When senior Andres Galvan noticed there was no Rainbow Six Siege team at Bowie, he took matters into his own hands. 

He reached out to animation teacher Andrew Nourse, the sponsor of the eSports club, to back his idea for a Siege team. 

Galvan’s dedication to start a Siege team paid off. His team of six represents Bowie at various eSports competitions.

“We’re hoping that it stays alive even after we leave as seniors,” Galvan said. “I want to make sure this thing actually stays around.” His teammates attest to his skills, both as a competitor and as a leader.

“Andres helps by being a good team player,” senior Finn Dowe said. “He gives call-outs and coaches us on how to play each situation better. He drives the whole team to improve while making it enjoyable.”

In addition to coaching the Siege team, Galvan competes on the swim team.

“On top of running two [eSports] teams I also have to take care of school,” Galvan said. “I got to school, the high school team, and my select team. That’s a struggle to balance between the homework, coaching my high school team and playing with them, and then getting on every day so I can [practice] with my select team, and going over our matches after they’ve been played.”

“I don’t mind the confusion,” Galvan said. “Esports is something I enjoy and it’s not for everyone but it’s something for me.”

Telling his parents that he wants to play esports as a career wasn’t easy, but he says that they understand the passion that he has for esports.

“They saw the first game that was gonna get streamed,” Galvan said. “Initially they were concerned, and I understand that this is an odd career to get into and not one with much promise. But after some time spent doing it, they seem a lot more supportive and relaxed about it because they understand that I take it with such seriousness that I teach it, [that] I take it as a job.”

Galvan got the idea to play competitive esports last year when he watched professional esports players compete live.

“After [watching] that game, I was so enthralled by how they played and the skills they had that I was like, I want to be like that,” Galvan said.

Galvan doesn’t just play competitive esports; he coaches it. He serves as a coach for the Bowie Rainbow Six Siege team. His teammates attest to his skills, both as a leader and as a competitor.

“Andres helps by being a good team player,” senior Finn Dowe said. “He gives call-outs and coaches us on how to play each situation better. Driving the whole team to improve while making it enjoyable.”

Next year, Galvan hopes to attend Texas Tech and compete on their esports team, which recently added a Rainbow Six Siege team. Currently, he hopes to progress through Rainbow Six Siege competitive leagues.

“I’m looking to go into Challenger League, which is the second-highest play of competitive siege, and hopefully one day move on to Pro League which is the highest stage,” Galvan said. “Right now we’re at something called T3 which is the third-highest level. Right now the goal would be to hit Challenger League in the next one to two years, and then hopefully hit Pro League in the next three to four.”

The Bowie Rainbow Six Siege team started from Galvan’s determination to have a team at Bowie. He reached out to Andrew Nourse, the sponsor of the eSports club, to back Galvan’s idea for a Rainbow Six Siege team.

“It’s definitely an interesting feeling,” Galvan said. “We’re hoping that it stays alive even after we leave as seniors because our Siege team is only seniors. I didn’t know we had eSports, until recently, even before I had the idea of coming up with it I was completely clueless about it. I feel proud that I have brought something back that I’m passionate about. I want to make sure this thing actually stays around.”

Like traditional sports, esports requires a lot of dedication and commitment, and competitors feel the disappointment after a close loss and the excitement after a big win. 

“After games when you get a win everyone’s sitting in the call and, like, in a good mood, and I really enjoy that feeling of seeing my friends happy that we won, taking home a win, that is like a defining moment after each and every one,” Galvan said.