Photos by Ralph Freso
Jay DeShong never pictured himself making it past age 25.
The Mississippi native and his three sisters were raised by a single mother in a trailer park and were exposed to alcohol and drug abuse at an early age.
That unstable environment forced DeShong to grow up quickly, and after losing his mother at 13, he and his sisters were adopted by his grandparents.
DeShong couldn’t see his future, but now as Grand Canyon University’s director of esports, he has joined the Arizona's Children Association Board of Directors, devoting himself to giving back by supporting struggling youth.
“Where I am from and based on the data I have read, it is uncommon for people who have faced the things that I did to make it past the age of 25,” DeShong said. “At 13, we (DeShong and his sisters) moved in with my grandparents, who I now refer to as my parents, and this is where the story starts to change.
“My parents helped me understand what it was like to be a part of a successful system that brought in resources, access and opportunities. Now, my whole life’s mission is to keep people like me from having to experience the same negative things I did.”
When DeShong was adopted by his grandparents, his life started to turn around. He didn’t have to worry about taking care of himself and his sisters anymore. His grandparents provided him with a secure home, stable education and opportunities to play sports.
They equipped him to transition into his teenage and young adult years with a healthy support system and community.
Because of his upbringing, DeShong resonated with foster youth, so when he started at Mississippi State as a computer science major, he participated in foster student focus groups that provided support and resources to help those students be successful scholars.
Community was one of the resources DeShong understood students needed the most. He also understood that video gaming was a common language for them. When he joined MSU’s esports student-run club, he devoted his time to growing the group.
“I was a lonely gamer, so my motivation for what eventually happened, which was growing it into a 30-person frame group, was really a 30-person friend group. Over the next year and a half, it grew to 100 people. I did that because I was just a lonely gamer who wanted friends.”
He became the club’s president, and in his tenure, the esports student-organized team was sanctioned as an official MSU club sport. DeShong launched its first Overwatch competitive team and helped put on the first Esports Egg Bowl in 2018, a replica of MSU and the University of Mississippi’s long-standing football competition. The esports event has turned into an annual tradition that's still going strong today.
When DeShong came to GCU in 2021, he wanted to establish the same opportunities for students as the director of esports.
“GCU, the leadership, the culture here, has given me a lot of opportunity to create consistency in my own life and then to create those opportunities for other people.
“At 18, if you don’t have tools and resources and access to support, you very often don’t succeed. So I focus on impacting and creating experiential learning opportunities for students, kids and the students transitioning to adulthood programs.”
Last year, GCU Esports collaborated with AZ Children and the Arizona Cardinals for a two-day Super Smash Bros. tournament. Participants from all over the Valley packed the GCU Esports Arena for the charity event, which raised funds for AZ Children and spread awareness of the challenges experienced by underprivileged youth.
The top 16 gamers continued the competition the following day at State Farm Stadium in anticipation of the Cardinals versus San Francisco 49ers football game, in which competitors scored tickets through participation.
“As an organization, we had an idea about doing a gaming event that would help us get awareness out about our organization and something that was a little different from typical events,” Tracy Thurston, CEO of AZ Children, said. “Our team reached out to Jay, and he was not only super receptive about how to create a partnership but had a personal connection to that kind of foster care.
“Our board of directors is really a group who donates their time and talent to support the mission of that nonprofit. Jay’s passion for the work we do is undeniable. He is very dynamic and brings something new to the table.”
DeShong was moved by the initiative, presented by alumnus Blake Davis, the Cardinals' account executive for group sales. It was a reminder of why DeShong joined and grew the esports club at MSU years ago and how influential the community aspect is to the youth.
After several successful collaborative projects with AZ Children, Thurston saw DeShong as the right fit for the organization's board of directors.
With his new title and ongoing partnership, DeShong hopes to continue spreading awareness of children in need and creating opportunities that will cultivate a support system and sense of stability.
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