Nathan Dean, a 9-year-old from Marana, will compete in the Pokémon Trading Card Game World Championships in San Francisco after winning local tournaments.
A nine-year-old Marana boy is taking his Pokémon skills to the world stage. Nathan Dean will compete in the Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco from August 28-30, after winning Pokémon Trading Card Game events at Tucson Games & Gadgets, located at the Tucson Premium Outlets.
Nathan’s passion for Pokémon began through a school club, and he’s now preparing to face the best players in the world. “I was surprised that I could come such a way just from going to the Pokémon club at my school to competing at Worlds,” Nathan told KVOA. “I really just want to see how well I do against the best of the best and see if I can do it.”
The journey has been a family affair. Nathan’s father, David Dean, says they’ve traveled extensively to support his son’s competitive career. “This last year, all of our trips, all of our vacations have been taking him to regional tournaments, it’s been a family effort on all of our part,” David said. “We’ve gone to Vancouver, Milwaukee, Orlando, as well as the closer ones, Vegas and LA, we’ve gone to six or seven in the last year so it’s taken a lot from all of us.”
Nathan’s success highlights the growing competitive Pokémon scene in Southern Arizona. Tucson Games & Gadgets, a local game store, has become a hub for players to hone their skills. For young players like Nathan, these local events provide a pathway to national and international competition.
The Pokémon World Championships will bring together top players from around the globe, and Nathan is eager to test his abilities. His story is an inspiring example of how a school club and community support can lead to extraordinary achievements.