Post-Tournament Interview with Hearthstone Red Bull Champion Shawn Footitt
- Josh Limon
- Aug 21, 2017
- 3 min read
UCLA’s Hearthstone player, Shawn “Triton” Footitt recently competed in and won this summer’s Red Bull Team Brawl. As a result of his victory on Team Hafu, UCLA will be one of two schools to host a Hearthstone tournament sponsored by Blizzard and Tespa in the fall. Esports @UCLA has had the opportunity to interview Shawn about the tournament and its results.
Despite losing your first set of the day, your team managed to persevere your way not only to grand finals, but also winning the whole competition. Can you describe your thought process as the tournament progressed?
After the first loss our moral was down a bit because we had a tougher path to qualify for the grand finals and thought it might be in part the strength of our decks holding us back. After the second matches 3-0 victory we regained some confidence in our decks and didn't let the pressure weigh us down too much in the third match. The fact that the three of us Team Hafu were having a lot of fun playing our decks kept us strong for the grand finals where we were happy just playing our best.
Your group seemed much more comfortable than Team Amnesiac in the finals. Do you feel being comfortable with your group was crucial to your team’s success?
I don't believe comfort played a role in our victories, but I did feel that my team had a more enjoyable experience winning or losing than our opponents. The fun you can have just playing out the games is something I think it's important for spectator events like the Team Brawl to showcase.
What did you feel your role on Team Hafu was?
I'd like to think my role on Team Hafu was to play devil's advocate and look for alternative plays even if they were slightly inferior. Having a grasp of all of my options, as well as planning out the future allocation of resources is a skill I contributed from my competitive mindset.
How important was being able to use the new Knights of the Frozen Throne to your team’s gameplay?
Having access to Knights of the Frozen Throne definitely showed ... the limited success of aggressive decks as well as the oppressiveness of the new card Bonemare in a limited format.
What are your plans now that you’ve won?
Now that I've won I'm considering saving my earnings for travel expenses for a major Hearthstone tournament in the future. In the meantime, I'll just continue to compete in the regular Tespa Hearthstone season to the best of my ability.
As a result of your victory at the Red Bull Team Brawl, UCLA will now host a tournament hosted by Blizzard and Tespa in the future. How does it feel to take home a prize not only for yourself but also your college and everyone here who supports the esports scene?
I was incredibly happy to hear about this portion of the prize, because hosting additional events could help bolster the size of Hearthstone at UCLA , as well as draw out existing talent to join the collegiate scene.
Any final thoughts?
I'm just incredibly thankful for the time and money that Red Bull spent on us collegiate Hearthstone players who attended the event. The experience was amazing and I hope that more people have a chance to [take advantage of] the opportunity in the future.
Esports @UCLA wants to congratulate Shawn on his win at the Red Bull Team Brawl and wish him luck in his future endeavors. To stay updated on all things esports-related at UCLA, be sure to follow us! Go Bruins!
Comments