Battlefield Community Spotlight: cekay

We're going to switch gears a bit and get back to doing some Q&As with our own members in the Battlefield division. If you didn't catch the interview with daskro, please take a look, as it was very informative.

 

The reason I wanted to do this with cekay is because here we have one of our youngest members demonstrating that age really has no bearing on conducting yourself with maturity and integrity. I remember when cekay hopped in our channel one day, asking if he would be allowed to transfer to the Battlefield division. He was currently with the Arma division and sounded like he was on the verge of leaving TAW. I really liked his enthusiasm and desire to be part of a team that takes a game seriously but always has fun doing so (us!), so I told him to reach out to his chain of command (COC).

Since then, cekay has become one of our most valuable members, taking on various roles, such as being a drill instructor, server technician and most recently a platoon leader (PL) for the last season of Battleline: Battle 4 Supremacy. He is now a member of the Battlefield America Competition Battalion.

 

cekay's 13th birthday. He built a military base out of cards.

 

Q.    Hi cekay, let's get this out of the way: how old are you?

A.    I am currently 15 and a half going on 16 in January.

 

Q.    I know that your age has always been a topic of discussion, which in some cases makes sense but a lot of times is really unfair. Tell us how you have overcome being the "young guy" in TAW?

A.    Well to start, when I first joined TAW, the guys over in the Arma division were really skeptical but as soon as I transferred to the Battlefield (BF) division I noticed a difference in how the "elders" treated new members; with an open mind. I guess you could say I took advantage of this and really set out to prove myself despite being a young and restless teenager. I have built my relationships over time by socializing and using what I have learned from my peers and family on how to act and how not to act around different age groups.

 

Q.    What is the meaning behind your TAW handle, how long have you been with TAW and why did you join?

A.    When I first joined TAW, I took the handle of ckllkc which are my initials forward and backward. The COC in Arma didn't like this all too much and requested I change it. So the next best thing was to enunciate it and it became "cekay" with ought the "L."

 

Q.    Being a high school student and having obligations not only to your studies, but your family, too. Thus, there are a lot of challenges for someone like you to make mandatory match nights. What type of advice can you give someone, regardless of age, on how to balance your real-life obligations versus your TAW obligations?

A.    In my mind, school always takes precedence over extracurricular activities, excluding the ones you need to keep sane, of course. This means that I try my best not to have home work on match nights, and if I do I go in early, to get it done before my classes start. This allows me to be more stress free and attend the events we

have planned. Of course, my parents dictate when I can and can't play, so when it comes down to that, it's better to just submit an excusal instead of argue and irritate them more, as they often do not understand these types of commitments.

 

Q.    Tell us what being a PL was like. Were you nervous, excited or confident? What were things you liked about it and things you found very challenging? For example, I know it was discouraging for you to have to step down as PL (due to the storyline for that Battleline season)...how did you cope with it? Did having staff and

members communicate to you make a difference?

A.    When I first started, I was so nervous I was shaking. But as time went on and I was receiving help from other members, I grew more confident and really worked on my presentation, planning, public speaking and people management skills, which are vital for the PL position. I loved the fact that it was all up to me whether we  did one thing or another thing, but sometimes it was challenging to get everyone up to speed or follow my instruction. Eventually you find ways around it. When I lost my job as PL half way through the last Battleline season, I was crushed. I understood why it was happening, but in my heart I really did not feel as if I was a part of the team anymore even though in my head I knew I was. Eventually I got over it and came to enjoy the ability to sit back and follow orders instead of give them (Hahaha!). The members really helped, too. Since DeamonPlague was the other PL, put in the same position as me, I was able connect and be open with him about our "demotions." I also received lots of encouragement from the new PLs and members of the platoon.

 

Q.    What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who has never been a PL?

A.    The biggest piece of advice I can give is you need to coordinate with your SL. It is very difficult to do it all by yourself and having someone there to take over certain parts of the business can really help in the long run and it also introduces new and fresh ideas.

 

Q.    Who are some of your favorite people in TAW and why?

A.    My personal favorites are:

 

• SirDilthethrill, because he is extremely friendly, I have a great time talking with him and we also have a lot of shared interests not only in games but in real-life
• DoctorKajita, because he was very welcoming of me when I first joined the BF division and overall, he has so much advice for me and sometimes treats me as his son when we are working on something
• DemonPlague, because he is one of my favorite members to blow off steam with, as he is absolutely hysterical and I really love to play games with him.
• Finally, Cyntum, he is a member of the Arma division and I do believe he was the first person I officially met when I joined TAW. I love to play games with him, especially strategy games as he also sees eye-to-eye with me in strategic planning (a result of playing Arma)

 

Q.    What are your thoughts on TAW's COC structure? Do you think it works well?

A.    That's one of the main reasons I enjoy it here: the fact that our organization is so organized. No pun intended. But otherwise, I think that being able to move up the ranks and be able to take on new and challenging leadership roles really gives a reason to be here and try your best to contribute to the division and community as much as possible. Of course it has its kinks, but overall as they become more and more refined, the experience becomes better and better.

 

Q.    What is one thing TAW could do to make Battlefield better?

A.    I think that if we had more dedicated attendance we could have a much more organized division in terms of internal match planning.

 

Q.    What is your favorite subject in school and why?

A.    In school the study of sciences really intrigues me. Not sure if it's just being able to say, "Oh, I know why that happens" or the selfish joy I get from knowing things others don't and then sharing them it with them. Specifically, I enjoy chemistry honors the most, as it really equates to an algebra class with more equations and a much harder basis to grasp. In short, it really challenges me.

 

Q.    How do you envision yourself in 10 years? (Career, relationship, family, gaming, etc.)

A.    I would like to have graduated college, mastered in aeronautical engineering and physics, and hopefully be a fulltime commercial pilot flying overseas or in the Americas. Not sure how far my gaming career will take me, but I definitely plan to keep it a part of my life in order to maintain these relationships I have now and overall it's just plain fun.

 

Q.    What are some of your other hobbies or interests outside of gaming?

A.    Outside of gaming I love fishkeeping, as fish are so beautiful and the fulfillment of knowing they are your responsibility to keep them healthy, alive, happy and breathing. I also love to build plastic models.

 

Q.    Who is your role model or idol and why?

A.    My role model is my mom's late father who died in a jet accident during a test mission. I basically want to end up like him (not dead, of course) if I don't succeed in flying commercially; I want to fly for the military off of carriers like him and have an extensive family like he did.

 

Q.    If you could live anywhere in the world besides your birth place or current location, where would it be and why?

A.    I would probably choose to live in Saint Maartin, because when I was younger, I used to play Flight Simulator and would fly from there. It's a beautiful place and I think that I would really enjoy it. If not there, I would live in Maine, as I love snowmobiling and I have some family up there. 

 

Q.    What is one thing that many people don't know about you?

A.    People may not know that I am really disappointed in my "generation" of teenagers (not all but many), as they just never seem to stop acting foolish, saying stupid slogans that they made up and punching each other, etc. Really annoys me. But of course, I have my friends who act like that sometimes, too. I just wish they would act more mature. And sometimes I act that way myself but I certainly don't approve of it...;-)