TOP Autumn - #1 - Fit for esports!

The TOP Autumn Edition is finally live! 

In the second edition of the Talent Development Programme, some lucky talents are going to work again to become a professional esporter. We have selected seven talents who have the ultimate drive to make it in the world of esports. We will subject these talents to four weekends of workshops, trainings and courses from well-known faces from the sports and esports scene.

Saturday 25 September

The beginning of every TOP weekend is always exciting, because what can you expect exactly? The participants were expected early Saturday morning at the H20 Esports Campus. First of all they were treated to a welcome speech by H20-CEO Dirk Tuip while enjoying a cup of coffee or tea. 
Afterwards, Dirk Marcellis of the Talent Academy took the participants to the Rabo Esports Stadium where they were given a presentation about the Talent Academy and what their role is within the TOP programme. 
Then it's time for the first real TOP part, taking your own profile pictures. Of course, a successful esports career needs professional photos. After every TOP talent got their own picture, it was time for the first meal of the day. Good food, a protein bar from Grenade and a refreshing drink from Damn Good Nutrition. This was also necessary, because the next part was very sporty.
The participants were tested on their physical condition at BodyResults. You wouldn't expect it, but esports can be very tiring. Therefore, it is important for an esporter to stay fit. At BodyResults, they had to do various workouts and were given an InBody Scan after which their fat percentage, muscle mass and body shape were examined. The results were taken home.

Once back at H20 Esports Campus, it was time for the next event. The company Perform 2 Achieve was ready to give a workshop on the importance of hydration. This is a vital part when it comes to top sports. During the workshop the talents had to check whether they had taken in enough fluids this day with varying results.
After dinner, it was time to take the Personal Identity Test (or PIT-test) followed by an evening of gaming. During the gaming session, the talents were called up to Dirk one by one to discuss the PIT test.

Sunday 26 September

On the Sunday morning, the participants were woken up with a beautiful musical greeting. We had a TOP talent on his birthday and he was warmly congratulated with loud music in the early morning. 
To start the day off fresh and fruity, the participants were served a good breakfast. Then it was time for the second workshop of Damn Good Nutrition, this time about the importance of good nutrition. What does a professional athlete need to look out for in terms of nutrition and what is the best food to eat? This and more questions were answered by the team of Damn Good Nutrition. After this, it was logically time for a good, hearty lunch. 

After lunch, it was time for the talents to work on their own talent folder. In this folder, they keep track of their progress throughout the TOP programme. Measuring successes and setbacks is important for the growth process. This component was combined with the so-called 'over the line' game, in which the participants were given statements that can sometimes be sensitive. The aim is to step out of one's comfort zone. In between the activities, of course, there was plenty of time for gaming.
Just before the end of the weekend, the sleep pyramid was discussed. The participants were given this topic as homework for the coming weeks. We are looking forward to the next TOP weekend, because something tells us that it might be a cool weekend.

We would like to thank our partners: The Talent Academy, Damn Good Nutrition, Grenade, Perform 2 Achieve and BodyResults!