mcoville
New Member
Warning: Proud parent alert!!
My Daughter Samantha has really enjoyed playing Pokemon and has gotten pretty good at it. She took 3rd at Florida states and 2nd at Georgia states. A local paper, the Orlando Sentinel, interviewed her before states and the article was just published:
10-year-old Pokémon player is serious business
Andrea Stanley | Special To the Sentinel March 20, 2008
While little girls may be made of sugar, spice and everything nice, that does not prevent them from being fierce competitors.
Just ask 10-year-old Samantha Coville of Orlando, who beneath her petite exterior is a powerhouse Pokémon player.
She is ranked 15th in the U.S. and first in Florida at the junior-league level, which includes kids 10 years old or younger. She has won six out of 11 Pokémon championships in the past year.
"It is a lot of fun," Samantha said.
With a year of experience under her belt, she is just getting started at the card strategy game, which has been around for a little more than 10 years.
"Before Pokémon we played a lot of strategy games, like chess and Clue, so she just picked this up really well," said her father, 33-year-old Michael Coville, who works with computers as a project manager.
On any given Saturday, blond-haired Samantha can be found facing off against several competitors -- older than she -- at a Pokémon League at Sci-Fi City, a comic-book store in east Orlando.
The league attracts 40 to 60 people who try their luck at the game each week, including 19-year-old Nick Harper of Orlando, who has faced off against Samantha on more than one occasion.
"She is tough," Harper said. "There are a couple of people who always win, and she is one of them."
Recently, Samantha used the Saturday gatherings to sharpen her skills for the state competition on March 1.
"The competition was really hard, but exciting, too," Samantha said. "I was really nervous at the beginning of the day because I wanted to do well, but then once I started playing I calmed down."
Her hard work paid off -- Samantha took third place.
"We are thrilled at how she did," said Samantha's mom, Susan, 33.
The art of playing Pokémon also has been a bonding experience for Samantha, a fifth-grader who is home-schooled by her mother.
"I have met many friends," she said. "I think it is fun to meet all of the different people."
Samantha has her eye set on the World competition, which will take place in Orlando in August.
"I would love to compete at Worlds," she said. "To be with people from all over the world is really cool. I'm really excited to try but nervous, too, because everyone is really good.
"My dad makes sure I practice every day," she said.
It is has also become a way to gather the family around the table.
"As a family we all play at home," her dad said.
In fact, Samantha's 6-year-old sister, Abby, is following in her footsteps.
"I love playing Pokémon," Abby said.
In a recent city semifinal tournament, the only thing standing in the way of Samantha's taking home the win was Abby.
"I almost got beat by my sister," Samantha said.
Although she maintains a humble attitude, often citing the "luck of the cards," others, like Rodney Hansen of Orlando, leader of the Pokémon League, disagree.
"We all know Samantha -- she kicks all of our butts," he said.
Samantha's mom is surprised the game has become such a popular activity for her girls.
"We bought the cards at Christmas, and they were just supposed to be a stocking stuffer. I thought they would be lost in a couple of days," she said. "Now, somebody in the house is playing every day."
After completing her last hand at her latest Saturday Pokémon meet -- Samantha won -- she packed up her little green case overflowing with Pokémon cards.
"I like to do other things, too," she said. "I like to read the Harry Potter series and play with my friends outside."
That is, until the next Pokémon League meeting the next Saturday.
Copyright © 2008, Orlando Sentinel
My Daughter Samantha has really enjoyed playing Pokemon and has gotten pretty good at it. She took 3rd at Florida states and 2nd at Georgia states. A local paper, the Orlando Sentinel, interviewed her before states and the article was just published:
10-year-old Pokémon player is serious business
Andrea Stanley | Special To the Sentinel March 20, 2008
While little girls may be made of sugar, spice and everything nice, that does not prevent them from being fierce competitors.
Just ask 10-year-old Samantha Coville of Orlando, who beneath her petite exterior is a powerhouse Pokémon player.
She is ranked 15th in the U.S. and first in Florida at the junior-league level, which includes kids 10 years old or younger. She has won six out of 11 Pokémon championships in the past year.
"It is a lot of fun," Samantha said.
With a year of experience under her belt, she is just getting started at the card strategy game, which has been around for a little more than 10 years.
"Before Pokémon we played a lot of strategy games, like chess and Clue, so she just picked this up really well," said her father, 33-year-old Michael Coville, who works with computers as a project manager.
On any given Saturday, blond-haired Samantha can be found facing off against several competitors -- older than she -- at a Pokémon League at Sci-Fi City, a comic-book store in east Orlando.
The league attracts 40 to 60 people who try their luck at the game each week, including 19-year-old Nick Harper of Orlando, who has faced off against Samantha on more than one occasion.
"She is tough," Harper said. "There are a couple of people who always win, and she is one of them."
Recently, Samantha used the Saturday gatherings to sharpen her skills for the state competition on March 1.
"The competition was really hard, but exciting, too," Samantha said. "I was really nervous at the beginning of the day because I wanted to do well, but then once I started playing I calmed down."
Her hard work paid off -- Samantha took third place.
"We are thrilled at how she did," said Samantha's mom, Susan, 33.
The art of playing Pokémon also has been a bonding experience for Samantha, a fifth-grader who is home-schooled by her mother.
"I have met many friends," she said. "I think it is fun to meet all of the different people."
Samantha has her eye set on the World competition, which will take place in Orlando in August.
"I would love to compete at Worlds," she said. "To be with people from all over the world is really cool. I'm really excited to try but nervous, too, because everyone is really good.
"My dad makes sure I practice every day," she said.
It is has also become a way to gather the family around the table.
"As a family we all play at home," her dad said.
In fact, Samantha's 6-year-old sister, Abby, is following in her footsteps.
"I love playing Pokémon," Abby said.
In a recent city semifinal tournament, the only thing standing in the way of Samantha's taking home the win was Abby.
"I almost got beat by my sister," Samantha said.
Although she maintains a humble attitude, often citing the "luck of the cards," others, like Rodney Hansen of Orlando, leader of the Pokémon League, disagree.
"We all know Samantha -- she kicks all of our butts," he said.
Samantha's mom is surprised the game has become such a popular activity for her girls.
"We bought the cards at Christmas, and they were just supposed to be a stocking stuffer. I thought they would be lost in a couple of days," she said. "Now, somebody in the house is playing every day."
After completing her last hand at her latest Saturday Pokémon meet -- Samantha won -- she packed up her little green case overflowing with Pokémon cards.
"I like to do other things, too," she said. "I like to read the Harry Potter series and play with my friends outside."
That is, until the next Pokémon League meeting the next Saturday.
Copyright © 2008, Orlando Sentinel
. I know from experience of playing against her she's tough. I know playing against the older players like Nick and I really help her learn the game. Hope to see you guys this saturday.