In a dimly lit high school computer lab in room 215C, a whole new type of athlete has emerged. Not the kind that wear jerseys or cleats, but the ones armed with keyboards, mice and controllers. This is esports, which is sponsored by teachers Charlie Gesell and Bob Franklin.
According to junior Matthew Holland, the club features several games including Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros. and Rocket League. They hope to add more next season such as NBA 2K, Madden 24, Hearthstone, League of Legends and similar games.
To join esports, students have to have a signed technology agreement, a 2.0 GPA, and the ability to come after school on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays depending on their competition date. It is free to join, unless members want a jersey, which costs $10.
“On Mondays we usually meet up and talk about tactics and strategies, we go over what we need to work on and address issues like troubleshooting and issues with the internet since all our matches are done online,” said Holland.
After school on Wednesdays the team participates in Super Smash Bros. tournaments, and after school on Thursdays they do Mario Kart 8 and Rocket League tournaments.
Memberships are closed for this season; however next season starts in the spring.
“Between now and spring you come and show interest, then we will ask you what you’re good at and then you’ll have to perform it to make sure you’re good enough to be on the team,” said Gesell.
Holland said it’s not just a sport for nerds.
“Esports is for everyone. It’s not just the geek club everyone thinks it is. It’s not just a bunch of nerds in a room that play video games,” said Holland. “It’s an actual sport. There’s sponsorships and scholarships in this too. It’s an actual thing people do for a living. That’s why we’re trying to open it to more games giving kids more opportunities.”
