Sports

Time Out

Athletes use games to get an additional edge

Travis Nieman
Sports Editor
tcnieman@niacc.edu

Video games have always been about experiencing situations that usually never could come true and are meant to distract us from reality.

Many years ago, sports games used to be extremely unrealistic, such as the NFL Blitz and Slugfest series.

But now with such advanced technology and realistic games, athletes are playing the games not just for entertainment but to learn.

Users play as both coach and player, making team decisions and executing individual player moves, play-after-play.

In that way, they gain such opportunities as the ability to determine the plays, which they might not experience as a player on the field.

Similarly, they get to try out different moves or are able see the same play from different angles, in a perspective they would never experience in reality.

Sport video games also provide the opportunity to perform many moves you couldn’t perform physically.

As a consequence, the athlete’s understanding of the sport becomes both broader and deeper.

Even players at NIACC feel video games have an influence on their thinking.

“Video games to me are a simulated game that teach you how to strategize like in real life,” NIACC freshman basketball player Derek Feldman said. “Especially in sporting games, it teaches you to use trial and error to get the best scenario out of the situation.”

Sport video games for me has increased the connection I have to certain sports and increased my knowledge on all the teams and their players.

Technology is advancing so fast and video games are just one example of how they enhance our lives and will be an everlasting learning tool.