Gilbert High's Allyson Guzzo Describes How A Love For Competition Made Esports A Natural Fit

Anyone familiar with frequent school changes can recall how frightening those first days as the “new kid” can be -- what are my chances of joining a good club? Are the teachers harder on the students than in my last town? Will everyone like and accept me? But for League of Legends athlete Allyson Guzzo, her assimilation became a cinch once she joined the Gilbert High esports team.

“I was new to GHS this year, so I joined the team without knowing anyone,” Guzzo told PlayVS. “Some of the guys already knew each other from the previous years, so I was honestly worried I’d be left out, but that really wasn’t the case.”

Before she could join the team’s foray into the 2020 PlayVS Summer Showdown tournament, however, she had to convince a skeptical set of parents that her esports endeavors wouldn't be a lost cause. After all, she’s expected to balance her studies and drill down preparations for some big decisions ahead of college. But in the end, like with her teammates’ families, the Guzzos conceded it would be a great opportunity for their budding esports athlete to practice her critical thinking skills while bonding with new friends.

A piano player of about nine years, Guzzo decided she’d dedicate that same focus and energy to perfecting her play on a different keyboard -- one that was coupled with a mouse and a headset. Following an array of tryouts, Guzzo was ecstatic to learn she made the Gilbert esports team. The Tigers had a few practices and warmup matches before setting their sights on a lofty goal: to win the LoL tournament at PlayVS Summer Showdown, capturing all the swag and money awarded to the champs.

The team’s worthy highlights included some intense moments of triumph and some sad instances of defeat, but plenty of fun times for all involved. 

“During Summer Showdown, Hung (our support) knocked Tommy (our mid) into the entire enemy team with the blast cone,” she told us, “and everyone was laughing except Tommy, who was screaming. It was a pretty fun introduction to the team.” 

It’s those kinds of obstacles that they vowed to work together and overcome. The result was a respectable finish in the tournament and an encouraging enough outing that Guzzo has some words of advice for anyone on the fence about trying it at their school.

“Teammates really do quickly become friends,” she said. “And whether you’re an avid player, or are completely new, it’s still a fantastic experience! Team play is always something you can improve on, and there are many laughs and fun times along the way.”

To learn more about how your school can sign up for PlayVS High School regional play, click here.