Often the things that bring the most joy were not a part of our original plans, but rather are things discovered along the journey of life worthy of a detour to explore.
This idea is one that Kentucky senior and Rocket League team captain, Jacob “UnfryableApples” Hunt, discovered for himself.
“I had no intention in being so involved in the Rocket League community,” Hunt said. “I was just someone who was pretty good at the game and I found out we had an esports team and fell in love with it.”
Born in Rockcastle County, Kentucky, Hunt originally attended UK thanks to a scholarship offered for by school’s engineering program and, though he would later change majors, it was the first step on a road towards becoming a member of a community that only a few years prior he did not know existed.
“When I was in early high school, I was pretty unaware that esports was a thing until I saw ELeague on television,” Hunt said, referring to the esports league and television show that airs on TBS and first started in 2015. As a fan of traditional sports, Hunt was fascinated by a Rocket League tournament that was broadcasted through ELeague.
Something akin to soccer, Rocket League is a video game where two teams of three players driving cars face off against each other and try to shoot a ball into the opposing team’s goal with the added flare of rocket boosts, fuel management and the ability to demolish the cars of your opponents added in.
“I downloaded the game and found out how hard it was, but I just kept playing,” Hunt said. “I have never played a video game that is so rewarding to get better at. ELeague is what got me into it, but how rewarding it felt to keep getting better is what kept me playing.”
That rewarding feeling became a driving force for the team captain, who is required to take on more than just being a leader in matches.
“Scheduling matches, signing us up for leagues or tournaments, making sure our discord is active and also playing a major role in putting on our intercollegiate Rocket League LAN (local area network) we hold here at UK,” Hunt said of his responsibilities.
As an official club sport, there is always an expectation of professionalism, but, as captain, Hunt wanted to make sure that expectation doesn’t overtake the sense of community and enjoyment that esports brings to the campus.
“I never want to ask too much of the players, this is supposed to be a fun experience for everyone,” he said. “It’s difficult to find that balance between fun and work.”
Despite the difficulty, Hunt seemed to have found that balance as the Rocket League team has had more success with him at the helm and the in-person tournament that UK hosts known as “The Bluegrass Boost Battle” is bigger than ever before.
“If I can be remembered as someone who had a role in making those things happen, I will be happy,” Hunt said.
As a senior it is easy for one to wonder what kind of legacy they leave behind at the campus they spent the last four — or more — years of their life at, but there is also the ever-looming future to be thinking about.
As for Hunt, he decided to pursue a career in the esports industry, but more on the business and event coordination side of the industry. As an intern for Gen.G Esports, one of the largest esports organizations in the world, he is well on his way.
“The networking I have done and the experiences I have had have given me a great leg up trying to enter this industry that is notoriously difficult to get your foot in the door in,” Hunt said.
Though Hunt’s journey at UK began with a scholarship for engineering, a passing interest in a video game he enjoyed playing and a discovery of esports has developed into a career-altering and life changing experience.
