Beyond the Keyboard, with Geoff 'iNcontrol'

Anna interviewing Geoff

Jitsu: Hey Geoff, thank you for taking some time the answer some questions for me. We all know iNcontrol; the Evil Geniuses Protoss player who is regarded as the face of eSPORTS. However, do you think you could tell us a little about Geoff? Some things you enjoy doing outside of the game? What other hobbies do you like?

Geoff: Hey! I like all the usual nerdy stuff.. reading, movies, some Xbox games, Warhammer40k and I do some not so nerdy stuff like the gym, doing lectures for Intel etc.. I stay pretty busy! Aside from that I have a lovely girlfriend named Anna, she too works for EG. I have a pup named BARRISTAN and he is a full workload himself.

Jitsu: It's pretty apparent that being a member of a Top Pro-Gaming community requires not only raw skill, but a tremendous amount of dedication to the game. How do you balance playing, practicing, and competing, with your role as a boyfriend and son.

Geoff: It's hard for sure. I do a good job from time to time but I also do a bad job. Sometimes I don't give Anna the attention she deserves and find myself stressed about tourneys, scheduling etc.. when in reality, I operate best when I am happy and relaxed and that means spending time with the people I love like Anna. So it isn't so much "finding" time as it is "making" time. I cut my coaching down to 1-2 hours a day, I take several breaks and in that time I go read or sit and chat with her etc.. we also go to the gym together so we can get some time in there. It's an ongoing process but one I am committed to.

Jitsu: You're dating Anna Prosser, who ran for Miss USA in last year's pageant. How does dating Anna positively or negatively affect your practice and playing sessions?

Geoff: Your mental health is extremely important in regards to your SC2 success... you cannot go into a tourney stressed or upset and you cannot effectively practice if the same stuff is troubling you. Anna does an amazing job of helping me to center myself and remain happy/calm when the going gets tough. Obviously the shift from BW pro to SC2 has had it's challenges with everything elevating but she has been really good about helping me along. Kudos to her honestly, cause she understands how important SC2 is to me and while it's hard for a woman to understand how it can be so important she has done a wonderful job of learning and supporting.

Jitsu: What is your families opinions of you pursuing a profession in Pro-Gaming? (How did you convince them it was your dream, or were they receptive?)

Geoff: At first they were reluctant. My mom and dad respectively thought it was a hobby I spent too much time doing. That changed for the most part when I won the national championship in 07. From there they both asked about it and would even travel to watch. My mom to this day text messages me or emails me to say "good job!" or "I am so proud of you, you played great!" Which has a profound emotional reaction from me. I love SC2 and the fact that she in particular can be so supportive is really inspiring. My dad doesn't go that far but is still accepting of it and supportive to a certain degree.

Jitsu: This is the Golden Age of eSPORTS - a period of growth that we have never seen before. Do you think you will continue to stay in the eSPORTS world in one way or another after your career as a Professional player ends? In what capacity do you think you will continue to work with the community?

Geoff: Yes! You'd have to pull me away kicking and screaming to get me away from eSports. I think once I am winding down as a player I will fall into the coach, commentator side of things.. if not that or perhaps after that I plan to be a team manager or even work on the business side of things. I actually love every aspect of this community/industry and will pursue a life long dedication to furthering it's causes while supporting myself.

Jitsu: With the Holiday's coming up, everyone is rushing home to visit with family. How does your distance to your family effect your play, whether staying at the EG Training house in Arizona, to possibly going to Korea to train?

Geoff: Everyone is heading home here from EG. We get a solid 1 month vacation so to speak.. no tourneys for the most part and it's important to stay in touch with family. Anna and I will pack up the dogs and head home to Portland and Seattle to see everyone. The distance is tough but necessary.. we need to be here training and working directly with EG. It'd be nice to have the fam here but it is what it is. As far as training in korea or additional distance I look at it as job hazards. I will go to korea and Anna will come along but it won't be for anything huge like several months.. not unless EG changes plans or something!

Jitsu: At the core base of Starcraft, it's a one on one fight with another, human opponent, and even in these situations, people are prone to be affected psychologically. Viewers and fans have gotten vocal lately, pressing primarily on your tournament results. How does a player at your caliber respond to this criticism? Does it hurt you at all?

Geoff: Criticism is always tough to deal with but people are in the right to criticize me for my results in MLG. They aren't good, they aren't what I want and I should do better. That said it isn't like I am not trying.. people have spread nasty rumors like I don't practice or that I simply am not very good. Both are incorrect. I am no IdrA, but I train 10 hours a day and I beat everyone I play with (that isn't to say they don't beat me, it just isn't one way!). I know I have what it takes to do well.. I've done in before and it wasn't a fluke. I try and take the criticism in stride and ignore the particularly nasty comments... I need to stay positive and continue to do the work I have been so that one day I can reap the reward in terms of results.. but even aside from results themselves I am a servant to the community. I have a lot of people that depend on me to continue to work towards making this community as great as it can be and that means staying optimistic, positive and trying as best as I can to lead by example. If I sit around and feel sorry for myself or lash out at people I am not doing that. I still have my faults but at the end of the day that is what I am trying to do.

Jitsu: What is your greatest feeling you have experiences through you Pro Life without playing the game? Is it the emotion after winning a tough victory? Is it an interaction with a fan at a bar, saying that he really looks up to you? What even has given you the greatest positive emotion?

Geoff: I allowed myself to day-dream winning an MLG the other day. I had tears streaming down my face and my breath got all choked up.. I realized that is what I want more than anything else, a major win. May seem like an impossibility, may seem dumb for me to think that way.. but it is how I feel. I want to win really really bad. The only thing that has come close to that is the feeling I get when a fan goes out of their way to say something particularly touching. It may seem cliche but it's true.. I've been told a few stories or treated a certain way that has made me feel really special. Pretty neat when people are that kind and appreciative.

Jitsu: Conversely, what recent event has affected you negatively?

Geoff: My series against Strifecro at MLG. I have obviously done my share of losing.. but when I play well and lose I am ok. When I play horribly and lose I feel disgusted. That series was a meltdown of sorts. I actually hugged Sirscoots and cried after that.. a sign of vulnerability I normally don't ever show.. but it was true. I feel a lot of pressure and sometimes it gets to me. I will remember that moment though as a lowpoint I want to build off of.

Jitsu: That's some awesome emotion from a Starcraft 2 Pro. That's the kind of thing they don't show at MLG Streams. That about wraps up the interview Geoff. Thanks for taking time to answer these questions!

Credit to Zemotion for the picture of Anna and Geoff at MLG Providence
Credit to my friend Cycle for creating the banner for me.
Credit to Geoff Robinson for agreeing to answering the questions for me, and being a sport. You can find more information about Geoff here (User Stream page) and his team here. (Evil Geniuses)