Video games are the generation’s pasttime, a way to unwind after  the  work and stress of everyday business. Imagine, however, a professional life centered around the widely enjoyed hobby. Proffesional gaming is the lucky reality of Jack Belluardo.
Belluardo, a sophomore at Lake Forest Academy, is living his dream, playing video games professionally. What most people don’t understand about this dream is the amount of work and commitment it has taken to realize it.
Belluardo got his start playing video games at a young age, playing non-shooting games like Minecraft with his brother. His first shooting game was Counter-Strike Global Offensive when he was about 12 years-old, which gave him the skills and the passion he needed to start playing Fortnite, the popular battle royal game he now plays professionally, in December of 2017.
Once Belluardo started playing Fortnite, he found the love he had for the game and began to play more and more. Eventually, he began to stream his games on Twitch, the leading live streaming platform for video gamers, under the alias Leminics. As he continued to stream more and more, his following on the platform grew until he caught the attention of professional gaming teams.
After he had been streaming on Twitch for a couple of months, Belluardo got signed by the gaming team Echo Fox, who he now professionally plays and streams for, although he did receive offers from several other teams. He and his family decided on Echo Fox because they gave him the most school-friendly contract, while the other teams required him to be on call to travel to events that might have resulted in him missing too much school.
Bellaurado streams five to six hours on weekdays and 10 hours on the weekends. Being a professional gamer does not exempt Bellaurado from having to stay on top of his schoolwork and helping around the house. When asked about his daily schedule, Belluardo said hat he does all the chores around the house in the morning. “It is important for me to stay ahead on my school work by doing homework during free periods so I can maximize my stream at night,” said Bellaurado.
Bellaurado took part in the E3 Fortnite Celebrity Pro-am on June 16, 2019, an event that paired 50 of the best Fortnite pros with 50 celebrities. This event featured pros such as Ninja (Tyler Blevins) and celebrities such as Marshawn Lynch. Leminics was paired with Taven Bryan, a defensive tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and they finished overall in 17th place. Bellaurdo described this as “an amazing once in a lifetime experience” as he was able to show his skills on a large stage for all Fortnite fans to see.
Bellaurado is looking to continue growing his channel and his popularity, while at the same time staying on top of all his work for school and around the house.