Sept. 11, 2024

TRAINER'S EYE #106 - "Pokemon GO in Missouri" ft. Kansas City North Pokemon GO

TRAINER'S EYE #106 -

In this Pokemon interview, we are joined by both Kateramarie and BeeCeeKay, Community Ambassadors for Pokemon GO from Kansas City, Missouri

Both Kateramarie and BeeCeeKay share their initial experience with Pokemon. There primarily involvement has been with Pokemon GO and the biggest influence on their Pokemon journey has been the Pokemon GO Community.

Afterwards, both Kateramarie and BeeCeeKay shares their experience playing building up their Kansas City community with the Community Ambassador Program from Niantic. They both share what influenced them to get involved and share insight on how their community works together as a team!

Sources
Opening Song: "Forget You" by Alex_MakeMusic from Pixabay

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Transcript
WEBVTT

00:00:00.005 --> 00:00:03.044
My name is Caitra Marie and this is my Pokémon story.

00:00:43.006 --> 00:00:47.618
Welcome to As the Pokeball Turns, where we interview people about their experience with Pokemon.

00:00:47.905 --> 00:00:56.465
My name is David Hernandez, and today I'm joined by two community ambassadors from Kansas City, Katerin Marie and BCK.

00:00:56.704 --> 00:00:58.085
Both y'all, welcome to the show.

00:00:58.304 --> 00:00:58.515
Thank

00:00:58.575 --> 00:00:59.744
Hey, thanks for having us.

00:01:00.210 --> 00:01:04.329
Without a doubt, and from what I understand, BCK, you're the biggest Raiders fan.

00:01:04.415 --> 00:01:07.016
Out in Kansas City, like what is it like to be the only Raiders

00:01:07.031 --> 00:01:07.551
No, no, no.

00:01:07.881 --> 00:01:08.281
No, no.

00:01:08.301 --> 00:01:08.990
Chiefs fan.

00:01:10.614 --> 00:01:11.814
Oh, you're a Chiefs fan?

00:01:11.844 --> 00:01:12.995
I mean, isn't that kind of the same thing?

00:01:13.549 --> 00:01:13.629
No.

00:01:13.629 --> 00:01:13.890
God.

00:01:13.969 --> 00:01:14.629
Oh, no.

00:01:14.930 --> 00:01:15.390
No.

00:01:15.480 --> 00:01:16.560
Absolutely not.

00:01:16.882 --> 00:01:17.632
We don't do the Raiders.

00:01:17.652 --> 00:01:17.811
We

00:01:17.897 --> 00:01:20.106
don't wear the black and silver?

00:01:20.121 --> 00:01:20.602
No, we

00:01:20.900 --> 00:01:24.578
not an NFL podcast, but We're actually here to talk about Pokemon Go.

00:01:24.578 --> 00:01:27.308
So let's talk, talk about when y'all first started playing.

00:01:27.308 --> 00:01:29.108
So what was y'all experience with Pokemon Go?

00:01:29.703 --> 00:01:34.743
well, I started the week after the game started, because everybody's saying, hey, you gotta check this out.

00:01:34.754 --> 00:01:37.950
So I got on and back then it was a lot different.

00:01:37.950 --> 00:01:39.671
So it was my fitness app.

00:01:40.018 --> 00:01:44.718
I'd walk a little bit and catch a Pokémon and walk a little bit more and catch a Pokémon.

00:01:44.718 --> 00:01:45.697
And that was about it.

00:01:46.031 --> 00:01:49.141
And then everybody started getting together after your raids.

00:01:49.536 --> 00:01:54.786
And we were all kind of geeking out the park and saying, um, are you playing Pokemon Go?

00:01:55.112 --> 00:01:58.302
And that's kind of how it started.

00:01:58.302 --> 00:02:01.442
We started on Facebook Messenger, got too big for that.

00:02:01.753 --> 00:02:07.102
then the guys that I was working with at the time, the OG group, they said, well, let's move over to Discord.

00:02:07.102 --> 00:02:09.002
And I said, Disco what?

00:02:09.573 --> 00:02:10.163
I like Disco.

00:02:11.902 --> 00:02:12.663
I'm dancing here.

00:02:12.663 --> 00:02:13.393
You can't see that.

00:02:13.393 --> 00:02:15.473
But yeah, it just grew and grew.

00:02:15.473 --> 00:02:23.651
And then, later on the years, we decided to join up with a community ambassador program and it is just growing and growing since,

00:02:24.227 --> 00:02:28.167
It sounds like Tina was kind of the one who was spearheading this group.

00:02:28.167 --> 00:02:28.926
Is that fair to say?

00:02:29.510 --> 00:02:31.151
I have a bunch of admins that help.

00:02:31.816 --> 00:02:32.186
Okay.

00:02:32.216 --> 00:02:37.075
But you're, are you kind of the main head honcho, like the one who applied for the community ambassador and all that?

00:02:37.730 --> 00:02:38.550
I was the first.

00:02:38.550 --> 00:02:38.961
Yeah.

00:02:39.177 --> 00:02:44.798
I think a lot of us, we kind of split up our responsibilities and I like to talk to people a lot.

00:02:44.848 --> 00:02:47.187
So I'm kind of the more outgoing person.

00:02:47.198 --> 00:02:48.048
That's the face.

00:02:48.217 --> 00:02:58.980
But there are a lot of people that help us out back behind that like to do the tech stuff that I don't like to get into, like, how to add the bots everywhere and all that kind of stuff behind the scenes.

00:02:59.379 --> 00:03:01.740
but yeah, and logistic people and, you know, yeah.

00:03:01.974 --> 00:03:04.645
So we have a team mods, admins to help us out.

00:03:04.986 --> 00:03:07.787
And then, I'd always do the community days since the beginning.

00:03:08.108 --> 00:03:14.647
it was just too much to do more and more activities, especially with these rate hours and BC has been doing rate hours for forever.

00:03:14.657 --> 00:03:24.394
So we kind of divide the community ambassador things with, I do the CD events and bigger events and he does the rate hours and helps out as well.

00:03:24.713 --> 00:03:26.908
It was like, Go Fest, huge help.

00:03:26.908 --> 00:03:27.558
Thanks again.

00:03:27.889 --> 00:03:35.229
And everybody else, our team really helped us then brought water, help set up, break down everything, talk to people, coordinate.

00:03:35.889 --> 00:03:36.949
I couldn't do it alone.

00:03:37.139 --> 00:03:37.799
Definitely.

00:03:38.139 --> 00:03:40.269
Shout out to my leaders, my community.

00:03:40.713 --> 00:03:43.313
Hey, shout out to the Kansas city admin team.

00:03:43.818 --> 00:03:44.128
Yay.

00:03:44.670 --> 00:03:47.050
did you have any experience with Pokemon prior to Pokemon Go?

00:03:47.251 --> 00:03:48.501
Or is this your first experience?

00:03:48.936 --> 00:03:49.906
not really.

00:03:50.175 --> 00:03:54.145
I mean, I have two younger kids and so we started getting into it.

00:03:54.256 --> 00:03:57.718
Once mom downloaded a strange phone or app on her phone.

00:03:58.329 --> 00:03:59.079
And so.

00:03:59.346 --> 00:04:01.445
We kind of did and then we got really into it.

00:04:01.746 --> 00:04:06.549
We started doing The trading card game a little bit because I have some history with trading card games.

00:04:06.925 --> 00:04:08.336
And we watched all the anime.

00:04:08.346 --> 00:04:09.015
It was fun.

00:04:09.802 --> 00:04:17.213
It's kind of interesting how, you know, you led the group with no experience of Pokemon and for you was just motivation was just using fitness.

00:04:17.552 --> 00:04:19.112
You're trying to do a healthy lifestyle.

00:04:19.122 --> 00:04:23.675
It sounds like, did you ever expect yourself to be this involved as you are nowadays back then?

00:04:25.576 --> 00:04:37.007
i'm a middle aged housewife, um I have two kids that keep me on my toes My oldest is, in the gifted program, uh, which is kind of a special needs of its own.

00:04:37.007 --> 00:04:40.007
And my youngest is a primary wheelchair user.

00:04:40.338 --> 00:04:44.838
He has spina bifida and a few other alphabetic diagnoses to him.

00:04:45.204 --> 00:04:48.007
so I'm not your typical, I don't know.

00:04:48.098 --> 00:04:50.137
Well, what is your typical Pokemon

00:04:50.273 --> 00:04:50.492
what is

00:04:50.807 --> 00:04:51.367
person?

00:04:51.718 --> 00:04:52.838
Yeah, everybody.

00:04:53.177 --> 00:04:54.228
Everybody's welcome.

00:04:54.538 --> 00:04:57.317
But yeah, I didn't think I'd be doing this in my free time.

00:04:57.367 --> 00:04:58.947
No, but I am,

00:05:00.343 --> 00:05:01.492
It sounds like you enjoy it though.

00:05:01.502 --> 00:05:04.163
Cause you know, you got a team and you got people who kind of believe in you.

00:05:04.173 --> 00:05:04.802
Like, you

00:05:05.158 --> 00:05:05.958
they do.

00:05:05.992 --> 00:05:12.012
your BC is kind of trying to figure out the technical issues, but he said that, you know, it was because of you that he got more involved.

00:05:12.442 --> 00:05:13.273
he's so sweet.

00:05:13.598 --> 00:05:14.038
yeah.

00:05:14.526 --> 00:05:15.555
There's just a whole group.

00:05:15.869 --> 00:05:18.108
we actually call ourselves a pokey family.

00:05:18.428 --> 00:05:19.728
I know that's kind of hokey

00:05:20.158 --> 00:05:20.999
I like it.

00:05:21.749 --> 00:05:27.908
It is it came from our some of our members and everything because we come together Especially even in the early days.

00:05:27.908 --> 00:05:36.432
This is pre covid we'd bring food we'd get together and we'd have tacos or Uh, we had chili cook off.

00:05:36.473 --> 00:05:45.773
That was cindaquil community day Yeah, it was freezing too, so we put up the tarp around the shelter, and everybody was like huddled in, and

00:05:45.942 --> 00:05:47.403
What's this like during one of y'all's winter?

00:05:47.403 --> 00:05:49.583
It sounds like like a, during a cold season of Kansas

00:05:49.612 --> 00:05:53.343
Yeah, yeah, well, I'm trying to remember when that was.

00:05:53.343 --> 00:05:55.483
I think it was like October or November.

00:05:55.822 --> 00:05:57.612
Mm hmm.

00:05:57.752 --> 00:06:00.603
up my Pokemon, but yeah, was cold.

00:06:01.023 --> 00:06:07.892
Of course, Missouri, the temperatures are like, one day it's 30 degrees, the next day it's 70, so it could have been any time of year.

00:06:08.791 --> 00:06:10.411
Every good leader has a good team behind them.

00:06:10.482 --> 00:06:11.961
That's what I've come to find out.

00:06:11.961 --> 00:06:12.752
Well,

00:06:13.117 --> 00:06:15.476
You know, we're talking about the chiefs and Mahomes.

00:06:15.526 --> 00:06:16.846
That's the way he always is.

00:06:16.846 --> 00:06:19.757
And I'm gonna try to be like Mahomes, you know, it's my team.

00:06:20.422 --> 00:06:24.951
I know that was good.

00:06:25.391 --> 00:06:27.221
You got easy right off the front.

00:06:30.370 --> 00:06:31.290
So BCK?

00:06:31.300 --> 00:06:31.959
What about you?

00:06:31.959 --> 00:06:33.529
When did you first start playing Pokemon Go?

00:06:34.132 --> 00:06:53.399
so I started during COVID, I got sent to work from home and I noticed I was getting like no activity, no exercise, everything was closed, So, I was just looking for a way to get out and exercise, because I'm not the most motivated person, and I'm a gamer, always have been, so I was kind of looking for something that would get me out.

00:06:53.738 --> 00:06:57.442
And, came across Pokemon, which, I was into it when I was a kid.

00:06:57.452 --> 00:07:00.483
Through middle school, I played the game, the trading card game.

00:07:00.543 --> 00:07:03.302
I played the first two gens on Game Boy.

00:07:03.333 --> 00:07:05.675
But since then, I hadn't been involved in it much.

00:07:05.696 --> 00:07:09.146
And when I came across it, I was kind of excited, figured I'd give it a try.

00:07:09.156 --> 00:07:11.146
And, kind of took off from there.

00:07:11.175 --> 00:07:24.901
Um, I was pretty casual for the first, um, I want to say three to six months, until I came across the discord and met Tina and, the other mods and the whole group and then I kind of just dove in head first.

00:07:25.204 --> 00:07:28.814
just the community aspect of it really got me more interested in it, so.

00:07:29.137 --> 00:07:35.456
I guess on that note like what was it about, you know Meeting Tina and being in the community that kept you engaged with Pokemon Go at the time.

00:07:36.586 --> 00:07:41.077
So, the reason I have a funny Welcome story, I guess.

00:07:41.088 --> 00:07:43.858
So right after I started, I didn't really know how it worked.

00:07:43.887 --> 00:07:46.088
And, there was a raid down the street from me.

00:07:46.088 --> 00:07:49.218
So I was like level 15 maybe.

00:07:49.317 --> 00:07:51.838
And, uh, I walked down to do this raid cause I'm like, why not?

00:07:51.877 --> 00:07:53.038
It was a five star.

00:07:53.088 --> 00:07:53.497
Right.

00:07:53.497 --> 00:07:57.158
And, and, it wasn't fun.

00:07:57.158 --> 00:07:58.338
you know, obviously.

00:07:58.384 --> 00:07:59.704
so I just kind of got.

00:08:00.011 --> 00:08:12.791
You know, I, I like to catch things, but like, I really didn't know how else to play because I didn't know anyone else did So I kind of went looking online for remote raiding people and, that's how I actually came across the discord was online.

00:08:12.791 --> 00:08:19.331
I think it was on Reddit somewhere and I found a North Kansas City discord and I, I was like, wow, I wonder if that's still active.

00:08:19.331 --> 00:08:23.252
And once, once I got in, and found people I could raid with and do.

00:08:23.661 --> 00:08:28.973
You know, all the mechanics with instead of just, you know, the, catching That's when I really took off.

00:08:29.002 --> 00:08:31.733
So, cause rating is, that's favorite part of the game.

00:08:31.773 --> 00:08:32.082
So.

00:08:32.350 --> 00:08:34.211
Why is it raiding your favorite part of Pokemon Go?

00:08:34.562 --> 00:08:35.822
Honestly, I don't know.

00:08:35.822 --> 00:08:37.962
I think, again, I think it's just community.

00:08:37.993 --> 00:08:40.123
Cause catching and stuff, you can do that by yourself.

00:08:40.133 --> 00:08:45.393
But, with Rage, you really have to, uh, you have to have other people with you for the most part.

00:08:45.403 --> 00:08:48.873
Cause, you know, most legendaries, I mean, there's a few you can do alone.

00:08:48.873 --> 00:08:51.293
But, it's just, it's just the community aspect of it.

00:08:51.293 --> 00:08:54.940
I've met a lot of people I consider friends at this point, through this game.

00:08:55.535 --> 00:08:56.916
Now Tina, I didn't ask you this question.

00:08:56.916 --> 00:08:57.375
What about you?

00:08:57.375 --> 00:08:59.615
What's your favorite part of playing Pokemon Go?

00:08:59.990 --> 00:09:05.581
Oh gosh, Well, while Beastie was talking about raids, um, it brought me back to the community.

00:09:05.601 --> 00:09:07.261
I mean, that's why we come out and do it.

00:09:07.261 --> 00:09:08.272
We're stronger together.

00:09:08.351 --> 00:09:09.172
I always say that.

00:09:09.475 --> 00:09:14.505
and my favorite Pokemon is Tyranitar and yes, Tyranitar is awesome.

00:09:14.505 --> 00:09:15.485
It's a green Beastie.

00:09:15.485 --> 00:09:21.206
I love it, but it's also because Tyranitar was one of the very first raids that brought us all together.

00:09:21.505 --> 00:09:24.740
And we were all like, oh man, how many people we need?

00:09:24.955 --> 00:09:26.294
I think we need 12.

00:09:26.825 --> 00:09:28.335
Yeah, eight or 12.

00:09:29.634 --> 00:09:32.154
And we laugh now, but that's the way it was back then.

00:09:32.164 --> 00:09:33.404
And we'd wait for each other.

00:09:33.434 --> 00:09:35.335
Oh, I got somebody else coming.

00:09:35.335 --> 00:09:35.695
Okay.

00:09:35.904 --> 00:09:40.115
As long as we could wait about 10, 20 more minutes, they could get here and we could do this.

00:09:40.154 --> 00:09:41.004
Yes, we need them.

00:09:41.004 --> 00:09:41.355
Okay.

00:09:41.355 --> 00:09:41.865
We'll do it.

00:09:42.183 --> 00:09:44.413
But yeah, it's evolved since then.

00:09:44.413 --> 00:09:54.798
And you know, then we talk about COVID and how the rating has changed and evolved and we've Gone with the flow a little bit, and remotes have changed things, some for the better, some not.

00:09:55.038 --> 00:10:00.475
I'm a big fan of coming out in person, but also, like I mentioned before, my son has special needs.

00:10:00.475 --> 00:10:04.554
And I totally understand that sometimes you do what you could do.

00:10:04.554 --> 00:10:14.134
From where you can, not to advocate spoofing anyway, you know, not anything like that, but remote raids Definitely have a place in Pokemon Go.

00:10:14.477 --> 00:10:19.835
It just all brings us together whether we're on discord in person You gotta have something people need people.

00:10:20.140 --> 00:10:20.591
I like that.

00:10:20.591 --> 00:10:22.561
People need people from the land that's divided.

00:10:23.086 --> 00:10:23.655
Yes

00:10:24.291 --> 00:10:24.561
Ha ha

00:10:24.796 --> 00:10:25.706
That is true.

00:10:25.716 --> 00:10:31.745
We have to keep ourselves together somehow, you know, we have our differences and everything but we come together with Pokemon Go

00:10:32.350 --> 00:10:33.991
Now Tina said her favorite Pokemon.

00:10:34.001 --> 00:10:34.542
What about you?

00:10:34.542 --> 00:10:35.672
What's your favorite Pokemon?

00:10:35.969 --> 00:10:37.073
Don't say Aggron.

00:10:37.490 --> 00:10:45.000
No, so I'm a Gen 1'er, but In all honesty my favorite is Giratina.

00:10:45.326 --> 00:10:46.895
It's just the lore behind it.

00:10:46.895 --> 00:10:55.340
It wasn't, it's not like something I played with in the game and stuff, but like, I think the lore for Giratina is the most interesting, so just, it's always my favorite.

00:10:55.648 --> 00:10:57.837
I know that Aggron lines from Raids, right?

00:10:58.937 --> 00:11:02.398
When all suggests is that Aggrons, like, use Aggron people.

00:11:02.967 --> 00:11:10.388
Well, there's a little history too, because BC always teasing me about how, I have a love hate relationship with Aggron.

00:11:10.388 --> 00:11:13.457
I just feel that the poor thing got mistreated in

00:11:14.038 --> 00:11:14.567
my god.

00:11:14.567 --> 00:11:18.378
No,

00:11:18.398 --> 00:11:22.577
just, in the day, they just throw it in their raid party, and I'd be like, oh no, not again.

00:11:23.807 --> 00:11:32.908
I told Tina one of these days, one of these days I'm going to jump into a raid lobby with her and duo something and I'm going to have a team of all Aggron, so

00:11:32.942 --> 00:11:33.883
you know I'm gonna quit.

00:11:34.153 --> 00:11:34.942
I'll leave you, man.

00:11:34.942 --> 00:11:37.602
Hehehehe.

00:11:37.717 --> 00:11:41.668
what you need to do is you need to be able to get some people involved with you and you'll all just use aggrons.

00:11:42.043 --> 00:11:42.342
Oh my

00:11:42.488 --> 00:11:42.988
Right.

00:11:43.346 --> 00:11:45.635
People troll me about that, but I just laugh.

00:11:46.821 --> 00:11:47.211
Yeah.

00:11:47.291 --> 00:11:47.701
by the way.

00:11:47.701 --> 00:11:49.431
Just let me know the time and day and I'll visit.

00:11:49.755 --> 00:11:50.326
Oh no.

00:11:50.360 --> 00:11:51.451
I'll send the invite.

00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:54.370
Tina, I'll use a level one aggrons to make it even better.

00:11:54.586 --> 00:11:55.806
Oh my gosh.

00:11:57.076 --> 00:11:59.225
Let's see if T Tar can carry us then.

00:11:59.533 --> 00:12:00.592
I'll bring my team.

00:12:00.592 --> 00:12:01.493
You know I got one.

00:12:02.577 --> 00:12:04.927
I gotta, I gotta know, like, how deep are you into this Ttar?

00:12:04.937 --> 00:12:07.217
Do you have like a full squad or like army?

00:12:07.217 --> 00:12:07.597
Like,

00:12:07.914 --> 00:12:09.955
Yeah, I have a Tyranitar problem.

00:12:12.509 --> 00:12:12.909
Do to do

00:12:12.924 --> 00:12:13.825
really do.

00:12:14.664 --> 00:12:15.294
Yes.

00:12:15.445 --> 00:12:17.365
No, I mean, thing.

00:12:19.038 --> 00:12:20.837
it's a good thing, and I mean.

00:12:21.437 --> 00:12:23.067
So I have the two perfects.

00:12:23.498 --> 00:12:28.378
one is dark and one is rock and they have teams with them too.

00:12:28.418 --> 00:12:29.408
So they have their teams.

00:12:29.738 --> 00:12:34.471
I have the shadow teams that go with each of them and yeah, no, it's just insane.

00:12:34.471 --> 00:12:40.351
And then I have some for sentimental reasons and my husband crocheted me a Tyranitar.

00:12:40.631 --> 00:12:41.072
awesome.

00:12:41.861 --> 00:12:46.912
In regards to just playing in kansas city Where do people go to play say like for a raid hour say for community?

00:12:47.493 --> 00:12:51.096
So pretty much all of our events are, at our local park here.

00:12:51.096 --> 00:12:53.826
So like Tina explained earlier, Kansas City is kind of split.

00:12:53.866 --> 00:12:55.856
So we have a South Kansas City group.

00:12:56.246 --> 00:12:57.876
Ours is the North Kansas City group.

00:12:57.897 --> 00:13:02.197
And as long as the weather permits, all of our meetups are at Oak Grove Park.

00:13:02.197 --> 00:13:03.157
We've built it up.

00:13:03.480 --> 00:13:05.820
I think now we're up to about.

00:13:05.820 --> 00:13:14.769
a half a kilometer trail, Loop and within that half a kilometer we have over 20 gyms and stops combined So it's it's real nice.

00:13:14.769 --> 00:13:19.136
We've built it quite a bit So as long as the weather's decent, that's where we play.

00:13:19.136 --> 00:13:20.586
We we do raid hours there.

00:13:20.586 --> 00:13:25.211
We do community days there We had go fest there where we had almost 200 people show up.

00:13:25.511 --> 00:13:27.261
It can handle big crowds.

00:13:27.331 --> 00:13:28.491
there's lots of spawns.

00:13:28.511 --> 00:13:29.922
It's just, it's really nice.

00:13:29.922 --> 00:13:37.065
We have another spot on the other side of town, that's more indoorsy for the winter months when I'm the only one at Oak Grove Park.

00:13:38.169 --> 00:13:38.690
Yes.

00:13:39.695 --> 00:13:41.955
uh, yeah, I tend to be there regardless.

00:13:41.965 --> 00:13:42.995
There's raid hours.

00:13:43.024 --> 00:13:51.908
I haven't missed a raid hour in Almost three years now and there's times in the winter I'm the only person there on a Wednesday and I'm just sending remotes.

00:13:51.908 --> 00:13:53.447
but I don't not go there.

00:13:53.447 --> 00:13:53.918
So

00:13:54.163 --> 00:13:57.072
I mean, at least you're not level 15 trying to beat a level 5

00:13:57.457 --> 00:14:01.798
Right now that I now that I'm a level 50 it goes a little easier for me so

00:14:02.100 --> 00:14:03.451
Yeah, BC grinds.

00:14:04.230 --> 00:14:05.051
does I

00:14:05.130 --> 00:14:06.201
Oh, totally.

00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:07.890
couple of months a couple years I bet

00:14:08.206 --> 00:14:12.418
I got to level 50 right at about three years.

00:14:12.698 --> 00:14:14.274
It took me a long time.

00:14:14.384 --> 00:14:15.043
Can I tell you?

00:14:15.043 --> 00:14:16.183
So many pidgeys.

00:14:16.323 --> 00:14:17.254
So many pidgeys.

00:14:17.394 --> 00:14:17.754
So many

00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:19.729
Back when we had to do the evolution grind

00:14:19.943 --> 00:14:20.104
Yes.

00:14:20.856 --> 00:14:21.057
Had

00:14:21.111 --> 00:14:22.422
Back before friendships.

00:14:22.751 --> 00:14:22.961
Yes.

00:14:23.626 --> 00:14:24.126
Yeah.

00:14:24.287 --> 00:14:26.547
My trick was friendship level ups.

00:14:27.067 --> 00:14:27.879
That was my trick.

00:14:27.879 --> 00:14:31.990
I never did the mass evolutions because again, it's just super boring for me.

00:14:32.049 --> 00:14:35.000
So like mine was, mine was friendship level ups.

00:14:35.169 --> 00:14:41.549
Like I would get, you know, five, six people up there to that one, one interaction until best and then pop an egg.

00:14:41.549 --> 00:14:43.330
And I was there for the longest.

00:14:43.330 --> 00:14:46.960
I was getting a couple million XP almost every Wednesday.

00:14:47.080 --> 00:14:48.929
So that helped a lot.

00:14:49.235 --> 00:14:53.466
and great quality of life improvement, that um, notification thing.

00:14:54.005 --> 00:14:55.245
Do you want to use a lucky egg?

00:14:55.245 --> 00:14:58.995
Yes, I do! Finally! I'm out, I'm not a hostage anymore.

00:14:59.056 --> 00:15:00.836
Please, just go ahead.

00:15:00.846 --> 00:15:02.046
Friends, open.

00:15:02.418 --> 00:15:08.326
Hey you! Yes, you with the ears! Don't go anywhere, just taking a quick ad break.

00:15:08.606 --> 00:15:09.616
We'll be right back.

00:15:45.998 --> 00:15:51.087
So when did y'all start trying to get into the involved the competing ambassador program and what did that look like y'all?

00:15:52.736 --> 00:15:57.019
Well, um, we didn't jump on when it was kind of connected with Silph Road.

00:15:57.049 --> 00:16:02.860
Actually, it was, this started with the Silph Road and we actually did a lot of stuff with the Silph Road.

00:16:02.860 --> 00:16:04.320
We got on the map with them.

00:16:04.649 --> 00:16:05.340
that was a lot of fun.

00:16:05.340 --> 00:16:08.720
I did drive some people to finding us, through that.

00:16:09.023 --> 00:16:11.423
but afterwards, we kind of hesitated.

00:16:11.533 --> 00:16:15.529
We're on the fence with that for a while and then, I don't know, I finally decided.

00:16:15.655 --> 00:16:19.429
Maybe it was worth a try, especially when they, kind of opened it up at one point.

00:16:19.440 --> 00:16:21.580
And I was like, okay, why not?

00:16:21.610 --> 00:16:23.732
Because I want to see what this is all about.

00:16:23.763 --> 00:16:25.982
And the only way to see is to give it a try.

00:16:26.576 --> 00:16:27.826
And why were you on the fence about it?

00:16:27.826 --> 00:16:28.806
Like, why were you hesitant?

00:16:29.177 --> 00:16:35.285
Hey, to be honest there's a lot of different standards within different communities.

00:16:35.285 --> 00:16:37.615
and we have players that play, different ways.

00:16:37.625 --> 00:16:42.495
So we had some folks that, When we talk about COVID and how hard it was to play and get together.

00:16:42.812 --> 00:16:46.806
There's a lot of, uh, multiple accounts going on, stuff like that.

00:16:46.836 --> 00:16:49.525
And, it's always something that I haven't been a fan of.

00:16:49.556 --> 00:16:54.865
My community knows that I tried to follow the terms of service and we don't do a lot of that.

00:16:54.875 --> 00:17:00.472
And I feel, I understand the other argument that I've heard about that, you know, how else am I going to take down this boss?

00:17:00.472 --> 00:17:02.143
I don't have anybody that'll play with me.

00:17:02.590 --> 00:17:04.420
But there are people you could play with.

00:17:04.609 --> 00:17:09.779
You just might have to do a little work to come out and see us, join the discord, come to meetups.

00:17:10.083 --> 00:17:13.913
You know, we even have places to coordinate remote raids and stuff on our discord too.

00:17:13.932 --> 00:17:15.002
It's possible.

00:17:15.303 --> 00:17:20.163
I don't feel anymore that you have to have a secondary account to be successful Pokemon Go.

00:17:20.452 --> 00:17:22.803
I don't think you ever did that's the mom in me.

00:17:22.823 --> 00:17:32.992
See you hear my mom voice coming out But yeah, so there was a kind of an issue with that and I wasn't sure community was going to make the cut I love you community.

00:17:33.042 --> 00:17:39.796
I have always loved you, but I was kind of worried and so I kind of read some of the requirements and everything and I thought you know what?

00:17:40.093 --> 00:17:48.008
I think if our community, I love them, and I think the program will end up loving them too and accept them.

00:17:48.018 --> 00:17:53.998
And, we decided not to talk about, multiple accounts, baby accounts as they're called and stuff.

00:17:54.310 --> 00:17:59.500
And if people ask me straight out, yeah, I will definitely tell them, you know, terms of service, let's not do that.

00:17:59.810 --> 00:18:07.391
But after we kind of adopted that and decided to go forward, it you know, it was a little easier than I thought they accepted us.

00:18:07.391 --> 00:18:10.500
They looked at us we were a okay, in their eyes.

00:18:10.520 --> 00:18:10.580
Yay.

00:18:11.510 --> 00:18:16.881
Oh, we got the support and backing the, things that come out of the program that's been nice.

00:18:17.204 --> 00:18:20.125
And I think it's gotten more people to come to the game in our area.

00:18:20.434 --> 00:18:24.414
So I think overall it's been a good experience and I have learned so much from the other.

00:18:24.613 --> 00:18:35.246
Community ambassadors that I have met with, or whether it's with, program, how we communicate and what I call land because we don't just like, openly talk about everything that's on that.

00:18:35.546 --> 00:18:36.403
But, I had a.

00:18:36.403 --> 00:18:37.153
Opportunity.

00:18:37.153 --> 00:18:42.390
I was one of Community ambassadors They got to go out San Francisco and go to their offices.

00:18:42.390 --> 00:18:45.609
And so I got to meet some of the other community ambassadors in person.

00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:47.609
And that was really fun.

00:18:47.915 --> 00:18:58.462
I think we're truly birds of a feather and, we became friends and we still like chat back and forth and actually did a collab with one of them when we had our Superbowl competition going on.

00:18:58.613 --> 00:18:59.063
Yay.

00:18:59.063 --> 00:19:00.303
Shout out San Francisco.

00:19:00.532 --> 00:19:00.823
Two Bacchus.

00:19:03.015 --> 00:19:05.674
They won a contest, by the way, but we won the Super Bowl.

00:19:06.474 --> 00:19:07.994
important because I don't want San Francisco to win.

00:19:10.795 --> 00:19:11.345
Real quick.

00:19:11.345 --> 00:19:15.265
So what was it like to kind of meet the other community ambassadors to network with them during that time?

00:19:15.869 --> 00:19:16.819
It was really fun.

00:19:17.143 --> 00:19:20.593
I was all excited, but you know, you're all a little bit nervous too.

00:19:21.012 --> 00:19:25.623
But it's just like the first time you step into the park and are looking for other players to help you out with a raid.

00:19:25.925 --> 00:19:29.799
But I think even more so, we just, like I said, we're birds of a feather.

00:19:29.819 --> 00:19:33.950
We're all just wanted to talk and get to know everybody's experience and their background.

00:19:33.950 --> 00:19:35.130
What's your community like?

00:19:35.130 --> 00:19:35.859
What do you do?

00:19:35.859 --> 00:19:38.910
And, so it's just instantly a lot of talking in.

00:19:38.934 --> 00:19:44.184
We didn't shut up for a long time and went late into the night.

00:19:44.194 --> 00:19:46.144
Sometimes they're early in the morning.

00:19:46.154 --> 00:19:56.634
A few of us were the early birds and we got really early and walked around San Francisco and talked when I first got there, met up with one of them, never met him, never seen him before or anything.

00:19:56.951 --> 00:20:03.954
but yeah, we met up in Chinatown, like, Oh, Hey, we're going around trying to find all the, Pokemon and fun stuff that we could do.

00:20:04.397 --> 00:20:06.008
It was just insta friends.

00:20:06.008 --> 00:20:14.474
I think in person, there's something that just drops the barrier that you have when you're, you know, online or discord or email tone can be lost and you don't know.

00:20:14.474 --> 00:20:20.785
But when you're in person, it's just like, you smile, they smile trainer eyes have met, you know, let's do this.

00:20:21.224 --> 00:20:22.474
Let's be friends and let's play.

00:20:23.445 --> 00:20:30.905
BC, so what made you want to kind of step in from becoming just a player who enjoyed the facilities to becoming a Community Ambassador and try to be a leader?

00:20:31.489 --> 00:20:33.584
So, Tina Went through a lot of work.

00:20:33.584 --> 00:20:53.340
I saw what she had to go through to get approved, and I don't know that I could have stuck out through that, but once I realized that, she was overworked, I mean, we have a, community is growing fast, and people expect, you know, once they realized, you know, they get free check in items, and, all the perks of having a community ambassador.

00:20:53.621 --> 00:20:57.111
They really wanted more events than what she could handle alone.

00:20:57.161 --> 00:20:58.621
So it kind of worked out.

00:20:58.631 --> 00:21:00.678
She, does great with what she does.

00:21:00.708 --> 00:21:07.381
She, I mean, she goes above and beyond and, for community days and the bigger events and, That's her kind of deal.

00:21:07.381 --> 00:21:09.060
And then I run the smaller stuff.

00:21:09.141 --> 00:21:14.171
So like every Wednesday for raid hour, I do some of the spotlight hours.

00:21:14.201 --> 00:21:26.864
we're talking about, doing a split thing for raid days, you know, the six hour days and stuff trying to, it's just basically to, to lift some of the load off her and keep our community growing and happy at the same time.

00:21:26.864 --> 00:21:27.263
So.

00:21:27.574 --> 00:21:39.634
I got to ask, since you have such a unique perspective, what does it mean to have somebody like Kate to run the Kansas city as a player into now, like how much of a difference did it make for your experience in Pokemon go?

00:21:40.044 --> 00:21:41.814
But wait, wait, wait, just me.

00:21:42.104 --> 00:21:42.634
It's all the

00:21:42.894 --> 00:21:45.040
It's, uh, yeah, it's great.

00:21:45.344 --> 00:21:47.463
I mean, like I said, she goes above and beyond.

00:21:47.463 --> 00:21:48.438
I don't, know.

00:21:48.538 --> 00:21:49.847
many of the other C.

00:21:49.847 --> 00:21:50.077
A.

00:21:50.147 --> 00:21:50.167
S.

00:21:50.167 --> 00:21:53.627
Except for, you know, I've had talks with some of the other ones in our state.

00:21:53.678 --> 00:21:57.738
And, you know, we all try to work together, you know, to help each other grow.

00:21:57.738 --> 00:21:59.377
It's not just, you know, for us.

00:21:59.907 --> 00:22:02.238
so that's good to have those relationships.

00:22:02.238 --> 00:22:12.740
But as far as she goes, I mean, like I said, she's got to be one of the best because she, know, she, she does crafts and, and she just goes above and beyond for everything.

00:22:12.740 --> 00:22:16.560
Like for community days, she made sure that, we could bring water for everybody.

00:22:16.560 --> 00:22:23.621
we had coolers of water and The other mods, like in our discord, the rest of our leadership team, they're, they're great as well.

00:22:23.621 --> 00:22:25.990
I mean, everybody kind of does their part and.

00:22:26.113 --> 00:22:26.792
It's amazing.

00:22:26.903 --> 00:22:29.153
Like we have, we have good relationships with each other.

00:22:29.153 --> 00:22:30.482
Like everybody gets along great.

00:22:30.482 --> 00:22:33.212
we have a wide variety of personalities.

00:22:33.378 --> 00:22:37.028
but it works because we all have the same goal, you know, in mind.

00:22:37.028 --> 00:22:43.148
And, and that's when, you know, when we're together, it's playing Pokemon and that's, that's how we all And it, it's a great community.

00:22:43.148 --> 00:22:46.318
Like I said, I mean, I probably would have put the game down.

00:22:46.411 --> 00:22:50.721
You know, six months after I started, if I hadn't came across the community.

00:22:50.721 --> 00:22:53.624
and I feel like that's how a lot of other people are as well.

00:22:53.624 --> 00:22:59.144
Like it's just, it's getting together, it's forming friendships and it's not just a game at this point.

00:22:59.445 --> 00:23:00.046
Hmm.

00:23:00.111 --> 00:23:02.223
people and I'm gonna say their names.

00:23:02.223 --> 00:23:03.814
It's Jeremy.

00:23:04.203 --> 00:23:05.314
It's Brian.

00:23:05.324 --> 00:23:09.911
It's Tammy It's Brandon and Sometimes a little bit tina.

00:23:10.211 --> 00:23:16.153
But yeah, it's when we all come together and Just like in raids you need your leadership to come together.

00:23:16.460 --> 00:23:22.589
And we have other community members too that aren't officially in the leadership, but they lend a hand to, jump in.

00:23:22.619 --> 00:23:29.310
Oh, you guys can't make it that raid night or something, especially when we were having those every night raid hour and they jump in and they lead raids.

00:23:29.353 --> 00:23:36.387
or I'm not gonna mention their name, but they're like every now and then they'll like, Put a little money in my pocket and say thank you so much for everything you do.

00:23:36.722 --> 00:23:42.103
but Every little thank you, every little smile that they do helps, and our community is really great about that.

00:23:42.613 --> 00:23:43.663
You know, what do you need?

00:23:44.032 --> 00:23:44.883
How can we help?

00:23:45.196 --> 00:23:47.817
Like I said, can't, can't do it without them.

00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:54.410
Now, Kate, you know, BC, he said, like how you were taking so much of the load and you were doing all the things you were doing for the community on your own.

00:23:54.410 --> 00:23:58.900
And I know you have a team, but what drives you to kind of go above and beyond?

00:23:58.900 --> 00:24:02.039
Because it's easy to just sit back and just let the game run its course.

00:24:02.039 --> 00:24:05.660
But you went above and beyond and added extra for the community to enjoy.

00:24:05.970 --> 00:24:07.630
You know, why did you go that extra step?

00:24:07.630 --> 00:24:08.940
Like what drove you to do that?

00:24:09.537 --> 00:24:10.416
That's easy.

00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:14.527
I remember when we were doing those tarantar raids I was talking about, right?

00:24:14.833 --> 00:24:16.883
we needed those 8 to 12 people.

00:24:17.373 --> 00:24:20.222
There were people there that I looked up to.

00:24:20.528 --> 00:24:21.528
Shout out to Becky.

00:24:21.852 --> 00:24:25.332
and they were level 35 and I was that's amazing.

00:24:25.571 --> 00:24:32.211
And they were saying, they're going, okay, we need to divide by teams and then we need to divide by people in level and they get us in little groups.

00:24:32.221 --> 00:24:39.392
So everybody had a fighting chance we could take on and it's the people that were before me, those early level forties.

00:24:39.412 --> 00:24:41.622
I looked up, it said, Oh, are the big dogs.

00:24:41.622 --> 00:24:43.001
I want to be like them someday.

00:24:43.311 --> 00:24:44.291
So giving back.

00:24:44.607 --> 00:24:45.528
It's giving back.

00:24:45.553 --> 00:24:50.133
Because they gave to me every time I see somebody is like, you know, I can't do this raid.

00:24:50.143 --> 00:24:52.972
You guys are like way of a higher level than me.

00:24:52.972 --> 00:24:54.022
Your Pokemon are better.

00:24:54.022 --> 00:24:54.992
I'm like, no, come on.

00:24:55.363 --> 00:24:57.192
If you have just dodge.

00:24:57.492 --> 00:24:58.913
We did it back in the day.

00:24:58.942 --> 00:25:00.333
Somebody else lifted us.

00:25:00.623 --> 00:25:01.792
And we're here to lift you.

00:25:02.012 --> 00:25:03.012
We're stronger together.

00:25:03.222 --> 00:25:03.782
do this.

00:25:04.390 --> 00:25:06.470
It reminds me of, uh, wrestling.

00:25:06.470 --> 00:25:09.089
There's always the people who go in as rookies.

00:25:09.690 --> 00:25:18.319
And then later on when they're like established or they're retired, they have a ritual to where they lay down for their final match and they lose their final match for somebody else to take over.

00:25:18.769 --> 00:25:20.640
It's kind of that transition of forward.

00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:22.670
Like, yes, we got a time to where we're rookies.

00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:23.960
People poured into us.

00:25:24.279 --> 00:25:30.839
But now it's time to give back because it's important for the next generation to move the stick further than we could, if that makes sense.

00:25:30.910 --> 00:25:36.609
That's how I've always viewed both Pokemon and more as I get older, more part of life in a way.

00:25:36.932 --> 00:25:37.522
I agree.

00:25:38.123 --> 00:25:39.272
Thank y'all for coming on the show.

00:25:39.303 --> 00:25:40.742
I do have one last question.

00:25:40.782 --> 00:25:42.173
I'd like an answer from each one of y'all.

00:25:42.497 --> 00:25:47.067
You know, there's a lot of people outside looking in, trying to build up their communities or don't even know where to start.

00:25:47.390 --> 00:25:53.259
If you could give one piece of advice to people maybe listening, what would you give them to build up their community?

00:25:53.570 --> 00:25:53.951
Okay.

00:25:53.990 --> 00:25:55.230
So I would say just play.

00:25:55.242 --> 00:25:58.752
If it means that much to you, like put your all into it.

00:25:58.752 --> 00:26:14.415
Like, I know our community was already, you know, it was already good size before I was ever on the leadership team, but I still now like for GoFest, like I made a flyer and I posted it to all my socials, people that follow me that are locals.

00:26:14.490 --> 00:26:17.018
our Facebook group, Instagram, stuff like that.

00:26:17.018 --> 00:26:20.948
Like I posted a flyer and it had the QR code for Campfire Discord.

00:26:21.097 --> 00:26:24.968
It took me 30 minutes to make on, a Photoshop app type deal.

00:26:24.968 --> 00:26:31.840
And it's simple stuff like that, that really, I mean, over the last month we've grown by, I wanna say like 400 members.

00:26:32.260 --> 00:26:35.326
It's little stuff like that that can draw a crowd, I mean.

00:26:35.711 --> 00:26:38.961
You have an event coming up, just let everyone know that you can think of.

00:26:38.971 --> 00:26:42.931
Put it on Facebook, hang it at your, hang it at your local card shop.

00:26:42.931 --> 00:26:48.471
And then just be friendly, be inviting, introduce yourself if you see someone new and you think they're playing.

00:26:48.471 --> 00:26:51.260
Like, little things like that can make all the difference.

00:26:51.864 --> 00:26:53.273
I would say just do it.

00:26:53.483 --> 00:26:54.703
Just Go for it.

00:26:54.943 --> 00:27:00.804
If you're passionate about the game, people will see and pick up on that and it will just grow and build.

00:27:01.273 --> 00:27:02.933
There's not a lot you have to do.

00:27:02.983 --> 00:27:08.763
Maybe get the fire started and kindle a little and people will just run away with it.

00:27:08.784 --> 00:27:15.374
I'm surprised so much at what other people are enthusiastic and I'm sitting back going, Oh, I'm not really feeling this event.

00:27:15.374 --> 00:27:19.243
And somebody will say, Oh, but it's so great because, and I'm like, you're right.

00:27:19.384 --> 00:27:19.874
It's great.

00:27:19.903 --> 00:27:20.634
Okay, let's go.

00:27:20.634 --> 00:27:21.334
Let's do this.

00:27:22.295 --> 00:27:25.579
and if I can add, your whole demeanor, it's infectious.

00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:44.438
So over, I mean, Tina, Tina knows over the last couple of months, we've had a couple of people that live farther out than our area and they used to come to our events and now they have, I mean, I got a message a few weeks ago and I think Tina received the same message about, you know, what we meant to them.

00:27:44.480 --> 00:27:48.380
how they learned from us and now they want to start their own group and try to get C.

00:27:48.380 --> 00:27:48.599
A.

00:27:48.650 --> 00:27:49.660
For their area.

00:27:50.049 --> 00:28:03.079
And there's, I pretty sure too, that I can think of right off top of my head that are now their groups are at, you know, 15 20 people like over the last month, you know, they're starting somewhere and they're, they want to go for C.

00:28:03.079 --> 00:28:03.220
A.

00:28:03.230 --> 00:28:03.750
Status.

00:28:03.750 --> 00:28:14.173
And that's, from Coming from our group and seeing how, things get ran over here and how again, the community, like it's infectious, like if you're nice to people and you introduce yourself.

00:28:14.173 --> 00:28:26.204
And I was an introvert when I started this game, I'm still not the biggest people person, but you'd never know that from playing with me at the park, because it has opened me up to new things as well.

00:28:26.204 --> 00:28:27.555
So it's helped me grow.

00:28:28.545 --> 00:28:29.984
Yeah, I've seen him grow.

00:28:31.795 --> 00:28:33.115
I'm just, I'm not as mom.

00:28:33.144 --> 00:28:34.075
I'm proud of BC.

00:28:34.085 --> 00:28:37.775
He has made a lot great progress and it's, awesome to see

00:28:38.224 --> 00:28:39.295
You're his mom in Pogo.

00:28:39.724 --> 00:28:41.644
I am well, you know what?

00:28:41.644 --> 00:28:43.345
My group called me raid mom.

00:28:43.795 --> 00:28:44.424
They did.

00:28:44.434 --> 00:28:46.644
That was like what I went by for the longest time.

00:28:46.644 --> 00:28:47.894
And there's still members.

00:28:48.184 --> 00:28:53.015
They're even my age that every time I see them, they're like, mom, I'm like, yeah, hi.

00:28:53.670 --> 00:28:53.910
That's

00:28:54.029 --> 00:28:57.259
mind being mom such great, awesome people too.

00:28:57.567 --> 00:28:59.843
I'm a little biased, but my group is awesome.

00:29:00.445 --> 00:29:03.076
Thank you for listening to As the Pokeball Turns.

00:29:03.395 --> 00:29:10.056
Follow all my socials and join our Discord community to stay connected by clicking any of the links in the description of this episode.

00:29:10.654 --> 00:29:16.134
Tune in next time for more episodes featuring more people, more stories, and more Pokemon.

00:29:16.484 --> 00:29:17.464
Until next time.