Rocket League Standout Garrett Francom Is A Multi-Sport Athlete With MVP Dreams

Throughout his growth as a Rocket League player, one thing has stuck with Garrett Francom of Davis High – competition isn’t about perfection or becoming a star who is, as he phrases it, a “powerhouse who stomps opponents.”

Instead he said it’s about cooperation, teamwork and making friends. 

While he admittedly wouldn’t mind becoming the MVP of a major esports league at some point in the future, the world of high school esports has for now given him an opportunity to discover the benefits of team play that lead to shared victories and lasting friendships.

“Through VOD reviews, practices, matches and hanging out outside of classes, I was able to make lifelong friends that otherwise would have never happened,” he recently told PlayVS. “We play outside of practices, to simply have some fun and remember that we’re not just formal teammates, but friends. We would also keep ourselves physically ready and healthy by playing some friendly pickleball and other activities,” he said.

A lacrosse athlete who has lived in four different states, school athletics has given Francom an avenue to become both an outlet for his intense desire to find strength of character in the sport of competition while also to find like-minded peers who share similar interests outside of school.

“Moving around makes it difficult to land close friends, and moving schools, even more so,” he said. “But through esports I was able to find and develop relationships with people who, regardless of location, I could always message and play some games with.”

That his new school in Utah had a Rocket League team competing in PlayVS leagues was something he called an “epic opportunity,” because he previously had no idea that the world of esports was available scholastically. 

“The fact that my interest and talent in esports was now recognized and accepted at school was a dream come true,” said Francom. “Not just for me, but for everyone involved – the team and I, and our coach grew so remarkably close,” he said.

The symmetry between lacrosse and Rocket League was an added bonus; as a middie who plays both sides of the field on offense and defense, Francom learned how to recognize the flow of the game and predict an opponent’s plays in real-time – something that allowed him to capitalize on his opponents’ mistakes in esports and help his team.

And, because he’s able to utilize a similar approach to lacrosse in order to learn strategy and develop real-life skills through esports, he received his family’s full-throated support to join Davis High’s esports club. While his dad is more passionate about basketball and baseball, the elder Francom was just as excited as his son was about league play whenever it came time to prepare for a game.

“He was especially eager to hear how matches went, always asking for the scores, and whether or not I threw down any insane goals,” said Francom. “The fact that my parents were happy because I was happy made all the difference in me fully embracing the team.” 

To learn more about how high school esports impacts the lives of kids just like Garrett Francom, check out our other PlayVS H.S. stories and player profiles.