How’s work going? Boring? Someone yell at you today about nothing? How’s your microwaved lunch taste? Not great I bet. Look out the window…oh. No window? That’s ok, its still just Missouri out there. Let us drop this on you now: Some kid from St. Charles gets to go spend the weekend in Hawaii for the Pokemon Championship. Swish that around you head for a second.

William “Dema” Boatman, 10, is ranked No. 1 in the world among junior players of the trading card game. He’s won 82 of 93 matches this year, and along the way, he’s racked up two state championships — Missouri and Kansas — a regional championship and $2,500 in college scholarship and prize money. In Hawaii, he’ll be competing for a $7,500 scholarship and other prizes.

Sorry…old fart helpage:

The Pokémon Trading Card Game is a collectible card game with a goal similar to a Pokémon battle in the video game series. Players use Pokémon cards, with individual strengths and weaknesses, in an attempt to defeat their opponent by “knocking out” his or her Pokémon cards. — Wikipedia

Anyway, Boatman isn’t the only little man getting his name in the news for stuff his parents will show future girlfriends that will make him want to slit his wrists. St. Louis is a hotbed of Poke-action!

Two other boys — Dale Conoyer, 10, of St. Peters, and Alex Krekeler, 9, of Maplewood, are in the junior division, too; their world rankings are 50 and 53, respectively. The others, Andrew Krekeler, 14, of Maplewood (ranked 26th worldwide), and A.J. Lester, 15, of Hazelwood (ranked 36th), will compete in the senior division.

Senior division? 15 huh? You’re in high school now right? You know that look people give you with kinda squinty eyes and a wince, that’s pity. Maybe if you’re lucky, you’ll win enough to buy a “ Real Doll ” be set for life.

Young kids looking to break in to the exciting world of Pokemon should be careful. The “fish fry / Poke-a-man” going on at the local Catholic church rectory isn’t exactly the same thing. Also double check to make sure it isn’t actually taking place at your rectom-ry.

via STLToday

[Editor’s Note: We don’t have a “Definitely Not Sports” category, so this is going in “Weird”]