It seems that as we continue to move forward through Season 2 of the Overwatch League, the topic and issue of mental health amongst the league's members is a trend. Just last week Dallas Fuel DPS player EFFECT retired and penned an emotional farewell. Once again spurring the need for conversation.
In a very heartfelt and meaningful personal blog posted on Medium, Washington Justice Assistant General Manager Kate Mitchell announced she will be stepping down from her role in the Overwatch League franchise.
I'm going home to Seattle after Stage 2 to take better care of my mental health. I'm so proud of the staff and players of Justice and know we'll keep getting stronger every day. https://t.co/wTQ3C18chI
— Justice Kate Mitchell (@KateMitchellOW) April 10, 2019
Mitchell begins her letter by thanking the organization she worked with, and the friends that she has made in her time with them. “I’ve had irreplaceable experiences in this community and made friends that will last a lifetime,” she writes.
Sadly, Mitchell then goes into some details regarding the types of toxicity and cruelty she has faced over recent months. She says that the potency of this cruelty “outpaced anything I saw in years in gaming and politics, especially from people on Reddit,” before going into further reasoning. As the Washington Justice has had a fairly poor season across the board this season, one can imagine the unhelpful vitriol pouring in from fans and “fans” alike.
“I wanted nothing more than to ‘power through’ and succeed in the face of adversity and blaze a trail for other LGBT women to follow me in this space,” writes Mitchell where the frustration and disappointment in her tone are palpable. This undeserving ownership of the struggles one might see in her role can be damaging. It also unfairly removes the onus from the league and the organizers.
“I saw myself, like many in this league, facing frequent panic attacks and needing to see a therapist for anxiety for the first time in five years. It’s not pretty, but most mornings before our matches I’d throw up from the stress.” writes Kate Mitchell.
The fast-moving, and ever-expanding world of Esports, coupled with leagues like OWL still in their infancy, leaves a lot of room to be desired when it comes to resources for the personnel within them. As is evident from Mitchell’s personal letter, and the quick exit of fan-favorite Dafran, both team organizations and the Overwatch League have to shore up their internal standards for the care of players, employees, and franchise members.
A Credit to Justice
Mitchell credits the incredible people within the Washington Justice organization for her ability to withstand the environment this long before defending Justice Coach Wizardhyeong and his professionalism. “We haven’t always agreed, but I believe in him and can’t wait to see what he and my successor do with this team moving forward,” writes Mitchell.
“I wouldn’t be leaving if I didn’t believe in the system we’ve created here and the culture I’m leaving behind. Aaron, Mason, Wizard, Avalla, mkL and Shrugger are making this team stronger every single day.”
As Mitchell heads back home to the Seattle area to be closer to her support network, she says that she has a plan to greatly pursue more writing and game directing projects, or webcomics. She also gives a great shoutout to her hilariously adorable bird Pomeroy.
The Washington Justice continue their inaugural season in the Overwatch League after picking up a key player in-between stages. Their next match is today, at approximately 6:00 PM Pacific Time. They are currently third-to-last in the league with a 1W - 8L record. .
Mental health matters. Above all other things. If you or someone you are close to are suffering from pressure or internal crisis, please seek help. Whether on a professional scale or a private one, talking helps. YLC has a great tool for finding hotlines or help centers in your area.
