While most students spend their winter break working, taking more classes and spending time with their families, Jay Rickey is spending his playing video games.

The 19-year old freshman computer science major competes in video game tournaments in his spare time and is traveling California during the break to do so.

“I love video games and once I found out people were giving away cash prizes, I had to get involved,” Rickey said.

In December, he traveled to San Francisco to take part in the EA Sports sponsored Madden Challenge.

According to EA Sports’ Web site, the tournament stopped in 32 cities, with the winners of each city making it to the finals in Hawaii to battle for $100,000.

“I didn’t do so well, but it was a good experience and a good excuse to travel to the city,” he said. Rickey plans to compete in three more Madden NFL ’06 tournaments before the spring semester begins.

“A week before school starts, I will be playing in a tournament in Los Angeles,” he said. Rickey said the top prize of that tournament is an Xbox 360.

Rickey plays all major systems, but participates strictly in Xbox tournaments. He said more gamers play in Xbox tournaments and they are easier to find on the internet.

“I use the Internet to find all of these tournaments,” Rickey said. While most tournaments are free, Rickey said that some charge entry fees.

“If a tournament has an entry fee, the prize is usually top-notch,” he said. Rickey paid $10 to enter the Madden Challenge and has paid as much as $100 to enter a tournament.

Rickey also competes in online poker tournaments on the Xbox, Halo death match tournaments and the occasional wrestling or boxing tournament.

“I play games all the time, so I am pretty good at every game I pick up,” Rickey said. He began playing video games when he was 8 and has never looked back.

Rickey comes from a single-parent family, with his mom being his lone supporter. “She has always been very good to me and has spoiled my and brother and I with anything we wanted,” he said.

His mother works two jobs to support Rickey and his little brother. His mother, Karen Rickey, said that video games make a great babysitter and that is why her son plays so much. “I make sure he gets all his homework done first,” she said.

“School has always been a priority to me,” Rickey said. He plans to finish his degree at Sacramento State and then move to the Bay Area to get into video game design. Rickey said there is a great job market for designers and he could spend his life doing something he loves. His mom likes that idea.

“He can support me for the rest of my life once he starts making good money,” she said. For now, the tournaments are making Rickey some extra cash. “I sold my books back at the end of the semester and made $75, which I used to enter a Halo tournament in Chico,” he said. Rickey won that tournament and a $500 gift certificate to Best Buy.

“My mom tells me I need to start looking for a job, but I do pretty good playing games,” Rickey said.

Vincent Gesuele can be reached at [email protected]