Slingshot Esports

The online world, while offering many positive experiences, also harbors individuals with harmful intentions, carrying risks. While your player may be online to have fun, and enjoy playing games, not everyone they interact with online has good intentions. Whether this is new to you or a helpful reminder, the reality is that the online world can be a dangerous place for players of all ages. Things such as phishing scams, online predators, cyberbullying, and the spread of harmful content can do far more damage than ruining their gaming experience. You want and need for your player to be safe. They need to protect their personal safety. And that starts by safeguarding their personal information. One thing you can do is help your player understand how important it is to not share their real name, address, school details, sports schedule, social activity calendar, and other personal information with strangers and people you or they don’t know. Encourage your player to be super discerning about friend requests, messages, and invitations, as not everyone may have good intentions. It’s good to give them healthy reminders to keep interactions with strangers strictly game-related since you (and they) don’t want to become a target of identity theft, stalking, or other forms of exploitation. In all of this, they need to protect their mental well-being as well as their overall safety. Think like Gandalf when he told Frodo: “Keep it secret. Keep it safe”. Solomon talks about what to do when presented with danger in Proverbs 22:3: A sensible person sees danger and takes cover, but the inexperienced keep going and are punished. Make the connection: What are some ways that we can reinforce online safety with our players without being overly forceful? We are #ForTheGamer and help players play with purpose and win for good. Check out all of our posts here: https://lnkd.in/gTMRf2FU

Before every basketball game from middle school to the NBA, the ref will always do this one thing before the game begins. He holds the ball with both hands, drops the ball, waits for it to bounce back up, and then catches it. Why? He wants to know how it bounces. See, if the ball doesn’t bounce back up high enough, the players will have a hard time playing the game. The same goes for a ball with too much air. How about your gamer? How well do they bounce back from hard things, adversity, or life’s unpredictable challenges? In other words, how resilient are they? Socially adept youth are generally more resilient. Having a supportive social network can provide the necessary encouragement and resources to bounce back from adversities. According to the Journal of Adolescent Health, youth with strong social networks are 1.5 times more likely to demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity. Gaming has the potential to help your player build resilience through the development of strong social networks. Playing with friends and even taking on leadership roles within their gaming group will help foster skills like responsibility, organization, and mentorship. All of these will contribute to developing and growing their social skills and increasing their resilience. The Bible comes in with thoughts on resilience in James 1:2-4, emphasizing that hard things test your faith and help produce endurance within you.  Make the connection: What is one thing that we can do to help our players develop their social network in such a way that will increase their resilience? We are #ForTheGamer and help players play with purpose and win for good.

You talk, but are you asking the right questions? 🤔 Did you know that children who engage in social play and interactions are 30% more likely to exhibit effective emotional regulation compared to their less socially engaged peers? Developing social skills helps your player learn to manage and express their emotions appropriately. Social interactions provide opportunities to practice empathy, patience, and conflict resolution. And gaming can help. But, you need to be intentional. After cooperative and multiplayer gaming sessions, hold discussions with your player where you can talk about their experiences, challenges, and successes. This reflection helps reinforce positive social behaviors and learning. Use these discussions to teach important social concepts such as sportsmanship, dealing with failure, and celebrating others' successes. Questions to ask could be: What did you just encounter? What challenges did you face? What were your successes? Did you show sportsmanship? How did you deal with failure? Did you celebrate others’ wins? And of course, you know your kid so you know long and deep to go. With that as the background, you can guide your player to think about what types of behavior and/or thoughts that you want them to repeat and also what you want them to stay away from. This reflection helps reinforce the positive social behaviors and learning through experience. The Bible echoes this idea in Proverbs 16:20: "The one who understands a matter finds success, and the one who trusts in the Lord will be happy." Make the connection: How might we have conversations with our players that help them develop the social skills to improve their social interactions? We are #ForTheGamer and help players play with purpose and win for good.

Positive social interactions can enhance cognitive development and academic performance. So, students who engage in cooperative learning and have healthy peer relationships tend to achieve higher grades and demonstrate better problem-solving skills. Research from the American Psychological Association (APA) indicates that students with positive peer relationships are 2.2 times more likely to earn higher grades and demonstrate better cognitive functioning. Video games that emphasize communication and coordination, such as strategy games or team-based shooters, are actually helping your player grow and develop socially. For your player to enhance their social skills, they need to use voice chat and messaging systems. They can’t grow in your communication skills if they don’t communicate. But here’s the tricky part. Voice chat and text chat can be toxic, harmful, and unsafe. Now what? Keep in mind that your player’s safety is your top priority. If they experience unhealthy behavior, they should mute the chat or leave the game. Because it’s a crazy world out there, we at Slingshot have created a fun, safe, and encouraging space for your player to develop social skills, build relationships, and do what you love instead of playing alone and in heavily toxic environments. We also believe that the Bible guides us in how we should talk and Colossians 4:6 speaks to that: Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person. Make the connection: How might we have conversations with our players that emphasize healthy communication when gaming to encourage healthy socialization? We are #ForTheGamer and help players play with purpose and win for good.

Did you know that strong social connections are linked to better mental health? Yep, youth with solid social networks are less likely to experience depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), approximately 13% of adolescents aged 12-17 in the U.S. had at least one major depressive episode in 2020. Youth with strong social support systems are significantly less likely to experience severe depression or anxiety. A meta-analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics found that social support is associated with a 27% reduction in the likelihood of developing depressive symptoms among adolescents. Being in gaming clubs or other communities can provide a structured environment for social interaction. Regular events, tournaments, and game nights can create a sense of belonging and promote positive socialization. For those who play physical sports, they experience this all the time. Is your player participating in a community-based gaming club or group where they can meet, play, and discuss games in a fun and safe environment? If not, consider having your gamer attend our events or join our discord. It would be an honor to support your family with healthy social interaction. And yes, there is a Bible verse that talks about this. Hebrews 10:24-25 speaks about caring for each other, doing good things, and gathering together. Make the connection: How might we utilize community-based gaming experiences to encourage healthy socialization for our players? We are #ForTheGamer and help players play with purpose and win for good.

The decline in in-person social interaction among teens since January 2020 has been significant. Research indicates that the amount of time teens spent with friends in person dropped by approximately 63%. This dramatic decrease in face-to-face interaction is a consequence of lockdowns, school closures, and social distancing. That new way of life has created a new pattern and new challenges and the shift had a considerable impact on your player’s ability to grow socially. But, your player still has friends. They want to be together. And, you want them to develop socially. What can you do? One way is for your player to play games with others that require teamwork and collaboration or co-op puzzle games. Maybe Overcooked 2, Minecraft, or Fortnite could be a place to dive in. Another way is for your player to join in-game group activities that require players to work together to achieve common goals. The third and the strongest option is for your player to attend in-person events that foster social interaction which leads to social growth. Whether it’s coming to one of our onsite events where the socialization is intentionally built in, finding an in-person opportunity in your area, or helping your player create one, the goal is the same: interact with others who are physically present. The more that we are together, the stronger we will be. The value of social interaction and connectedness is also referred to in the Bible in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10.  Make the connection: How might we utilize cooperative video games to encourage healthy socialization for our players? We are #ForTheGamer and help players play with purpose and win for good.

Anxiety is a part of our culture. COVID-19 helped to make it worse. And we really don’t know about the future. But, we do know that gaming has many positive aspects, often going unrecognized. It might be hard to believe or even accept at times, but it is a reality. Gaming provides essential stress relief for our players by offering them a mental break and a way to unwind from daily pressures. This form of relaxation can significantly reduce their anxiety and provide an emotional outlet. Gaming builds communities for our players by connecting people and fostering friendships. These communities offer emotional support and encouragement, providing another way to reduce anxiety. Moreover, gaming enhances our players’ skill development. Improved skills provide confidence which can reduce anxiety when playing online and in more competitive situations. Not only do the skills learned while gaming transfer to real life, so will the confidence. Intentionally balancing gaming with other aspects of life can also reduce anxiety. An effective time management routine ensures that our players are able to take care of other responsibilities, reducing the stress of trying to figure out how to get everything done. The Bible offers wisdom applicable to gaming. Matthew 11:28 emphasizes finding rest, 2 Timothy 1:7 highlights sound judgment, and Hebrews 10:24 encourages supportive communities. Make the connection: How might we accept and use gaming as a way to reduce stress in the lives of our players? We are #ForTheGamer and help players play with purpose and win for good.

“You play too much”. How many times have you said that to your player? Maybe it’s in the context of a conversation, in the heat of an argument, or something that just rattles around in your head. What happens when you verbalize it to your player? Does it cause more stress and anxiety? Does it create tension in your house? Is it one more thing that you just don’t want to deal with? So deal with it. Start with the premise that your player is not intentionally out to get you and make your life hard. But how? Realize that this is an opportunity to teach a life skill and make the most of the opportunity. Here’s one way to guide your player to manage their time through routines with healthy boundaries. You can have them walk through these steps either by themselves or with you: Step 1: Identify essential tasks that you’ll do before gaming. Make a list of daily or weekly goals to keep track of responsibilities. Step 2: Create a consistent daily/weekly routine that balances those essential tasks and helps you obtain your goals and fulfill your responsibilities. Things to include could be school, work, studying, family, and gaming. Don’t forget to include breaks while gaming. Step 3: Use a planner, calendar, or scheduling app to organize your time and allocate specific time slots for the priorities, gaming, and other activities. Step 4: Stick to your schedule. Use alarms and reminders to help you keep on track and ensure that you are using your time as you designed. Step 5: Evaluate and adjust your routine as things change, making sure overall, your routine is healthy for you. This will be work for both you and your player. It will require intentionality. But that’s ok because the reward is worth it. The Bible affirms this: “Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts." - Psalm 90:12 Make the connection: How might we use gaming as a way to develop the important life skill of intentionally creating a balanced life? We are #ForTheGamer and help players play with purpose and win for good.

What makes your player anxious? Do they fear video chat? Are they reluctant to join multiplayer games? Do they avoid in-game interactions and social features? Is just going to school a challenge? Social anxiety is real. It’s the intense fear of being judged, negatively evaluated, or rejected in a social or performance situation. It can significantly impact a person's ability to interact with others. Maybe there’s a fear of making mistakes, being ridiculed, or facing hostility from others. Maybe there’s an uncertainty of how to respond in social situations. Even the competitive nature of many games can exacerbate these fears. And make life harder. But God doesn’t want us to be fearful. He wants us to trust Him since trusting in Him protects us from the fear of others. He also wants us to encourage and help strengthen each other to begin to overcome the anxiety. Check 2 Timothy 1:7, Proverbs 29:25, and 1 Thessalonians 5:11. Make the connection: How might we deepen our insight into the anxiety our players face and support them in conquering it? We are #ForTheGamer and help players play with purpose and win for good.

As you are most likely aware, toxic behavior and harassment are unfortunately common in most online gaming communities. Maybe your player has experienced verbal abuse, threats, bullying, and discriminatory comments based on race, faith, or for other reasons. Sadly, it’s part of being a kid. The constant exposure to toxic behavior can increase our players’ anxiety and stress levels, maybe even without them or you knowing it. Over time, our players may become anxious about encountering harassment (both online and in real life), detracting from their usual enjoyment when playing. The reality is that repeated harassment and negative interactions can lead to feelings of worthlessness and depression. Our players may begin to withdraw from online and/or in real life interactions, leading to isolation and a lack of social interaction. This can exacerbate feelings of loneliness and depression. The solution is not to remove them from gaming. Utilizing platform tools (muting and blocking), seeking supportive communities, engaging in self-care, and, if necessary, obtaining professional help can significantly mitigate the negative impact of toxicity and harassment. Hearing what God has to say can also play a crucial role in overcoming these challenges and fostering a healthier gaming environment. Romans 12:21 tells us not to be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good. Responding to toxicity and harassment with kindness and grace will not only help your player navigate the challenges they're facing, but will also help to create a more respectful and supportive gaming environment. With your guidance and support, your player could change the landscape of gaming, one conversation at a time. Make the connection: How might we have conversations to better equip our players to overcome the impact of toxicity when gaming? We are #ForTheGamer and help players play with purpose and win for good.