John Rinella, a senior at Science Hill High School, heard about the video game “Overwatch” from a friend in eighth grade and quickly fell in love with its fast-paced nature.
A competitive first-person shooter, “Overwatch” is a team-based multiplayer game in which players choose from a roster of unique characters who each have distinct skills.
“The secret to being competitive at ‘Overwatch’ is discipline and focus,” Rinella said. “If you want to improve you have to study the game and learn from your mistakes. On top of that you have to put in the time.”
And that time appears to have paid off. Rinella recently accepted an esports scholarship from Boise State University, making him the first student at Science Hill to sign one.
“I was always aware of the pro scene, but I realized I had a future in college esports when I started getting good at ‘Overwatch’ in 2019,” Rinella said. “I am very competitive and was willing to work hard for success.”
Rinella reached out to Boise State’s esports director, Chris “Doc” Haskell, in 2019 and stayed in touch with him as he continued developing his skills.
He attended a casual tryout for the team, which included playing with and against current Boise State players.
Rinella said top “Overwatch” players typically put in eight or more hours of practice a day, and pro players put in even more.
“There are millions of people who play esports, so if you aren’t putting in the work to be the best then others will pass you,” he said.
A fan of competitive shooters, Rinella played a lot of “Counter Strike” before “Overwatch” came out in 2016. He’ll still occasionally return to other games with friends, including “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds” and “Valorant,” but “Overwatch” remains his main focus.
“College varsity esports is exploding and evolving at a rapid pace,” he said. “It is expected to rival football in the next decade. I am lucky enough to be entering at the right time.”
Rinella said Science Hill prepared him well for success at Boise State, where he plans to major in business.
“Gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry, and I would like to work behind the scenes on the marketing side,” he said.
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