by Kellyn Harrison To many Esports fanatics, Eefje “Sjokz” Depoortere is someone many people—especially women—look up to. Whether it be her large presence and voice within the gaming industry or what she signifies for their professional ambition, over the past 20 years, Sjokz has paved the way for many young voices in the gaming industry who wish to fill her big shoes.
Finding Her Start
Breaking Barriers
When Sjokz first started reporting in front of the camera, she knew she would have to acquaint herself with the different types of feedback she was going to receive from her peers and the world. Sjokz stated she had to learn how important social media was in talking to fans directly, even though it can be scary because there are many haters out in the world. “It is just a part of the territory,” justified Sjokz. However, from the beginning of Sjokz’s gaming career, she knew the Esports community was very vibrant and diverse. Therefore, she couldn’t let the haters on social media hold her back from connecting with the community she loved. In doing so, Sjokz said she “always found the connection to always be positive.” “The negative can be louder and more emotional,” continued Sjokz, “Just focusing on the positive is more important.”
ESPAT Media
This can be translated into how Sjokz handled the constant pressure to change her career choice. Sjokz stated she had to convince many people (parents, the job agency in Belgium, etc.) that this job still matters, even though people kept saying otherwise. “It is important to think about the main talent and passions you have, but it also comes down to hard work. You can start doing something and it can turn into something bigger—in Esports, work, and life in general,” pushed Sjokz. “You must keep evolving, especially in a world of Esports, where it is constantly evolving. You must understand that you can continuously grow in order to keep achieving your goals and passions.”
Sjokz learned this within her first couple years of broadcast reporting. It was very hard for Sjokz to openly be who she wanted to be because she did not feel confident under the gaze of the world. Sjokz described wanting to be the perfect host—to be exactly what she thought producers wanted her to be. Sjokz thought the programs wanted her to be this “cookie-cutter” host, but she realized that didn’t make any sense: the audience must be able to connect with who is being interviewed, what is being said, and who the interviewer is in order to build a sense of trust.
Furthermore, it was important to Sjokz to connect with the vibrant community she fell in love with while getting her start in Esports. This is why we can connect with her now: Sjokz slowly began putting her own “flare on things,” like roasting people and being more emotional and personal in interviews. Sjokz stated that in her occupation, “you must understand that you are making content for a broad group of people. You must make your narrative driven toward many different types of people” (Sjokz is referencing newer members, the fans of the subject matter, continuous viewers, etc.).
