We had the chance to sit down with the 2009 EA Sports Madden Challenge Orlando Regional Champion, Sean Madden, who will be participating in his first Madden Challenge Finals January 11. He will be one of twenty players traveling to Turks and Caicos to compete for a total of $85,000 in prizing.

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360Sync: How does it feel to be a Madden Challenge Finalist?

Sean: It still feels great. I’ve been passionate about Madden for a long time, so it’s great to know that the hard work and dedication has finally paid off. It’s a feeling that I really can’t describe. All I know is I want more of it.

360Sync: How long have you been playing Madden?

Sean: The game has always been a hobby of mine. I’ve been playing since I was five or six years old. I started playing online in 2005, and in tournaments in 2008.

360Sync: You’ve played a lot of Madden in your life. How has the game evolved since you began playing?

Sean: It’s amazing how much more realistic the game becomes each year. The first Madden I played was Madden 92. All you could really do was pick your play and control the ballcarrier or one defender. In this year’s game, the user has to control every aspect of the game. You have to reorder your depth chart, set your own audibles, package players into different formations, call a play, and adjust the assignment of every player on the field all before the snap. It’s amazing.

360Sync: When did you start believing that you were good enough to win a major tournament like the Madden Challenge?

Sean: When I first began playing online in 2005. I was pretty good. No where near as good as I am now, but I was able to keep up with some of the best online players. I knew that if I kept working on my game, I’d have a good chance at winning one of these tournaments someday.

360Sync: This year’s tournament was your second Madden Challenge. How did last year’s tournament go for you, and how did the experience help you the second time around?

Sean: I reached the final eight in Tampa. The skills I brought to the challenge last year were all things that I had learned by myself online. I had never been exposed to certain things that the best Madden players do. I saw alot of things I had never seen before, like the rocket catch and some nano blitzes. This year, I made sure to add those things to my game.

360Sync: How would you describe your style of play?

Sean: I consider myself a pretty aggressive player on both sides of the ball. Offensively, I like to open up my running game by spreading the field, stretching the defense and getting the ball into the hands of my playmakers on the outside. Defensively, I like to put pressure on other player’s quarterback, force him into making alot of quick decisions. I’ve learned that blitzing is the only way to really disrupt a great Madden player’s offense. I try to give my opponent as many looks as possible to keep him off balance.

360Sync: You used the Jacksonville Jaguars at the regional in October. Why the Jags?

Sean: I actually decided to use the Jags about a week before the tournament. I wanted to use a team that most people weren’t too familiar with. I really liked Jacksonville’s combination of size on offense and speed on defense. If fit my style of play well, and I felt that that Jags were my safest bet heading into the tournament.

360Sync: You only allowed fifteen points in eight games in Orlando. Would you say that your defense was the key to victory?

Sean: Oh yeah. I’ve never played defense like that in my life. Everytime I needed a big play, my defense came through for me. Two plays really stand out in my mind. In the quarterfinals, I gave up a potential game-tying touchdown as time expired. Instead of tying the game with an extra point, my opponent decided to go for two. He ran a toss with Maurice Jones-Drew and I was able to stop him in the backfield. In the finals, I was up 10-3 in the fourth quarter and my opponent was driving. He was able to work his way inside my twenty with under a minute left. He tried to throw a quick pass to LT in the flat but Rasean Mathis was there to pick it off. If I can play D like that in the finals, I like my chances.

360Sync: Do you feel that you need to improve your game from Orlando to be able to compete in the finals in January?

Sean: Definitely. My goal heading into this year’s Madden Challenge was just to win a regional. The thought of possibly winning the entire Madden Challenge never entered my mind until the night after I won the regional. I was sitting in my apartment with my friend Ian, and I told him that I was thinking about taking some time away from Madden before I started practicing for the finals. Ian looked at me like I was crazy. He said, “You better practice. You’re going to win the whole thing.” My skills and gameplan were good enough to win a region, but if I brought that same gameplan and skill set to Turks and Caicos I’d be in trouble. These guys are some of the best players in the world.

360Sync: So, how have you improved your game since Orlando?

Sean: My offense in Orlando revolved around a lot of bunch formations. I didn’t really stretch the defense as much as I would have liked, and it forced me into alot of tough situations. I realized that a scheme out of a spread formation to go with my bunch scheme would really improve my offense. I’ve been using a new playbook that has a good combination of the spread and bunch formations I like, and it’s taken my passing game to a new level. I’ve also spent alot of time finding new blitz schemes and working on my user skills.

360Sync: How often do you play? How do you go about practicing for a tournament like this?

Sean: I try to play every night. To keep up with the best players in the world you really have to practice all the time. I like to test my skills against as many different people as possible, and I feel that playing online is the best way to do that. Online play allows me to see alot of different styles of play. It forces me to make quick adjustments during and in between games similar to the changes I’d have to make during a tournament.

360Sync: What excites you the most about the finals?

Sean: I’m really looking forward to meeting all of the other players, and getting the opportunity to play against some of the all-time greats like Big Gene and Problem. These guys are legends in the Madden community. I’m also really excited about spending some quality vacation time with my Mom and the friends of mine that will be making the trip with me. It’s going to be alot of fun.

360Sync: Very few people in the Madden community even know who you are. Can an unknown like Sean Madden really win the 2009 EA Sports Madden Challenge?

Sean: This is something I’ve been dreaming about for a long time. I’ve finally given myself an opportunity to turn my dream into reality, and I believe I have as good a chance as anyone.