For the Love of The Game by Jessica Gulick

What would you say is FUN? For many of us, the answer is playing sports or games and I couldn’t agree more. You can often find me on the basketball court. I love the team aspect, how fluidly leadership can shift as you run the court, and how well-defined roles (and countless hours of practice) accentuate a player’s strengths and lead to the team’s success.

These same aspects are what’s so intriguing about cyber competitions too. I’ve been fortunate to see them from many angles: researching them, participating in them, and organizing them. What I’ve discovered is that there’s tremendous value in PLAY.

Would you like to play a game?

Competing in games is powerful; first, because it’s fun. Working with the Women’s Society of Cyberjutsu (WSC), I see this reflected in our Cyber Girls Academy programs as well. So much learning happens when you’re having fun, and it’s almost effortless because in the moment you’re fully immersed and engaged. It’s exciting to see kids (and adults for that matter!) dig into researching how to block specific tactics or learn new methods, to help their team win.

As would happen on my beloved basketball....