From Left to Right: Sherry, Ligaya, Jaina, and Inma
Marielle “Layla” Louise helped her team Wheel Whreck While Whistling secure a spot in the 2017 Kiev Major qualifiers. Since then, female DOTA players were suddenly being recognized as forces to be reckoned with. Will there be a time when a woman will win a major tournament, or better yet will there be a woman who will win The International? Will the efforts of Layla create a blueprint for the future? Women in the competitive DOTA 2 scene sparks a debate among the gaming community.
And there are small-based LAN and online tournaments that could potentially answer those questions. One of them is the Female DOTA 2 South East Asian League, or FSL, where the greatest amateur female talents from around the SEA region would clash for a chance to win gaming hardware sponsored by Sound Blaster.
Currently sitting at the top of the tournament is Pacific Pink, an all Filipina team composed of Sherry (Hard Carry), Jaina (Midlaner), Inma (Offlaner), Ligaya (Roaming Support), and Olaaaaa (Hard Support). The team currently has an impressive unbeaten streak, with 13 wins and 2 draws, amassing a total of 41 points by securing victories over powerhouse teams like EXOH (Malaysia and Singapore), Do It Amazing (Thailand), Vitis Vinifera (Indonesia), and Where to Feed (Philippines). Even before their recent stint in the FSL, the team had garnered success when they were crowned as champions in the 2017 TNC All Girls Tournament in E. Rodriguez, Quezon City.
Amidst the recent triumphs and successes of the team, there will always be room for tribulation as each member had to endure numerous sacrifices, uncertainties on their future, and sexist comments.
I was given the chance to interview the team where I was able to learn their personal stories and insights. Unfortunately, not all the members were present during the interview as Olaaaaa had to attend personal matters.
How did you start playing DOTA?
Sherry: My family has always been gamers ever since. They even transformed their obsession with video games to business by establishing a computer shop. They’re the ones who taught me how to play DOTA. Razor was my first hero back then, and I couldn’t forget that time when right clicking nonchalantly on creeps was an entertaining pastime.
Ligaya: My brother got so hooked with DOTA that I got intrigued with it. I’ve observed him play and I saw his passion with the game. Out of curiosity, I decided to try playing the game and guess what, his addiction passed on to me.
Jaina: It all began with my ex-boyfriend who was so addicted to DOTA. One day, he brought me to the computer shop, and taught me how to play the game. The funny thing was that my first hero during my first DOTA session with my ex was a midlane Pit Lord which was very unconventional. Though the midlane Pit Lord ended up horrendous as I constantly ended up feeding. Eventually I fell in love with the game. When my ex realized I was addicted to the game, he would fetch me from school and bring me to the computer shop. He would teach me new strategies and tactics to apply in public matches.
Inma: When I saw my brother play as my favorite anime character, Lina Inverse, my curiosity for the game sparked. Eventually I asked him to teach me how to play the game. My brother taught me the best way to win was to type the cheat codes “iseedeadpeople” and “greedisgood.” (laughs)
How was the team formed?
Pacific Esports conducted a tryout for female DOTA 2 players in the Philippines. From there, we were judged based on a criteria of skillset, teamwork, and attitude. In terms of skillset, there would be three 1v1 matches where we were limited on playing three heroes namely Shadow Fiend, Crystal Maiden, and Puck. Afterwards, there would be a 5v5 lobby match, where teamwork was heavily assessed. Before the match began we were only given a limited hero pool and it is up to us on which heroes and what roles will we select. In the final screening process, we were interviewed on how we would react when a teammate is struggling or if we get ridiculed by a random teammate or by an online viewer.
Describe the team’s overall training regiment.
Our mantra for training is simple. Eat, sleep, bond, play, repeat. Training happens inside our bootcamp in Quezon City, where we would spend the rest of the day playing solo and lobby matches. We can eat our meals anytime of the day. We have a strict rule that we can only be awake until 2 a.m.
There were circumstances where the entire team isn’t available to train in the bootcamp, because Ligaya and Inma are both student-cyber athletes. In cases where some of the team members may not be available in the bootcamp, they may still join the training sessions by being available online. It is not necessary that the entire team will train as some members may prioritize their personal commitments.
Most cancerous experience while playing DOTA?
There were times when some of us accidentally forgot to mute the microphone that everyone could hear our voices. Comments like “Ay naku babae yan, talo na tayo!” (Oh God! A female gamer we will definitely lose) or “Babae pala kakampi natin bobo ito maglaro!” (Oh a girl, yeah I guarantee she’ll be terrible) or even “Just quit DOTA and go to the kitchen!” are the prevalent phrases we encounter.
Who inspires you to play DOTA?
Sherry: Artour “Arteezy” Babaev has always inspired me because he doesn’t seem fazed or rattled by the fact that he has so many critics on social media. If you really want to succeed, ignore the haters, and just do what you love to do.
Ligaya: Not to be biased, but Sherry has always been an inspiration because of her positive mental attitude. It boosts the overall morale of the team.
Jaina: The team’s coach, Richard, who’s also my boyfriend, gives me the inspiration I need. To quote Bianca Yao, “I’ll support you so that you’ll carry me.” That phrase best describes us. During the game, he would devote his time to buy wards, to protect me from incoming gankers, and to stack the creep camps in order to enhance my late game prowess. Outside the game, he would advise me on what midlane heroes should I craft my skills, and he would give me tips on how to further utilize the overall skillsets and attributes of these heroes in tournaments.
Inma: My boyfriend, Jio Madayag, who is a well-known professional DOTA player in the Philippines, is my source of motivation. The reasons Jaina discussed earlier are likewise applicable with him.
Are your parents or family members comfortable with your passion in video games?
Sherry: Luckily for me, I was born in a family of gamers so I have never experienced any rift between my parents and I regarding my decision to pursue a career as a professional player.
Jaina: Initially they were hesitant, until they saw how driven I was. They’ve always been supportive with my decisions.
Ligaya: At first my parents were disheartened when they found out that I wanted to be a professional player. That all changed when Ma’am Chi, the manager of Pacific Pink, approached me and gave me an offer to join the team. From that moment on, my parents allowed me to pursue my dreams as they realized that I had the potential to be a professional player.
Inma: My parents never wanted me to continue this obsession of mine with video games, because they believed that there was no future for me. They never thought of switching to a fiber connection since they feared that the internet speed would only make my addiction worse. It’s frustrating to play online games with DSL as there were times when I would suddenly get kicked out of the lobby due to connection issues. But that never hindered me from playing.
What were the sacrifices you made for you to pursue a career as a professional DOTA player?
Sherry: I had to stop schooling, because my parents couldn’t afford to pay the tuition bills for my senior high education. That allowed me to spend most of my time honing my skills in the bootcamp.
Jaina: By 2nd year college, I decided to quit my education because I wanted to experience being a professional DOTA 2 player. My mother found out that I stopped schooling and decided to bring me to the United Arab Emirates to work. I was able to find a job, but most of my time spent abroad was meant to play DOTA. Eventually she decided that it was best for me to go back to the Philippines to be a part of the competitive DOTA 2 scenery.
According to the the team, Olaaaaa would sometimes skip work, because she felt bored working a typical eight-hour desk job. Eventually, she got so fed up that she decided to resign from her post so that she could spend the rest of her day in the bootcamp.
Any plans for the future?
Individually:
Sherry: My current plan is to go back to school next year.
Ligaya: It’s my 3rd year in the 2nd semester, and so my end goal is to finish my degree in Engineering. I have yet to decipher what I will do in life after I graduate.
Jaina: Besides going back to school, I’m currently dead set in achieving my 7K MMR rank. Though I believe this would change due to the medal calibrations introduced by Valve.
Inma: If there’s an opportunity in DOTA then perhaps I’ll carry on with my career as pro player, however I still believe that finishing my college degree is an important priority. Like Ligaya, I am still unsure on what I will do once I graduate.
As a team:
To break barriers and prove that men aren’t the only ones who can generate headlines in the local competitive DOTA 2 scene. We also want to showcase our skills by joining The International someday.
Advice or tips for female gamers?
Simple, don’t give up. If there are people saying that you should stop pursuing your passion in video games, just ignore them and keep on playing.
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