Michael Sing (he/him), 19, is currently a sophomore at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), pursuing their nursing associates program. Sing describes his school as “incredibly diverse in culture and extracurricular activities.”
“The way the administration encourages student advocacy was beyond my expectations. As far as academics go, their programs are both competitive and fulfilling,” said Sing.
Sing hopes to become a pediatric nurse working at a hospital once he finishes school, but for now, he plays on the BMCC esports team. He currently plays Rocket League, Destiny 2, Modern Warfare, and many fighting games such as Tekken 7, Injustice, and Mortal Kombat. He is also his team’s Rocket League captain.
How does it feel being the RL captain for your team and how did you get that position?
“I am no stranger to being captain of a team, however, the fact that the program is so small consisting only of five members has allowed me to form more meaningful connections with my players beyond that of just a teammate. I’d like to think that at the end of the day, win or lose, we are all still friends,” said Sing, “I assumed the role of captain during my first semester at BMCC by simply being the best on my team at that time. But being the best at the game doesn't make you the best captain, it took time for me to realize that when you are the leader in a team sport you have to adopt a different mindset in regard to improving your team.”
Sing has been playing Rocket League since 2016, but said he recently got serious in competition about two and a half years ago. He expressed that being a part of a collegiate team can sometimes feel like a big responsibility, but the experience of being something larger than himself is something he finds very rewarding.
Sing called the NJCAAE an “amazing association” when describing his experience being a member.
“The NJCAAE has afforded me the opportunity to competitively play Rocket League at a level I was not used to before. After only two semesters, the BMCC Rocket League Esports Team has gone from a low-seed team that was unable to make playoffs to being able to compete at the Grand Finals in the playoffs last season,” said Sing.
BMCC's Esports program made its first Rocket League Championship in program history, do you have any words about that?
“It was truly sensational to make it so far. We’d never thought we’d make it to this point but once we had the momentum going we kept taking it further and further, paving the way, and showing that even a small program can make it to the top,” said Sing, “Although we lost in the Grand Finals, the journey there was still amazing.”
To constantly improve himself in-game, Sing believes that there is a certain amount of dedication involved beyond the natural talent that a player may possess. He believes he takes that same dedication and applies it to everything he does in life, because there is always room to improve.
Do you have any advice for young gamers?
“Enjoy it while you have the free time to play to your heart's content! And win or lose, games are meant for fun so if you find yourself getting really angry, turn it off or do something else for a little while,” said Sing.
Written by Mia White
