North Carolina
An Interview with ESPN Winner ALEX SPELLMAN
Recently , the BullShooter A-Team had the privilege of conducting an up close & personal Q & A / Bio interview with Alex Spellman , winner of the first BullShooter Invitational Shootout which was broadcasted live on ESPN2 .
After the excitement of the Shootout has worn off , let ’ s find out what Alex ’ s experience was like . The interview has been condensed and edited for length and clarity .
Alex lives in Fuaquay-Varina , NC , located just outside of Raleigh , in the middle part of the state with his wife , Jessica . He splits his time between his lovely wife Jessica and their 3 dogs , being employed as an Engineer for Epic Games , and playing in numerous dart tournaments in both Steel and Soft-Tip .
At the South Carolina Regional , Alex , Shea Cole & Francisco Soltero captured 1st Place in Mixed Triples
Q : How do you find the time to be an Engineer and a world class dart player ?
Alex : I have been an employee for 5 years here at Epic Games . I started shortly before we launched Fortnite and it has been an incredible experience to be a part of .
I think being an Engineer , or at least having that mindset , allows me to maximize the time I do have on the board or in my job . I ’ m not an Engineer because I ’ m the smartest guy in the room , I ’ m an Engineer because I know how to think . Which plays into my ability to analyze my throw and maximize my potential .
Q : How would you describe the experience of playing in the first BullShooter Invitational Shootout ?
Alex : It ’ s hard to say with clarity as it feels like a blur . Thursday was far more stressful than I ’ m used to . Before then , I haven ’ t really played a seriously competitive game of Soft-Tip before . Sidney Vaughn peer pressured me into trying out Chicago , and I had a lot of fun , but I was still just testing the waters and treating it as a “ Dart vacacation ” of sorts . So with that being my only experience , I didn ’ t know what to expect going into an event like this . In steel I can use the skill gap to overpower most opponents , but Soft-Tip having the larger targets - it can erase that gap . So the unknown and the shortened gap definitely caused a lot of anxiety .
Beyond that , the opportunity to play our game on National TV was something we all wanted . And it showed . I saw people under heavy duress that I ’ ve not ever seen from them before . It was not easy , but it was incredibly fun ! Friday , I genuinely don ’ t remember much about actually playing . I was so hyper focused on what I was doing in the moment , that I didn ’ t really leave a lot of time to make memories . I have to thank all those who supported us players for sharing pictures and videos to allow me and the others to relive that !
Q : What do you think about the other players that were invited with you ?
Alex : It ’ s an invitational tournament , meaning that it ’ s not necessarily going to be the best of the best , but could include players that people want to see or support your tour . I told many people I did not expect an invite because I am primarily Steel and didn ’ t have a ton of opportunities to play Soft-Tip , and therefore was relatively unknown in that world . I was fortunate to get that opportunity . And it being an Invitational , it ’ s a great opportunity to get representation in events like this for others . A lot of women wanted to see a female make the cut , and it was not only great that we had Paula in the field but it was great that she won a couple of matches . We ’ re all competitors trying to win and get better .
Q : How do you handle your frustration if you end up playing a bad game ?
Alex : When you have the expectations of yourself that I do , it ’ s sometimes very hard not to get frustrated . It ’ s easier said than done , but you have to just talk yourself down and rely on your mechanics and all the work you put in . Separate what ’ s going on in your head from your body . Coach yourself and walk up to the line expecting to follow that 26 with a 180 .
Q : Would you like to mention anything else about the Shootout experience ?
Alex : I know there was a lot of chatter about who got invited or that it was during “ The Ocho ” but if you were in that room with us , it ’ s probably the most serious I ’ ve seen a tournament be played outside of the CDC . And playing in those is what grows you as a player .
For those that did well and won , they ’ re going to have built on their self confidence in playing that type of situation and will be better . For those that gave it everything and underperformed or just didn ’ t win , it can easily be a driving force to hit the practice board and push themselves to be better .
Early Years ...
Q : Do you recall when you first got introducted to the game ?
Alex : My first competitive experience was when I got forced to play in a Blind Draw around 2007 / 2008 . I
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