1.    When did you get yourself familiar with video games?  What were some of the games you first picked up and found yourself playing for hours?

   When I was younger, I played Mario Brothers at a friend of the family’s house. When I got a N64 later on, I found myself playing Diddy Kong Racing and James Bond 007 a lot. I guess I got bored with those games because I didn’t play any video games again until I met my boyfriend at the age 17 and we played Halo together. Halo 1 was awesome and I picked it up easily (with my experience from James Bond, I guess). I wasn’t too good and didn’t get the concept of things but I loved how the game looked and felt. The anticipation of Halo 2 was unreal. There was a huge billboard on the bus ride to school each morning posted on the side of a building. I have never played a game as much as I have in Halo 2. I got sucked into that game for hours on end and I have so many memories of playing Halo 2. Halo 3 is great and I love playing the only problem I have is time passes too quickly when I’m playing.

2.    When and how did you get into the competitive gaming world?  

   In Halo 2, a lot of my friends played competitively. I only recently started playing more MLG game types since joining the PMS clan and preparing for the AMP event. Now all I play is the hardcore playlist and MLG custom game types. I have been playing MLG on Halo 3 for just under 2 months now. I had played it before but not competitively. I like to play Halo to have fun as well but now that I see the potential I have in the gaming world I’m in it to win.

3.    What motivated you to come out to the AMP Your Game National Gaming Tour and compete in the “Search for the Pro” contest?  Can you describe a little about your experience at the AMP Your Game event?

   I want to give female gamers a good reputation in gaming because men give us such a hard time. I would like to see more females coming to events and competing because it’s not only a man’s game anymore. I had a lot of fun at the AMP Gaming Tour; everyone was so supportive and it was a blast. I will definitely be attending next year’s tour, if there is one, and I hope there are more females competing.

4.    Being the first female in the competition to make it through the Winners Bracket in the FFA and advancing to the next round on Saturday, how did that make you feel?  Did you get a lot comments and reactions from the guys you were competing against?

   I was very excited and proud. At the same time, I was worried about the team aspect of things because I had been practicing FFA. Saturday I was definitely nervous because I knew my team skills were weak and I wanted to win on Saturday as well. I felt like a celebrity at the event. People kept complimenting me on my skills and just being so supportive. I did see a few haters but because it wasn’t Xbox Live they kept quiet. For the most part everyone was pleasant and treated me as an equal.

5.    Unfortunately you weren’t able to make it into the final six, but you certainly proved to everyone that you had skill by dominating the FFA arena and out placing a lot of the male competitors.  Did you perform as well as you thought you would throughout the competition?

   I was pretty satisfied with myself throughout the FFA rounds because I started off a bit shaky. The beginning of a game is so important to be strong. I just kept pushing myself when I made a mistake and I would stay focused to try and not make the same mistake again. I was disappointed with myself throughout the team competition. I felt I wasn’t doing as well as I could have done. I wasn’t as confident in a team setting because of my lack of practice with the strangers. I love teamwork and I prefer it over FFA but also I am aware that some people just don’t mesh as a team no matter how skilled each individual player is. Overall, I was happy to have the experience and I feel it prepared me for the other competition’s I would like to compete in.

6.    Do you ever feel like people underestimate you because you are a girl?  Do you find it hard to gain respect as a female gamer?

   All the time! If I play my best for a couple rounds and have good call outs then I start to get some respect. I find it easier to have a unisex gamertag. There are some guys that get jealous and will never give respect to a female gamer no matter how good she is. This is what I learned: steer clear. I like to play with people that are positive and supportive, treat me the same as anyone else, like to have fun, and willing to learn from their mistakes.

7.    Have you ever or wanted to compete in any Major League Gaming events?

   Ever since I got good at Halo 2 I’ve wanted to go pro but lacked the resources to make it happen. Recently, I found out more about Ford MLG Canada and competing at the AMP gaming tour gave me some tips on how to get closer to achieving my dream. I am excited they brought MLG to Canada and that there are more opportunities for Canadians to compete. It is hard to find a team that plays well together, has a similar schedule, is committed and has the funds or the time to make it to the MLG events. It doesn’t discourage me though because anything is possible.

8.    It has been almost a year since the Ford MLG Canadian Open took place, and now that the MLG US Pro Circuit is making a stop this year in Toronto (August 22-24), do you have any plans to attend and possibly compete with a team?

   I will definitely be at MLG Toronto but I am not too sure if I will be competing. Even if I don’t compete, I know it will be an exciting experience and will help prepare me.  Just networking with people and watching the other teams play is awesome. I think many people are unaware of these events and we need to get the word out there because it is such a great experience.

9.    Gaming is on the up rise and now, it is becoming a sport.  People from across the world come together to compete and see who has the skill and teamwork to make it to the top ranks.  What are your thoughts and opinions on the growth of competitive gaming (MLG, professional gaming)?

   I think it’s awesome that gamers now have a chance to follow their dreams and do something they really enjoy. Also, I believe gaming does give you some life skills such as; hand eye coordination, teamwork, networking, learning how to interpret different personalities, reflexes and for some, how to be a good sport. I would love to see more video games used as educational tools and hope that this new trend could lead to an even bigger world of competitive gaming.

10.    Competitive gaming is a male dominated field, but more and more girls are starting to come out and embrace the professional gaming world, what do you think about females coming out to MLG events/gaming tournaments?

   I am glad to see more females pushing the boundaries of the gaming world. I think it’s great that female gamers are competing which I believe will lead to more people coming out to these events. A couple months ago I joined the PMS Clan and I love it. All the girls in PMS are awesome. They are a very organized clan who are committed and they focus a lot on learning everything about the game. I think the female gamers who compete in events should bring their friends to support them and make it feel more like home instead of being the only girl in a room full of guys.

11.    Any tips or advice to other female gamers that may be intimidated to compete in a male dominated playing field?

   There is no physical advantage for male players in gaming as there is in sports; therefore I believe a female can be equally as skilled. My tips to female gamers is to play with people that are fun, positive, enthusiastic about winning and learning and people who are an overall good sport. Surround yourself with people who want to see you do better and will teach you techniques about the game, and you’ll find yourself learning and improving constantly.

12.    What can we expect from you in the future of the gaming world?

   I would be overjoyed to pursue a career in professional gaming and I will keep myself committed to exploring opportunities to which I can fulfill my dreams. In the meantime I love business. I have owned my own business since I was 17 years old and I have a business mind set. I am going back to school for advertising/marketing and I love the idea of incorporating gaming into a business for myself. In the meantime, I will be attending as many events as possible and I’m always searching for a good team. Having female gamers on my team is always a welcome and a plus.