Nov. 27, 2024

TRAINER'S EYE #117 - "Elevating By Altaria's Wings" ft. RocketClare

Show Notes
Transcript

In this Pokemon interview, we are joined by RocketClare, a Pokemon GO Trainer from Australia and Pokemon Worlds competitor in 2024.

RocketClare shares her initial entry into the Pokemon franchise starting with Pokemon GO where she attempted to develop ways to encourage both herself and her children to become more active outside. Despite her children losing interest in the game, RocketClare find the game engaging and beneficial to her mental health by meeting people and walking outside.

RocketClare speaks on her local community and how it led to her involvement with Pokemon GO PvP, starting with Silph Arena before transitioning to participating with Play Pokemon and competing. RocketClare also speaks on the importance of representation for women and how her involvement with GirlsThatPvP improved her experience with Pokemon GO PvP.

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

Connect with RocketClare: Twitter | Bluesky

Send us a text

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Connect with David Hernandez: Linktree
E-mail Me: asthepokeballturnspodcast@gmail.com

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Transcript

WEBVTT

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I am Rocket Clare and this is my Pokémon story.

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Welcome to As the Pokeball Turns, where we interview people about their experience with Pokemon.

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My name is David Hernandez, and today, I'm joined by a wonderful leader within the Pokemon Go community, Rocket Clare.

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Clare, welcome to the podcast.

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Oh, thank you so much for having me, David.

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absolutely.

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I was happy that you decided to come on the show.

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I look forward to kind of diving into your experience with Pokemon Go, which doesn't start with the main series.

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It actually just starts with Pokemon Go.

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you did a recent, world's trip.

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You also are very involved within the PVP community with girls at PVP.

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And I want to highlight all that stuff.

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And I'm excited to kind of hear that kind of all unfold.

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Oh yeah, look, I'm really excited to be able to talk about it.

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This is one of my favourite topics and, I don't think there can be enough discussion, particularly about, how we promote women and the things that they're doing in PVP, and just all the fun stuff, all the things that make it such a great game to play.

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But let's start with the origin story.

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Let's start with the beginning.

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Like what's the chapter one, where does this journey start off?

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So, back in 2016 when the game launched, I think It had been out for about a week.

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I think I started about a week late.

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I'd heard a bit in the news about this game called Pokemon Go.

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I had very young children at the time and I thought, I think that would be something that my kids would really enjoy playing.

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So I have three daughters.

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they're now 17, 15 and but obviously back then they were more of an age where I thought this could be something fun to do outside with them, which, When you've got three kids it's always a challenge to try and think of something that gets them out and about and that they enjoy doing.

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So, uh, I downloaded the game.

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And I took a little while to figure out what was going on because I, like you said, haven't played the main games.

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And when I started playing Pokemon Go, I didn't really get the concept of even trying to catch them in the ball.

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I do remember, uh, the first Pokemon I tried to catch trying to work out how you even threw the ball.

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Which is pretty embarrassing.

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I don't think I've ever admitted that to anybody.

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But, uh, it was just, um, a whole new, a whole new experience to me.

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it went from there.

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I sort of, I'm lucky in that I live Right near a park that has a lot of Pokestop and I could see, you know, when the game first started, it was just crazy, right?

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So people were out playing until 3am in the morning.

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I could see from my house, lawyers going all night, at these Pokestops.

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And, I'm sure that wasn't just in Australia.

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I'm sure that was, worldwide.

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There was, there was news stories about, you know, people chasing Snorlax spawns and.

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all sorts of fun and exciting stuff.

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It was just such a novelty and very, very, addictive when you see everyone else doing something and having so much fun with it and then you're having fun with it, it kind of builds momentum, I think.

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So you started because you had your daughters.

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You were trying to find a way to get them out.

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And kind of, I guess, do a family kind of event.

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Did your daughters also get hooked into the game when y'all were starting?

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Like, were y'all going, like, on family outings to the park that, uh, where you stayed at and stuff like that?

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I have to be completely honest.

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I think for me, I started doing it and I thought I'd play first so that I could teach them what to do.

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And then I just got completely hooked and definitely did, I definitely started accounts for them.

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But, I don't know, they just weren't as interested as me.

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They'd be a little bit interested, but then they'd get bored really quickly and go and want to play.

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Or whatever, which is also fine.

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because, I was enjoying being out while they were playing, like I had something to do as well and it was in the park.

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So, yeah, it kind of worked really well for me that first, first year or so and definitely started to meet a lot of players.

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It was kind of weird to start off with.

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we didn't have established, well certainly here where I'm from, which is, you know, I should probably say a small country town in Tasmania, which is the smallest, or sort of the lowest population area of Australia, the southernmost point.

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so a bit remote, and it took a while to get any sort of chats established or discords or anything like that.

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So initially everyone was just playing, um, independently, um, I think there were a couple of Facebook groups start up, but when the game started it was such an individual game as well.

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Everyone was sort of battling gyms and trying to kick each other out of gyms, and it was very much about, I think there were brag posts in the, in the Facebook chat, but it was more about, Look at this fantastic Pokemon I caught, or look how much, my CP is now, and, you know, trying to impress people, or, or intimidate people, or, or all of that sort of thing.

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It was very much, valor versus mystic versus instinct, and, and all of that sort of thing, and not so much collaboration or working together.

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So, I've definitely seen a huge evolution of the game.

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as a lot of people who've played since the beginning have.

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and yeah, my kids kind of lost interest pretty early on and I started to want to meet and play with other players and started to just chat to people if I saw them out and thought that they looked like they were playing Pokemon Go and catching Pokemon, which you can kind of tell.

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I would start a, strike up a conversation.

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So Got to know a few people, and particularly I'm in Team Mystic, so we, in my area, yeah, in my area, we, uh, we were a bit outnumbered by Valor and, definitely had a lot of issues holding gyms, so that became a bit of a, I'm pretty competitive, so that became a bit of a, a focus for me initially, trying to get the Mystic players to band together and hold some gyms and get the coins that you could get at the time much more readily from gyms if you managed to hold them.

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So, that was more my focus then.

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I think one of the most exciting and, and one of the things about this game that has endured for me and has been the most wonderful part of it has been, I initially in that first year met so many people locally who I'd never met before, even though it's only a population of 15, 000 people in my town and I'd sort of grown up nearby and lived here most of my life.

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there were just so many people.

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Probably more of a younger generation than me because they were people who played the main games and naturally sort of just progressed to Pokemon Go.

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but I don't know just all different walks of life.

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There was a lot of families playing as well but they were just people I hadn't come across or met before and probably wouldn't have if it hadn't been for the game.

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And I've made some really wonderful friends through that.

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People who I now, you know, would happily go and have a coffee with, or, you know, we've done stuff to help each other out, you know, with our kids, or, or whatever else.

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Community days have become really wonderful for us.

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It's an opportunity for us to book out, you know, the local barbecue shelter, and, make it a real celebration, and, and all chat about what we're catching, and chat to each other's kids as well, and, walk around together and have a really fun time.

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So that community side of it for me.

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was an added bonus that I probably didn't appreciate as much to start off with because I was so focused on playing the game.

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But, as time wore on and I started to realize that I've met all these wonderful people, I really started to appreciate that a lot.

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So, yeah, that was sort of what really got me in at the start.

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It sounds like even early on, you know, before you even get to the PVP side of things, that you really valued connection.

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And I imagine, you know, you have, you said you had three girls, you know, your hands are probably full, plus I'm assuming you probably work and stuff like that, whatever commitments that come with, you know, being a mother.

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So it seems like that you value just being able to go out, trying to rally the mystic people together, and you found a way to connect with people through Pokemon, both older, younger, through all different ages and stages of life.

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absolutely.

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And anyone who knows me knows that I am a connector.

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Like, I value my personal time and my private quiet time, but I also really enjoy social connections with people.

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And I have to say as well, the game started at a time that was significant for me because my youngest daughter was at home.

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She was only one and I'd been through a particularly difficult period.

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I'd lost my mother, when something like that happens, it's, it's terrible enough.

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But I also had a baby and I was sort of stuck at home, not working at the time.

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I had had a break from work.

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So, um, I can't tell you how isolating that can feel, particularly if you are someone who really enjoys making connections and interacting with people.

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So, I really feel like my story was one of it was definitely right time, right place.

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I could get out with the pram.

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I could have the phone running on Pokemon Go.

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It's so important to be able to feel like you're not trapped and not, sort of, you can't leave the house.

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So to be able to get out, walk around, get that very important exercise, which is so good to lift your spirits, get some sunshine, fresh air, all of those things.

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I really do believe that was life changing for me and it came at a really good time.

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Particularly as, when you talk about connections and meeting new people, I'd sort of lost a lot of connections that I had before.

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through my workplace at the time, and I was feeling, like I said, you know, pretty isolated.

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So, yeah, meeting new people at that time was great.

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You know, it makes a huge difference, especially when you go through that kind of trauma, because for me, I lost my dad that same year.

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I lost him early 2016.

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And you know, I was young on the youngest side.

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I was like 25, 26, and nobody else around me had ever, at least my friend wise, had lost a parent before.

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So it

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I reckon.

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isolating in that fact because it was like.

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I mean, it's hard for me to kind of connect with people who something you've never experienced before.

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That's not what just lost, but that's, it's anything.

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And, you know, I felt like I was kind of very on my own to a way.

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And, you know, I was trying to, you know, wrap up with the effect of not having your parent at that age.

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And then, you know, Pokemon go comes out and.

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At the time I was still mourning what is, you know, in a way, but it helped me kind of get out to kind of connect with old friends, new friends, because everybody was playing Pokemon, right?

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And like you, it allowed me to kind of step out and just connect with the franchise that I've grown up with.

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So I'm more of a Pokemon from gen one guy, but it allowed me to kind of reconnect with the franchise that, you know, I've loved really for a long time.

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I just love hearing that you were so young as well, and I'm so glad for you that it was there at that time.

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Again, another story of the timing couldn't have been more perfect.

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Well, I never even thought about that.

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I'm like, wait, I lost my dad that same year.

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That makes actually a lot of sense that she says that.

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I've never connected before until you came on the podcast.

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So it was great.

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I, I had a friend that I made through, through the game as well who suffered from, chronic anxiety and she had told me that she was at a point where She just couldn't bear to be around anyone.

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She'd had some really bad experiences in her life, and she would just stay home and not want to leave the house.

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And again, it got her out of the house.

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But not only that, like, she was Team Mystic.

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So I was onto her.

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And I managed to tap into something in her that was super competitive.

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So despite the fact that she was too shy to even speak to me, But we would be in the chat and I'd be like, Come on, come on, we've got to get out there and get these gyms back.

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And it kind of egged her on because she, she was quite a competitive person inside well.

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And it, She said to me so many times over the following years how much it changed her life.

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So, over the next two years, she actually managed to get out of a bad relationship, go back to school, and do some pre course subjects that meant she could then, Do a course in um, uh, it was caring for people with disabilities.

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And she's now working in that field.

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And she had been at a point where since she'd left school, she'd left school early because of the issues she'd had at home.

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And she hadn't been working that whole time.

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So, I truly believe, and she, she believes that the, the game was the starting point, for her to be able to make some of those connections, to feel confident.

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myself and a couple of other friends were able be referees for her when she was looking for work.

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Like, it was just a massive turnaround for her and just such a good news story.

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So, I'm sure there's many stories like this about the game.

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I believe there would be.

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Eventually you know, the game progresses.

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Were you able to stick with the game throughout, or did you take any breaks before the PVP side?

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I am such a, I never give up.

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Like, there were times when it frustrated me so much, particularly early days, when there were so many glitches for the first, I think it was pretty bad first, I know it was terrible the first few months and there were so many issues, but I think that went on for quite some time, didn't it?

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I can't actually recall it's going back so far, but I just, I just stuck with it anyway.

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Like, I'm very kind of focused, I think I hyper focused on which says a lot about me, but, uh, it was just one of those where.

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I don't know, it was my escape, and, you When I went back to work after having Kira, I could do my work and I could do my stuff around the house.

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I could do my stuff with the kids, but this was for me.

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And think as a working mum, a lot would relate.

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you need some stuff for yourself.

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And I'd played competitive sport as well, All my life and the last one that I was still sticking with was hockey.

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but that's very hard on your body.

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And I think I had my last season of hockey.

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Well, I think it was my last season a couple of years ago.

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I may still go back I don't know, play masters or something.

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But at this stage I'm having a rest from that cause it's just so hard on the body.

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but I've I still need that outlet and I need something that's for me.

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And I need something that I can compete in and feel like I'm achieving something.

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That's just, I know that's who I am.

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So, what a great way to be able to.

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Continue to do that without needing a wheelchair the next day to be able to play it on your phone.

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It's still good.

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hockey's violent sport.

00:12:57.615 --> 00:12:58.086
Yeah.

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Well, I'm talking field hockey, not ice hockey.

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I should probably clarify.

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I mean, that's even worse.

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Ice hockey.

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What I've seen looks pretty crazy.

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I don't think I could manage that.

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I think that would be so, like, it's hard enough without having to do it on ice skates.

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I don't know, I feel like field hockey has more of a no rules bar, almost, basically.

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At least we got some referees.

00:13:18.160 --> 00:13:18.860
yeah.

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Oh, I kind of like that.

00:13:20.041 --> 00:13:20.291
I didn't

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That's

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you've got be uh, keep, keep your, uh, speed up.

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And, if you can sort of muscle someone off, that's better than skills sometimes.

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I've had my share bruises and black eyes out of it.

00:13:35.671 --> 00:13:40.520
But, yeah, you do get to an age where you're like, Oh, yeah, I don't think I can go to work a black eye on Monday morning.

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That wouldn't Ha,

00:13:42.725 --> 00:13:42.895
right?

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It's like, what, are you okay at home?

00:13:44.785 --> 00:13:45.225
Like, yeah.

00:13:46.600 --> 00:13:48.120
Yeah, that's true, actually.

00:13:48.120 --> 00:13:48.910
I never thought of that.

00:13:49.513 --> 00:14:00.446
but you know, diving into the competitive side with you getting the PVP, it seems like it's like a natural fit your competitor and you know, PVPs, you know, competitions, one against one, you got into it because from my understanding, your community is very active, right?

00:14:00.735 --> 00:14:01.365
That's right.

00:14:01.405 --> 00:14:01.916
Yeah.

00:14:02.015 --> 00:14:04.865
Oh, I was super lucky in this sense.

00:14:04.895 --> 00:14:13.566
There's a couple of guys in particular that kept saying, probably six months before PvP came out, because it was teased for a long time, and they kept saying, we can't wait for PvP.

00:14:13.566 --> 00:14:14.995
And I'd be like, what's this PvP?

00:14:15.005 --> 00:14:16.285
What are they even talking about?

00:14:16.296 --> 00:14:17.615
I've never done anything like that.

00:14:17.615 --> 00:14:20.466
I didn't realise that that was such a key part of the Pokémon games.

00:14:20.855 --> 00:14:24.982
I just really learnt, you know, what I needed to know about, about raiding, and that sort of thing.

00:14:24.982 --> 00:14:37.279
And actually, I should say, raiding really changed the game as well, because we went from a community that was divided amongst the three teams, to a community that, if we were going to be able to beat any of the raids, because in early days they were so tough.

00:14:37.674 --> 00:14:40.347
We had to band together and we had to start joining our chats together.

00:14:40.357 --> 00:14:43.677
So you didn't just have a Mystic chat and a Valor chat or an Instinct chat.

00:14:43.707 --> 00:14:46.738
Like everyone was in the same chat and helping each other and getting to know each other.

00:14:46.738 --> 00:14:47.577
And that was a big part.

00:14:47.648 --> 00:14:48.788
That was a huge turning point.

00:14:48.788 --> 00:14:54.447
I'm actually so glad that the game changed like that because it changed from sort of dividing the community to us all working together.

00:14:54.447 --> 00:14:57.927
And, you know, we became a really close knit group here in Ulverston.

00:14:57.977 --> 00:15:09.725
and then, yeah, further to that, Two of the local guys loved PvP and, you know, as soon as it became apparent that that was going to be something that we could do and we could battle each other, they were saying, come on, Clare, let's battle.

00:15:09.725 --> 00:15:12.414
And I would like, oh, know what to do.

00:15:12.764 --> 00:15:16.544
I'm pretty sure I just did auto rec the first few times they sent me invites because know.

00:15:16.831 --> 00:15:19.551
Anything about what Pokemon to choose or what my best Pokemon were.

00:15:19.551 --> 00:15:23.071
I'm sure they, it would be hilarious see, if I could see a video of that now.

00:15:23.380 --> 00:15:27.270
I do have some really old battle videos actually, but maybe not from quite that far back.

00:15:27.850 --> 00:15:33.671
Um, but yeah, and then something in me would be like, I get beaten all the time, but I hate that.

00:15:33.671 --> 00:15:34.331
I hate losing.

00:15:34.687 --> 00:15:38.350
And I just think, well, I've got to try and figure out how I can, you know, win.

00:15:38.500 --> 00:15:42.836
how win and would continue to practice because I'm very determined.

00:15:42.836 --> 00:15:45.416
And like I said, I've got a never give up attitude.

00:15:45.416 --> 00:15:51.062
So we would just send each other battle invites because this is before there was even grassroots tournaments or anything.

00:15:51.072 --> 00:15:53.043
So it was just send someone an invite.

00:15:53.221 --> 00:15:54.691
and play them.

00:15:55.294 --> 00:15:57.327
Um, but, oh

00:15:57.423 --> 00:16:00.173
even before like there was tips or those even before metas.

00:16:00.460 --> 00:16:03.370
people were really trying to figure out what was good at PvP.

00:16:03.389 --> 00:16:07.620
So you didn't have any, you really just went with kind of rumors of the playground in a way, right?

00:16:08.245 --> 00:16:09.554
yeah, absolutely.

00:16:09.554 --> 00:16:10.475
I had no idea.

00:16:10.475 --> 00:16:14.125
People who'd played the main games definitely had more idea.

00:16:14.235 --> 00:16:20.077
but it was still, I mean the mechanics were all pretty unknown and IVs were unknown still at that stage I believe.

00:16:20.457 --> 00:16:29.081
I think IVs but didn't really know how that translated into gameplay or, Or advantages or disadvantages.

00:16:29.091 --> 00:16:30.927
So yeah, fun times.

00:16:30.927 --> 00:16:40.008
I haven't thought about that while, but, the next thing that happened was, Silph did that wonderful thing they did, which was to start up, um, Silph tournaments and measures, which.

00:16:40.067 --> 00:17:00.294
the beginning of making it really fun for me and for a lot of people, I think, because it meant that our local community could hold our own tournaments in person and everyone could join, you know, kids joined, whole families, we'd get a really good turnout and I've got to say, the guy that, was our first, I guess, tournament organiser.

00:17:00.304 --> 00:17:03.154
Did an amazing job, like he provided prizes.

00:17:03.605 --> 00:17:10.795
He provided prizes not just for the people who won but, also for the people with the most unique team or the most spicy team.

00:17:11.204 --> 00:17:19.310
Which kind of encouraged the fun of it because it meant that even if someone thought, well I don't think I'm going to be able to do any good, they'd still join because they could maybe win the spicy team prize.

00:17:19.310 --> 00:17:29.690
So that, I think, really fun and helped to make sure everyone just It didn't become too much like ship stations and people would still participate, which good.

00:17:29.690 --> 00:17:34.123
And, I think I did okay in my first couple of tournaments, but not great.

00:17:34.123 --> 00:17:40.313
Like, obviously, had a lot to learn, and the more experienced players would take those out.

00:17:40.675 --> 00:18:00.351
I did start listening to, around then, when there were actual metas and themes for the cups, people started making, content that you could watch to learn about what to use and some of the first videos that I watched to try and understand what was going on and what I should be trying to use and what was good against what was Purple Kyogre actually.

00:18:00.760 --> 00:18:03.931
Um, yeah, so I watched a heap videos.

00:18:03.941 --> 00:18:05.365
so shout out to him.

00:18:05.375 --> 00:18:06.115
He's a great guy.

00:18:06.115 --> 00:18:09.508
I've actually managed to meet him America when I was over there.

00:18:09.508 --> 00:18:10.307
So that great.

00:18:10.667 --> 00:18:17.961
and just watched a few others, but I think back then the people that were making content perhaps weren't so much the ones that are now.

00:18:17.961 --> 00:18:23.125
So, I think there were a few things available online that I started to study, and I'd make all these notes.

00:18:23.125 --> 00:18:29.835
I'd make, I'd have a notebook and I'd write all this stuff down, which probably really difficult to remember, but that's kind of how I learned so.

00:18:30.290 --> 00:18:39.728
Yeah, just started out like that and would turn up and eventually, join some discords where I was practice other people more and prepare better for the tournaments and that made a huge difference.

00:18:40.643 --> 00:18:48.853
When you reflect on those early days of PvP, what was the biggest challenge for you with somebody who didn't have experience with Pokemon to kind of learn the meta and learn the games?

00:18:48.853 --> 00:18:51.423
Like, what were you, what do you remember like finding it most difficult?

00:18:52.010 --> 00:19:08.008
I definitely feel like, I remember going through the same learning curve that I see everyone go through now when they're beginning, and that is things like just using all your shields up too early, not knowing how much of a move your Pokémon can tank, and so you shield things that you shouldn't and waste them.

00:19:08.375 --> 00:19:11.365
or even just things like not understanding.

00:19:11.432 --> 00:19:17.625
typings, because that is not as clear cut, like, some of them are logical and some are not really that logical, and,

00:19:17.986 --> 00:19:18.375
Right.

00:19:18.496 --> 00:19:34.768
and resistances, I still struggle with those sometimes, don't tell anybody, but, but I sometimes I say, oh, I think this resists, but it doesn't, so I, you know, I still, I studied those charts a lot as well back then, because it's not as clear cut as you would, as you would think.

00:19:34.778 --> 00:19:36.938
Which is what makes it brilliant, to be honest.

00:19:37.307 --> 00:19:40.428
If it was really obvious, I don't think it'd be as fun and as intriguing.

00:19:40.428 --> 00:19:52.611
Like, one of the best parts about it is that sometimes it's really intricate to understand all the, all the ways that things work and the ways that Pokemon can resist or typings can resist or work, work against each other or work together.

00:19:52.621 --> 00:19:55.154
So that took a lot, I think, from memory.

00:19:55.194 --> 00:19:56.634
It was probably one of the main things.

00:19:57.220 --> 00:20:09.059
and you know, for me, like I said, going back, you know, I grew up with the franchise, so I've had the chance to kind of progress with the typing's, yes, they've been the change, but what changes is the mixtures, for example, water, ground.

00:20:09.615 --> 00:20:35.167
Electro community and but four times we took grass when you get into more complex typings like the grass water or if you get into like psychic ground like stuff all the you know as much as i love to see the types used it also makes it more learning curve and more daunting because now you're coming straight from pokemon go you were having to learn 15 years of types and combinations and the pokemon on top of that that's that's daunting for anybody i wouldn't even know how to address that you know

00:20:35.413 --> 00:20:39.712
Oh, and your mind has to work so quickly as soon as you see that symbol as it comes in.

00:20:40.262 --> 00:20:42.583
You've got think so fast.

00:20:43.603 --> 00:20:44.563
what you need to do next.

00:20:44.623 --> 00:20:45.403
Am I going to switch out?

00:20:45.403 --> 00:20:46.242
I'm going to throw a move?

00:20:46.242 --> 00:20:47.002
Am I going to farm?

00:20:47.472 --> 00:20:49.593
And yeah, some of them are so confusing.

00:20:49.593 --> 00:20:55.272
I can't tell you how hard I found things like, like it's easy now because it's been in so much use, but things like Gligar.

00:20:55.303 --> 00:20:56.083
What is that?

00:20:56.093 --> 00:20:56.923
Ground flying?

00:20:56.923 --> 00:20:57.432
Like what?

00:20:57.702 --> 00:20:58.333
Makes no sense.

00:20:58.333 --> 00:20:59.313
What I use against that?

00:20:59.313 --> 00:21:05.712
Like, oh, you think you know, you just think, start to get to a point where you think you know, you know, what the best thing is to use.

00:21:05.712 --> 00:21:10.143
And then you come across a Pokemon go, oh, That one's a really weird combination.

00:21:47.498 --> 00:21:50.468
Now, eventually you got involved with girls at PVP.

00:21:50.647 --> 00:21:53.198
When did that kind of happen within your Pokemon Go journey?

00:21:53.708 --> 00:21:58.057
Yeah, so that happened actually, yeah, not like that long after the Silph tournament started.

00:21:58.421 --> 00:22:01.451
I was enjoying the Silph tournaments, enjoying my local community.

00:22:01.490 --> 00:22:13.296
I joined because with Silph, to do well on the, um, on the rankings, the more tournaments, You did the better to an extent, and I was already doing the local ones, which was fine, but wanted access to more tournaments.

00:22:13.296 --> 00:22:17.210
So I joined, actually our Australian discord, Arena Australia, shout out to those guys.

00:22:17.210 --> 00:22:19.539
So it was fantastic that that was started up initially.

00:22:19.890 --> 00:22:24.306
So the Australian battlers all got an opportunity to have, Silph tournaments within our lobbies.

00:22:24.685 --> 00:22:33.740
and then from there, one of the guys in there was talking, He was in my lobby and he was talking about his girlfriend and that she plays and that she joined girls PVP and I was like, what's this girls at PVP?

00:22:33.740 --> 00:22:34.490
It sounds fantastic.

00:22:34.490 --> 00:22:38.010
Cause I had really noticed that I was one of the few women that were playing locally.

00:22:38.010 --> 00:22:41.451
There were, there were a few of us, but I could definitely see the disparity already at that stage.

00:22:41.451 --> 00:22:50.181
And definitely once I joined discord tournaments, um, it was definitely probably only about 20 percent women, which is still a lot higher than some tournaments that you see.

00:22:50.211 --> 00:22:52.099
But, I'd noticed the difference.

00:22:52.130 --> 00:22:58.215
And look, it wasn't too daunting for me because I work in a very male dominated industry in my, day to day work.

00:22:58.215 --> 00:23:03.140
So I wasn't daunted or intimidated by it, but I did sort of wonder about it and wonder where all the women were.

00:23:03.490 --> 00:23:08.950
I wasn't really sure why there weren't more women around playing, um, and why it was mostly guys.

00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:11.029
So I still don't, still not really sure.

00:23:11.079 --> 00:23:13.705
We, we know, the full answer to that but we might get to it.

00:23:14.296 --> 00:23:19.500
so I somehow managed to get a link, because it's obviously only by invitation to join the server.

00:23:19.529 --> 00:23:40.232
So back then actually it was hosted on the JFARM server, and you had to be verified that you were female to join and that all happened and it was still fairly small then and it was really mainly a channel, for women to discuss their experiences to do with battling and to encourage each other and give each other advice and I found it absolutely amazing as soon as I joined.

00:23:40.272 --> 00:23:45.643
Like, There were so many really cool women in there from all over the world and from all walks of life.

00:23:46.093 --> 00:23:53.700
And I still remember some in particular who have probably long stopped playing because I haven't heard from them for ages, but some of them were just so fantastic.

00:23:53.710 --> 00:23:55.380
They, their knowledge was amazing.

00:23:55.692 --> 00:24:01.432
They were really, really great battlers and really impressive and had achieved some fantastic stuff.

00:24:01.432 --> 00:24:06.349
And I will always be drawn to people like that who share their knowledge and who help others.

00:24:06.380 --> 00:24:16.923
And I know, I remember posting questions about stuff that now I look back that was a really, such a basic noob question, but everyone just had patience.

00:24:16.923 --> 00:24:31.165
Like, I think that was one of the premises of having a space like that was, you won't be ridiculed, you know, you will be welcomed and encouraged and there's no need to feel intimidated or shy because we are going to help you be the best can be.

00:24:31.385 --> 00:24:36.445
And that was definitely the vibe and the feel that I got and I really felt like I'd found a home.

00:24:37.461 --> 00:24:38.451
It makes a huge difference, right?

00:24:38.451 --> 00:24:40.501
Because there are a lot of, people.

00:24:40.550 --> 00:24:42.280
who we think, Oh, you should already know this.

00:24:42.280 --> 00:24:45.790
Like, how do you not know, you know, grass beats with fire.

00:24:45.790 --> 00:24:45.980
I'm sorry.

00:24:45.990 --> 00:24:50.191
Fire beats grass or, you know, whatever have you, like we all, uh, there's people who think that.

00:24:50.191 --> 00:24:58.928
they, everybody thinks like them and they're not, fact, add the fact that plus, you know, if you're a, woman in a male space, generally y'all are going to be the minority, you know, that's the reality, right?

00:24:59.248 --> 00:25:05.795
And, but that, but like you said, it makes it safe space to have that server to go to, to kind of be willing to ask the quote unquote stupid question.

00:25:05.795 --> 00:25:07.204
Although it really isn't a stupid question.

00:25:07.214 --> 00:25:09.755
You're just trying to learn without having to face ridicule.

00:25:10.315 --> 00:25:13.914
a hundred percent and ridicule is a big thing and I'll probably touch on this now.

00:25:14.434 --> 00:25:15.654
It is really difficult, even for me.

00:25:15.891 --> 00:25:30.625
today to be on stream or to stream your battles and I can guarantee you that if it is a woman battling she will cop so much more flak than a guy and people probably won't like me saying that or probably argue with me but I don't mind putting it out there because I've witnessed this, I've experienced it.

00:25:31.105 --> 00:25:47.174
You can be on stream and you can play just as well as the guy that played before you or just as badly but you will cop criticism for every decision you make, even if you actually are doing something, because sometimes it's not always apparent when you're battling, you might do something that someone else is watching and thinks, Oh, I'll never do that.

00:25:47.174 --> 00:25:48.085
She's going to lose now.

00:25:48.391 --> 00:26:25.089
and it's interesting because Sometimes you actually do have a reason to do it, and maybe you've timed it wrong, or you haven't done it right, but you don't have the benefit of seeing where, you know, what they've got in back, or, or anything, but people don't give you that grace at all, because they're watching the stream, they can see what moves, you know, your opponent has in the back, so the ridicule aspect is something that I've found really difficult to adjust to, in the game and probably one of the negatives that I wish we could get past because it can actually be quite unpleasant to watch a stream and to have people being, you know, treated like that when honestly they really are doing the best they can and a lot of people who are commenting wouldn't even have got to that position of being on stream.

00:26:25.099 --> 00:26:25.390
So,

00:26:25.982 --> 00:26:31.383
Now, how important has the PVP server been within, you know, your PVP journey and your Pokemon journey?

00:26:31.992 --> 00:26:35.163
I would say, especially in the early days, incredibly important.

00:26:35.212 --> 00:26:37.143
I felt a great deal of solidarity.

00:26:37.492 --> 00:26:42.752
I've been fairly fortunate in the circles that I move in that, I have not felt too intimidated.

00:26:42.752 --> 00:26:45.353
There have been times when I have felt some of the locals perhaps.

00:26:45.638 --> 00:26:53.556
probably more broadly, just in the community itself, I feel like the movement itself plays such an important role at holding people accountable.

00:26:53.576 --> 00:27:04.568
So, early days, there were some issues online and so on, people saying things about women battlers and so on, and they definitely got challenged very early on, and I, I really see that now.

00:27:04.885 --> 00:27:16.659
And I think that's a credit to all of the pioneers of that movement that, would speak up for women and make sure that we had our say and that we weren't, treated poorly or, or ridiculed or, or left out.

00:27:17.066 --> 00:27:30.173
so I, I definitely think now I see barely any of that and it just is accepted that girls at PVP are here to stay and that we're growing and that we're going to continue to encourage and try and, and build the community of women amongst the community.

00:27:30.776 --> 00:27:41.969
Now, you know, Clare, you started with just somebody who had very little experience and you didn't know how to use shields to somebody who gets on the road to worlds here in 2024, you know, it's such a huge evolution.

00:27:41.969 --> 00:27:42.318
Right?

00:27:42.623 --> 00:27:43.133
Talk to us.

00:27:43.133 --> 00:27:45.232
Like, what is it like to kind of get to worlds?

00:27:45.232 --> 00:27:49.173
Like the journey to get there starting, you know, in Perth and trying to earn your spot there.

00:27:50.313 --> 00:27:50.752
Yeah.

00:27:50.752 --> 00:27:55.794
It's so interesting because I competed in Play Pokémon events really.

00:27:56.223 --> 00:27:59.183
In Australia, unfortunately, we don't have many anyway.

00:27:59.503 --> 00:28:02.121
we only have maximum of three year.

00:28:02.560 --> 00:28:09.063
And when it was announced that Play Pokémon would start holding these live regional events, It was exciting.

00:28:09.425 --> 00:28:15.568
However, it was also intimidating for me because it was very much touted as you will have to qualify to compete in the regional.

00:28:15.608 --> 00:28:20.868
So I don't know if you remember, but when it was first announced, it was kind of, you know, you must be a legend battler and you must you must that.

00:28:20.868 --> 00:28:22.036
And people had to apply.

00:28:22.046 --> 00:28:28.540
And I thought, I took it yeah, I it as, to even compete in a regional, it wouldn't just open to everyone.

00:28:28.560 --> 00:28:37.060
And I definitely that stage had very much of a, Even though I'd done quite well in grassroots tournaments.

00:28:37.365 --> 00:28:40.818
I still very much felt I had imposter syndrome.

00:28:40.858 --> 00:28:42.939
I didn't think that I was that person.

00:28:42.939 --> 00:28:50.749
I knew there were many, many great battlers in Australia who I look up to and who I still, you know, learn from and fantastic and I love to see them do well.

00:28:51.066 --> 00:28:53.185
didn't really put myself in that category at all.

00:28:53.509 --> 00:29:12.563
mostly because we've been through COVID and you know it was funny the first Australian regional was in St Kilda, Melbourne of years ago and it was the first time I'd met most face to face because we just battled each other online we'd become friends online and got along great but you know to actually meet them face to face was so exciting and that was one of the main reasons I wanted to go to Melbourne.

00:29:12.885 --> 00:29:23.233
it's a one hour flight from here and obviously have to get accommodation on because so it's not it's not simple it's not cheap I really enjoyed just meeting everyone and seeing everyone was super excited just about that.

00:29:23.243 --> 00:29:29.421
So that's kind of what drove me to start and I think I came, top 16 in Melbourne.

00:29:29.441 --> 00:29:32.462
I'm not 100 percent sure, So, That was nice.

00:29:32.462 --> 00:29:35.932
I got some card packs, I think, and, and, you know, enjoyed myself a lot.

00:29:36.432 --> 00:29:37.232
But then that was it.

00:29:37.232 --> 00:29:40.133
You know, I just, I just played that and I was really impressed.

00:29:40.133 --> 00:29:45.663
I loved being able to the other battlers play and I loved the four guys that qualified from Australia who went to Worlds that year.

00:29:45.762 --> 00:29:46.502
It was in London.

00:29:47.002 --> 00:29:50.962
I was super excited to watch them play and support them and, that was about it.

00:29:51.288 --> 00:29:57.036
the following year we actually had the first and only ever OCIC, in Australia, in Melbourne.

00:29:57.306 --> 00:30:00.778
And Melbourne being the closest, regional for me anyway, that was perfect.

00:30:00.788 --> 00:30:07.858
So going to that was super exciting because we had Actual casters who you only ever see on TV, haha, attend.

00:30:08.429 --> 00:30:12.378
Um, we had King come and be a judge, which was awesome.

00:30:12.419 --> 00:30:20.573
Um, and Cindy came and competed and we had, Caleb and Speedy and, Butters, all come over and cast, which was just so cool.

00:30:20.613 --> 00:30:37.290
And just walking into the hall, when we had that regional was Just mind blowing just all of the setup for the stream and the way everything was decorated It was just so cool compared to what I'd already experienced and I really just felt so much excitement to be participating, and you know, I prepared reasonably well for that.

00:30:37.290 --> 00:30:44.050
I kind of got the hang of preparing for tournaments because most of the tournaments I've done grassroots were show 6 3 anyway.

00:30:44.050 --> 00:30:47.614
So that ended up being a great grounding, I think, for play Pokemon.

00:30:47.733 --> 00:30:49.124
I was fortunate in that sense.

00:30:49.523 --> 00:30:58.979
And I'd prepared reasonably well and I up coming, I think, equal ninth, you know, CIC, I was happy with, and again, you know, won some cards, which great, which I've still got.

00:30:58.979 --> 00:30:59.719
I haven't opened them yet.

00:30:59.759 --> 00:31:00.939
That's a bit of a

00:31:01.003 --> 00:31:02.074
Oh, that's cool.

00:31:02.253 --> 00:31:02.653
Yeah.

00:31:02.828 --> 00:31:04.209
all the cards that I've won.

00:31:04.219 --> 00:31:06.219
I haven't sold or opened any of them.

00:31:06.219 --> 00:31:07.209
They're all sitting there, so.

00:31:07.568 --> 00:31:10.368
One day I'm either going to have a heap of fun opening or, or something, but

00:31:10.433 --> 00:31:11.064
that'd hard.

00:31:11.374 --> 00:31:11.584
yeah.

00:31:11.634 --> 00:31:12.493
would not want to open them.

00:31:12.493 --> 00:31:13.304
That'd be difficult.

00:31:14.159 --> 00:31:18.558
I'm a bit of a hoarder, so yeah, sitting there, sitting there as prizes still.

00:31:18.843 --> 00:31:26.807
But it was encouraging because I felt like I was improving and getting better results each time, and then after that was the year that, I did quite well.

00:31:26.807 --> 00:31:42.336
So I first of all did the Melbourne tournament where I came third, which was shocking because, well, I'd prepared well and I had a team I was and confident because you just never know what's going to happen at these tournaments, but I was happy enough that I'd prepared and I was playing well, so that was great.

00:31:42.673 --> 00:31:57.300
I literally just kept taking it one battle at a time, played some awesome players, and definitely overcame a few, demons for myself as far as, once I got to like the third round, I was playing, fish on a heater who's quite an accomplished player.

00:31:57.891 --> 00:32:02.897
in the year before and and traveled to worlds the year before and I lost the first battle against him.

00:32:02.897 --> 00:32:09.340
So in a best of three losing the first battle is pretty difficult because you know then your back's up against the wall you have to win the other two.

00:32:09.770 --> 00:32:25.740
But also for me mentally part of the mental game for me had been As much as I've tried to, previously, if I'd lost the first, I'd kind of almost, not give up, but I'd put so much pressure on myself to win after that, because I have to win, have to win, that it could sometimes, be counterproductive.

00:32:25.750 --> 00:32:32.718
So, I'd done a lot of mental previously in, in grassroots tournaments to, make sure that I worked past that.

00:32:32.817 --> 00:32:34.407
And, take the benefit out of that loss.

00:32:34.407 --> 00:32:36.758
At least now you know what mons they're using.

00:32:37.117 --> 00:32:40.367
learned some valuable information about, who wins CMP or whatever else.

00:32:40.661 --> 00:32:46.691
And we just write down all the things that I've learned from that, so that I go into the next battle as prepared as possible.

00:32:46.711 --> 00:32:50.498
So, I think for the next three rounds I played, I lost the first battle.

00:32:50.794 --> 00:32:54.513
I think it was FishonaHeater and, um, and then Anacor.

00:32:54.808 --> 00:33:01.578