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Football and video games may look total opposites - one being an active, physical form of sport and the other being played in total concentration sitting down.

And while the differences between football and e-gaming are undeniable, both also share some common traits upon closer look.

“Since both are team plays, it requires teamwork. There are similar values that I learned and I apply in playing football and e-gaming,” Miguel Artillera told GMANetwork.com.

Miguel plays for the football team of the De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

He is also a champion gamer and the co-founder of the e-sports team and organization Veni Vidi Vici.

The team is not just your ordinary e-sports squad, by the way.

Miguel and his teammates have won numerous tournaments including the Electronic Sports and Gaming Summit, Philippine Pro Gaming League, and Ways of War Philippines.

“It all started when I was around ten years old. I was introduced to playing different types of first-person shooting games. From then, parang naging past time hobby ko siya whenever I am not busy with football,” said Miguel.

“Come 2019, my friends and I tried playing Rules of Survival Mobile. It was all for fun lang until sumasali na kami sa mga tournaments and we started winning.

“Tapos nakita po namin yung potential ng team sa gaming industry, until we decided to establish Veni Vidi Vici Esports.”

Balancing act

Despite his success in e-gaming, Miguel stressed that his top priority remains to be his studies and his school's varsity team.

Juggling his studies, varsity football, and competitive gaming can be challenging admitted the 21-year-old student-athlete. Oh, he also runs a food business named Lugaw Mga Pares in Makati City.

“As I am a student-athlete, I dedicate most of my time to my academics for me to maintain my dean's lister status and to be eligible to play football and to represent my alma mater,” he said.

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“I used to give time for e-gaming during weekends. But ever since the pandemic, I had more time to focus on Veni Vidi Vici Esports and to establish it to become the organization it is today.”

Miguel's love for football started when he was only 6 years old. His playing skills improved constantly enough for him to make it into the varsity squad of Benilde.

He only has kind words for his teammates and coaches.

“Our bond with one another made us not only good friends but consider ourselves as family,” said Miguel, who won NCAA championships as a junior in Season 90 and 91, and as a senior in Season 93.

“Celebrating our glory days together and accepting defeat together taught us a lot of lessons. And we will always live by these lessons throughout our journey.”

Miguel at the moment engages in online training sessions with the team's conditioning coach.

He also does extra workouts such as jogging and cycling to keep him in shape.

All of this hard work hopefully would translate into a winning season once the NCAA reopens sometime this year.

“Our main goal for the upcoming NCAA football season is to bring home the title to the place where it belongs, Animo Benilde!” he said in closing.

Check out the latest and most interesting stories in the NCAA. Watch Rise Up Stronger: NCAA Season 96 starting on May 23, Sundays at 5:05 p.m., Saturdays at 4:30 p.m., and Mondays to Fridays at 2:45 p.m. only on GTV.