This interview was conducted by Peter "Arma" Svensson for his website which unfortunately met its maker quite literally and he was kind enough to pass on the interview to us here at SK Gaming.

The interviewees

How did you get in contact with cs?

IpSa: I was going to 9th grade and there was a lot of talk about the new game fro the computer nerds. I wanted to know what they were talking about so I went home to my boyfriend and tested the game. It was really fun and I was hooked. It was a plus that one liked the same game as ones boyfriend that way having a common interest.

Nisse Through my brothers (of course). I’ve always been around TV and PC games through my brothers since I was able to crawl. I mostly liked TV games but there was something special about cs that got me hooked. It’s actually the only pc game I like…

Inzane Through my brother. I was hooked after my first test of the game.



How come you decided to dedicate 100% to cs?

IpSa: I didn’t really have any plans or visions in regards to gaming, I simply did it because it was fun. After some time I joined clans who had much bigger plans that I ever thought of. Since 2005 I noticed how some girl clans went to the top, and that was of course something I wanted to experience as well. I think cs is really fun and love to play with the girls in the clan right now, so it’s full speed ahead!

Nisse: Good question. I have played for a long time but most of that time it was not serious, just pugs and pubs for fun. As I felt I was getting better I thought why not give it a go, and that’s what I did. It took several years until I got "recognized" within the cs-scene but after a while of playing in a few different teams, people started to notice me. After that, there’s been no stopping me.

Inzane: When I realized I had serious talent as a girl and some girl clans showed interest I went for it.


MYM Female posing

What are your strengths and weaknesses as a player?

IpSa: Hmm, my strength I would say is that I’m a great team player and can lead the team if necessary. My weakness is my moodiness. I tend to stress a bit as well.

Nisse: My strength is my aim. My weakness is that I find it difficult to control the situation sometimes. I always play best if I just get to do my own thing.

Inzane: According to my team mates my strength is my aim. I have fast reflexes and a cruel aim so it’s fairly easy for me to out-aim the competition. My weakness as a player is my moodiness. I have a hard time to pep myself when things aren’t going my way. There can be quite a lot of whining from my end then.

What are your personal cs career goals?

IpSa: I want to win at least one title with the team. One always wants to win some more money! And, eventually beat one of the semi known men’s team. That would be super – would be writing a little female cs history.



You tried to play with six players for a while and, as with many other teams, that didn't work out too well. Why did you decide to let pinglan go and stick to five players?

nisse: There was no one reason that she had to leave. It wasn't anything personal or anything like that and she seemed to take it well. Everyone on the team was good but someone had to pull the short straw.

When a team become really good the atmosphere within the team is usually good. Describe the atmosphere in the team.

IpSa: The atmosphere is rather girlish. We sit and babble infinitum and if someone wants to tell us about their day we are more than willing to listen. Conversations you have in a typical girl group. Sometimes it's too much talk and too little playing but we always make sure to focus on the cs-part then he-he.


MYM Female in San Jose image courtesy of mymym.com

So, you won the ESWC masters in Paris. Congratulations! Must have been a fabulous feeling?

IpSa: Yes, that felt really good. There were a lot of folks putting us down, saying we wouldn’t bring Masters home. We were extremely confident and believed strongly in ourselves.

nisse: Best feeling =) I get happy just thinking back on it!

Inzane: Thanks! Well for me it was the best feeling since I began playing cs. To beat such a good team was the icing on the cake.

I must admit I was betting on SK for the win, even If I hoped you guys would take it. What was it that made you win?

IpSa: There was a lot of bad words flying around prior to Masters. WE were so overconfident and just wanted to win the whole thing. That’s what made us win. We got the energy from the people who didn’t believe in us. WE proved both them and ourselves that we were the best, coming first, at least once. To win a title is very nice.

nisse: I think SK underestimated us a little. We had never played them before and they had never really seen us play so they probably didn’t know what to expect... I heard they watched one of our matches at Masters and commented that they didn’t think we were that good of a team as they had expected. Of course we were extremely upbeat and ready to win. I think that played a part as well.

Inzane: I think just about everyone thought SK was going to beat us in the final. But we were very eager to show that we were the best that day. We played our game, one round at the time and I think that’s what gave us the victory.



How come you decided to join up with MYM?

IpSa: We were invited to ESWC Masters but didn’t have the necessary funds. AurorA, our manager, had a talk with MYM. It’s thanks to them we managed to go and we’re extremely thankful for MYM giving us the chance. They were happy with the results and wanted us as a part of the organization which is great for us.


MYM Female at San Jose ESWC Grand Final [photo by Nai Saeyang]

What’s on the agenda for the team short term?

nisse: ESL league has just begun so we’ll be playing that. We’re also waiting for last year’s leagues finales. They were supposed to be played in Germany but are now online, don’t ask me why. You’ll probably see us as Dreamhack Winter 08.

Female cs does not get the attention it deserves. More attention would probably draw in more talented female players and the sport would evolve. If you compare the male section it seems a bit unfair. What should one, according you, do to develop female cs?

IpSa: There not much you can do. I’m sure there are more girls playing but no one dares to invest 100%. It’s hard enough to fight your way through the talented female teams already in existence. You have to be able to handle all the issues playing in a female team. But I think that female cs should get more attention.

nisse: First and foremost more girls have to start playing cs. Way too few now. That’s the reason there are not enough good female players, compared to guys there’s a ration of 1:1000 players (if not more). It would be great if there were more tournaments to play at. Right now there’s just one bight event and that’s ESWC. More tournaments bring more players. We get more exposure through big tournaments and that makes it more desirable for organizations to support female teams.


MYM Female on stage at ESWC Masters of Paris photo courtesy of Fragbite.se

What is the difference between male and female cs in you mind?

IpSa: You play differently. Males are more aware of the game itself that females are. They see their mistakes earlier and learn from them. We girls play more with our ‘feeling’ and that makes a big difference in how the game is played and what decisions you make in-game. There’s a big difference between a group of five guys and a group of five girls. Then there are those girls who play just for the exposure and some play just to make female cs history. Then we can talk about that some just have more talent for the game.

nisse:Skill above all. I’m not sitting here saying us females are bad because I don’t think that but there’s something that doesn’t quite work when you put 5 females together on a team like it does for the males. I can’t explain; that's just the way it is. Girls can be just a talented individually but not as a team, that’s my opinion. If you put a female in a male team it wouldn’t take long before she got just as good as the guys in the team.

Inzane: Skill, no question. There’s not one girl who’s as good as the best male players. But I do believe if you put a girl in a guys team she would become just as good as they guys. There’s something that differs between female and male teams that I can’t quite explain, but to put five females in a team and five males in a team cannot be compared.