments – even around the world
However, everything is fine there and Kyle is doing well in every subject. Therefore, the parents are not very worried and continue to support their son as much as possible.
By the way: Kyle is not earning money yet. However, he might earn a share of the prize money in future tournaments.
When will Season 4 come and how will it unfold? Here you can find out!
