If you keep up with the competitive gaming scene, you’re probably familiar with Scott “SirScoots” Smith (Scoots). A man we consider to be a founding father of esports, Scoots is one of the most experienced figureheads within the world of professional gaming. Scoots first became involved with competitive gaming through the Counter-Strike scene in 1999. A few years later, he helped manage GotFrag, which was a leading source of news for hardcore enthusiasts interested in esports and professional gamers. After the website was purchased by Major League Gaming in 2007, Scoots became the COO of Evil Geniuses (eventually purchased by Twitch), one of the most storied professional gaming teams in esports. Having led players and teams to multiple tournament victories, Scoots stepped down from day-to-day management duty to pursue new ventures within gaming.
Last year, Scoots was able to raise / donate $15,000 for Gamers Outreach through a video game tournament hosted by Ubisoft called, “The Next Level.” Thanks to his efforts, Gamers Outreach constructed three GO Karts for Phoenix Children’s Hospital!
We were incredibly excited to support patients and staff within Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Founded in 1983, (which is super young for a hospital in today’s world) Phoenix Children’s has grown to become one of the largest children’s hospitals in the country. With a medical staff of nearly 1,000 pediatric specialists, Phoenix Children’s is one of the leading providers of comprehensive care in the state of Arizona.
These GO Karts will have a special purpose inside Phoenix Children’s. While the hospital has an incredible array of activities for children, (including one of the coolest playrooms we have ever seen) there’s often a need for age-appropriate entertainment at the bedside. Due to strict regulations regarding what types of electronic devices can / can’t be used by patients in isolation, it’s sometimes difficult for staff to provide kids with activities that can help pass the time.
Thankfully, GO Karts are constructed to meet an array of safety standards which exist in the hospital environment. Special electrical equipment within GO Karts help ensure gaming consoles are safe for patient use, whether it be during long-periods of isolated treatment, or in a playroom. Because of this, staff at Phoenix Children’s now have a new tool in their pocket to help make treatment a bit easier for kids staying at the hospital.
We can’t give Scoots enough credit for making this donation possible! Having someone with his street cred step forward to serve the kids at Phoenix Children’s was an incredible thing to witness. We can’t wait to check-in and see how these GO Karts benefit patients.
Thank you, Scoots!
