Hawks Talon Head Coach Wesley Acuff Joined by Northside Hospital Orthopedic Institute Sports Medicine and PlayVS in Afternoon Panel

 Earlier this afternoon, Hawks Talon Gaming Club, the official NBA 2K League affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks, hosted a gaming and esports virtual Q&A focused on esports, the video game industry and how gamers, regardless of age, can maintain a healthy lifestyle during these difficult times. Nearly 100 people were in attendance to hear this special panel moderated by the Atlanta Hawks digital reporter Annie Finberg.

As part of the discussion, Hawks Talon GC Team Manager and Head Coach Wesley Acuff answered questions about the team’s performance highlighting their current three-game winning streak. In addition, he provided insight into his role as a professional esports coach in the Atlanta market.

“Sharing our platform with the team at Northside Hospital Orthopedic Institute Sports Medicine and an industry leader in inclusivity, teamwork and sportsmanship like PlayVS made this event worthwhile,” said Acuff. “As more and more youth spend time playing video games during this unprecedented time, we are grateful that they took a break to learn how they can improve themselves as they train to become the future esports professionals.”

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Joining Acuff were experts from the Northside Hospital Orthopedic Institute Sports Medicine including Orthopedic Surgeon & Chief Dr. Vonda Wright, Senior Sports Physical Therapist Dr. Matt Lopez and Registered Dietician Lauren Cicinelli. These experts answered a handful of questions about maintaining a healthy lifestyle as an e-athlete as well as provided beneficial tips for those who play video games.

“We are so proud to support Hawks Talon and all gamers as they learn more about education and comprehensive care,” said Dr. Wright, “Through this partnership, we are thankful to influence the lives of these young athletes.”

Rounding out the group was Clint Kennedy, director of education, at PlayVS, an esports competition platform dedicated to inclusivity, teamwork and sportsmanship. Kennedy touched on a few topics ranging from the video game industry to how parents can ensure their kids are being good stewards while playing video games online.

“We partnered with the Georgia High School Association to help young people foster a healthy, positive relationship with gaming, so we’re honored to be part of the conversation to educate students and parents,” said Clint Kennedy. “Thank you so much to Hawks Talon and the Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network for inviting me to share the stage on behalf of PlayVS.”

Hawks Talon (3-1) will continue its regular season competition as part of six weeks of remote gameplay. The club’s next match takes place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 21 against the undefeated Raptors Uprising GC (5-0), the official affiliate of the Toronto Raptors.

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