Eagle Scout status meshed with elite level video gamer status seem to be a bit of dichotomy, but Mt. Juliet High senior Hamp Lackey has melded the two distinctions expertly, turning them into an esports scholarship to Cumberland University.
Lackey made Eagle Scout with Troop 911, kept his grades up, helped his West Wilson Basketball Association team to the league tournament semifinals, and even landed a job at the Mt. Juliet Taco Bell while honing his skills to jump into the relatively new esports collegiate sports arena.
“We are excited our son has committed to Cumberland University where he received an esports scholarship to play Rocket League,” said Hamp’s dad, Vance Lackey, who is Deputy Scout Director for the Middle Tennessee Council. “Hamp is a gamer, but still has enjoyed being a high schooler. His dedication and drive in esports has led him down this path. We couldn’t be happier.”
Lackey’s specialty is Rocket League, where he plays soccer via a rocket powered car.
“The cars have a boost, and it boosts you up into the air and you can fly the car,” said Lackey (gamer name – End of You). “You use the car to kick the ball into the goal.”
Lackey wanted to attend Tennessee Tech to major in cybersecurity but said this opportunity to get a scholarship at Cumberland and support its emerging esports team was an opportunity he would not miss.
Cumberland Coach Spencer Claypool, founder of the school’s first ever esports team (started last year), came to Mt. Juliet High School to check out Lackey’s gaming skills.
Lackey said he started to play Rocket League about two years ago during the pandemic. He played for some minor league esports teams while quarantined and eventually joined the high school team coached by Jason Lawrence. MJHS Golden Bear is ranked third in the nation and has qualified for a national championship tournament at Disney World this summer.
Lackey was about 5 when he started playing Super Mario video games with his dad. That led to mastering Fortnite.
“Once COVID hit, I was stuck in the house,” he said. “Rocket League appealed to me immediately. It’s open to everyone, casually or advanced.”
Away from the keyboard
Lackey became an Eagle Scout at 15. Vance Lackey said the Scout program provided his son with good skills that even contributed to his success at video gaming.
“Scouting has provided Hamp with programs and activities that allow him to try new things, provide service to others, build self-confidence, and reinforce ethical standards which has led him to be a more conscientious, responsible, and productive family member, team member and person,” said Vance Lackey.
Lackey’s Eagle Scout project was to support the Ethan Page Park in Mt. Juliet, which is a 9-hole disc golf course. Lackey added picnic tables, benches and a rope wall at the entrance to the park.
“I learned about daily life as an Eagle Scout,” said Lackey. “It was a challenge and fun. It gave me a level head and confidence.”
He said he never got to a point to where all he wanted to do was play video games.
“I’ve always made time for my friends,” he said. “I always focus on schoolwork first.”
Hamp’s sister Bailey, 16, is a soccer player at Green Hill High School. Hamp chose to finish his high school career at MJHS.
“Hamp was not always into gaming,” said his mother, Tracy Lackey. “He’s always been so balanced and a good student. But, he always had access to video games and would hang out with his friends and play. I got him an Xbox.”
She said he’s a physical basketball and soccer player, always fast and quick.
“He came across a minor league e-sport Rocket League team and tried out and was drafted, just like the NFL or NBA,” she said.
She said her son joined Lawrence’s team at MJHS in 2021, and plays minor league matches at home.
“Yes, we did let him do gaming if he kept his grades up,” she said. “If he stayed on top of his schoolwork over, video games, it was OK.”
She said the family had no idea there was such a thing as a scholarship for esports until her son was recruited by Cumberland.
Lackey worked to buy his own computer system that is supported by three monitors, headphones, a microphone, and the highest speed router he could find. It’s all in his bedroom.
His major at Cumberland will be computer science, where he will focus on coding.
He said he doesn’t know if he will pursue esports gaming for a career. However, there’s a world premier professional Rocket League competition with $6 million prize money up for grabs.
The college experience
Lackey said that adaptability and the ability to focus, zone in and strategize makes him a good video gamer.
He has no pregame ritual. It never occurred to him he would get a partial scholarship to play on an esports team. When he was being recruited to Cumberland for its second-year team (starting this fall, it will be a year-round sport) he was able to tour the campus and even observed this year’s team play.
“I will be on a round of three to play Rocket League,” he said. “We will play at least one game a week.”
Cumberland Sports Information Director Kyle Allen said in addition to the school’s Rocket League (soccer sports team) the school has a Madden NFL Team and Overwatch (a first-person shooter video game). Call of Duty is another first-person shooter game represented at the school.
There are 13 esports players on the Cumberland teams. Lackey will be one of seven new players next year. Allen said all will receive an athletic scholarship of some sort, and some are also receiving academic scholarships.
While esports are not yet sanction by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (the national sports governing body of which Cumberland is a member), the National Esports Collegiate Conference is growing and Cumberland is on board.
Cumberland has an “esports arena” that is a room with about a dozen high-tech computers with all the latest video game consoles. The school has a special router for the room. Each Rocket League game averages about five minutes and the winning college team is the best two out of three wins.
“This year our teams are doing good,” said Allen. “Of course, there have been a few bumps and bruises along the way. There have been quite a few wins against big-time schools like Purdue University.”
