Last week, a few Gamers Outreach team members visited Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to host a Rocket League tournament for kids undergoing treatment.
While we’ve had the opportunity to host a variety of video game tournaments over the years, this event was a bit unique.
Hospital staff are always working to create activities for children within healthcare environments. As we’ve seen firsthand, video games are one of the few mediums which transcend a person’s age, gender, and physicality. Games provide children with a way to socialize and develop healthy competitive habits which often translate past virtual worlds. Our first in-hospital Rocket League tournament was an opportunity to bring patients together for a fun-filled day of competition and socialization.
During our visit, children throughout the hospital were able to compete for bragging rights and prizes in a double elimination tournament. Smiles and sportsmanship filled the air.
“The Gamers Outreach Rocket League video game tournament was such an amazing experience for our patients” said Ansley Johnson, Volunter Coordinator. “We serve up until age 21, so it’s a bit harder to find things to do to keep the “older kids” engaged. This was our favorite event we’ve done this year because it was a chance for these patients to get out of their rooms, get a little competitive and enjoy an event that was right up their alley. A video game tournament is essential to their overall hospital stay because it gives them a sense of normalcy and the chance to forget that they are sick.
We heard a whole lot of hollering, yelling and laughter thanks to the event and it was so fun to see another side of our patients. We so appreciate and
truly love what [Gamers Outreach] is doing!”
We were incredibly excited to organize an event for the kids at Children’s Atlanta, and we certainly expect more similar activities to take place in the future. Because really, who doesn’t want to spend the day playing Rocket League? This was a triumph for the kids and our team alike!
Huge thanks go out to the staff at Children’s Atlanta for inviting us to their facility, and major thanks / congratulations to all the kids who participated in our first in-hospital video game tournament! You guys rock!