Hannah Boquet

From my dad playing with us growing up, and me playing with my children.

When I speak of eSports, people come out of the woodwork to share their stories with me.

Not stories of sitting in a basement and chugging energy drinks.

Stories about connection.

That's what brings this all together.

When I began pondering how I would share this story about esports with you all, I realized if I wouldn't have said yes when my kids asked me to play Fortnite, none of this would have happened.

I said yes to them, and then my boss asked me if I would drive up to northern Minnesota to research this esports competition and see what it would take to make that happen here in Sioux Falls.

I started learning from and with my colleagues about how to build this right here in Sioux Falls.

And then last September, I got to co-lead South Dakota's first all-ages free esports competition in Sioux Falls.

And our board of directors has agreed to bring it back for round two this October.

And now today, I'm standing here on this TEDx stage, somewhere I never saw myself in a million years.

But this whole journey started with wanting to connect with my sons.

And ultimately, that's who I'm still trying to connect with.

What I found through flailing around Fortnite, saying yes to unexpected opportunities, and learning alongside my children, is that connection is always worth it, even if you don't know how to open the door.

My sons are who I keep saying yes to.

And I would say the best unexpected benefit of all, my kids legitimately think I'm cool.