Most students have some sort of hobby that they do to get their mind off of things: reading, playing music, playing games, etc. But some sport-loving students at school have found online fantasy sports as way to kill time and give them something to do. Even a small group of friends can make a fantasy league and compete against each other weekly.
“Some friends told me that they were making a league and it was $5 to buy in, so I thought it was worth a shot,” senior Spencer Nathan said.
Nathan has had a fantasy sports team for the past couple of years and considers himself an avid fantasy sports player.
“For this year, my record is 7 and 3, so I would say I’m pretty good,” Nathan said.
The teams are made at the beginning of the season by doing a traditional draft style of picking players. An individual player gets points during his weekly game and the points from each player are added up to a team score. Nathan isn’t the only student at school who would consider themselves a good fantasy sports player.
“My fantasy team is currently 7 and 3, which is a playoff bound record,” sophomore Matt Oppenheim said.
Most people watch all of the NFL games so it is be easier to track the players on their teams. Though sometimes you don’t have to watch all of the NFL football games, for some it’s just the luck of the draw to have a good online fantasy team.
“I really don’t have enough time to watch all the games so I just check my fantasy application once in awhile to see how my team is doing,” said Oppenheim.
Contrary to Oppenheim, Nathan likes to get an in-depth look on how his players are doing in the real game.
“Watching the games helps because it gives you a better knowledge of your players and other players in the league,” Nathan said.
Going to the application to check your team, a necessity to ensure your team is up to date, has been worked into students everyday schedule.
“I spend about 10 to 15 minutes of my day checking my team,” Nathan said.
Nathan and Oppenheim explain if they think it is hard to have good team when you don’t follow the sport.
“It takes a lot of research sometimes,” Nathan said. “You have to scout out many players in the league to know who you want.”
Unlike Nathan, Oppenheim is more laid back in his fantasy team and he just let the players and the application do the work for him.
“It’s not that hard to have a good team,” Oppenheim said. “I’m familiar with most of the good players in the league and the fantasy application keeps you updated on what’s going on with your team and how good your players are supposed to do.”
To keep them busy and to get more competitive, students might have more than one fantasy team, but according to some, it doesn’t match up to fantasy football.
“I have done fantasy baseball and basketball before but they’re not as fun as football,” Nathan said.
Like Nathan, Oppenheim has made other fantasy teams in different sports but he keeps his main focus on football.
“I have my fantasy football team and I also have a fantasy hockey team but I don’t really follow it that much,” Oppenheim said. “I made it for fun and I actually only check it about once every 3 weeks.”
Unlike avid players such as Nathan and Oppenheim, some students have joined in on the fantasy sports action just for fun.
“My friends said they were doing it for fun, so I decided to join in,” sophomore Edye Hansen said.
As a beginning player, Hansen has not really gotten competitive with her fantasy team and league. She does not really spend time checking her team and watching the games as much as others.
“I only check my team about 10 minutes of the week,” Hansen said. “I also do not watch a lot of the football games.”
For the kids who are in leagues with their friends, they could either make a money prize for the winner of the league or there could be no prize at all. But to make a team for the whole NFL season you really have to be determined. All in all making a fantasy team is just for fun even if you don’t win it all.
“It depends if you put money in your league, but in my leagues you don’t get anything but pride,” Nathan said.