The Averett Esports program is excited to announce that it has new ways to get students involved with gaming. The esports club—recently started in 2024 by Director of Esports Corey Thompson—is a place for students to enjoy a gaming atmosphere with like-minded peers. The club also hosts tournaments in the esports lounge, which is located in the mail room. Cash prizes and gift cards are given out to the winners.
“We plan on doing a lot more tournament events,” Carter Durrence, the president of the esports club, said. “We plan on hosting Madden and Mario Kart tournaments in the spring, but we’ve yet to choose dates. You can check out our Instagram page for details, which is averett_esports.”
The esports club meets on Thursdays at 5 in the esports lounge. The club has access to various PCs, consoles, and board games, and members vote on what they will play before each meeting.
The club is hosted in a casual setting, but if students are seeking a more competitive experience, joining an esports team is simple. Averett has teams in the following games: Super Smash Brothers Ultimate, Valorant, and Counter-Strike 2. Thompson is planning to add Rocket League, sports games such as 2K and Madden, Overwatch, and a variety of fighting games.
If students are interested in joining an esports team next semester, there are a few steps they need to be sure to take.
“The first option is to come directly to me,” Thompson said. “Then we can have conversations about what team you want to join, what your availability is, and fit you into our schedule. If you want to be on a team, you can start practicing with us now. Option two is to approach one of your fellow students who are in the club or already on a team if you know who they are. They’ll direct the interested student toward me, or they will bring me that information.”
If students do not see a game they want to compete in, they can form a team themselves. Teams can be formed so long as there is a competitive league that Averett can associate with.
“If you wanted to create a team that does not exist currently, you would need to have enough people to make up a full team composition,” Thompson said. “Then we’ll figure out what leagues that game competes in and figure out what the scheduling would be. The main priority for me in those preliminary conversations is making sure there is a level of seriousness and commitment.”
Students who have joined a team have found the experience extremely positive.
“It’s a blast. I’ve had fun ever since I joined, and I’ve enjoyed forming a team,” Noah Elkins, captain of the Super Smash Brothers Ultimate team, said. “It’s given me something to do in my off time and get better at a game I love.”
Being a part of an esports team requires the same level of commitment as the many physical sports on Averett’s campus. Practices for all teams usually take about 2 hours and are held 2 times a week. Games are usually held one day a week. Team members are expected to show up promptly to all practices and games, as well as stay in good standing in their grades and with their professors. No experience is needed to join any of the teams, but all players are encouraged to practice in the esports game room in between classes. No game can be won by one player, and there will only be success in Averett’s competitive gaming scene if all teams step up and take the school to the next level.
