The first competition for the resurging esports team was held on Apr. 11 at Ben Davis. The results of the competition were not as desired, with them only participating in Marvel Rivals and Rocket League and the team placing fifth overall. During the competition, there were also many technical challenges with players not being able to access their accounts, limiting the number of games that were able to be played.
In the time leading up to their first competition, the team held its first tryout on Mar. 10 for the game Overwatch, with tryouts for other games scheduled throughout the remainder of that week. Each game has a varsity and junior varsity team. Once each team was filled, they became eligible to participate in gaming competitions.
While esports might not be recognized as a sport in the traditional sense, because no physical exertion is required, it does require quick reflexes and strong hand-eye coordination. The esports team also has practices, similar to those of a traditional sports team, allowing its gamers to sharpen their skills in the game they tried out for. Similar to other physical sports, this requires a positive attitude and a strong mental durability, as it is easy to get frustrated if a gamer experiences consistent losses in a short period of time. Making practice of utmost importance, especially for a big competition, to ensure they are able to handle any potential issues they may face throughout the competition.
The last time Warren had an esports team was about 10 years ago. The preparation leading up to their first major competition returning to the esports scene can be a difficult and stressful process, and sometimes even more so, as it may fall on a single member to win the match for the game that they compete in.
“I’m feeling good,” junior Kryzjun Shotton said ahead of the match. “I’m a little nervous for the first competition. It’s my first time ever going to an official esports competition. But I’m [also] really excited because I’m willing to see how I’m doing against these other schools.”
While their return has been received well, they haven’t gone without issues as they prepared, like being unable to access their accounts to be able to practice together as a team, and also not having the numbers they want, limiting the number of teams per game. One hope that the team as a whole has is to have more people show up and fill the teams that haven’t yet been filled. They also hope to be a place where new students can thrive and feel a sense of community.
“We haven’t been having enough players for backup, so we’re just hoping that everyone and all of [our] teammates can show up,” junior Alvick Thelusma said. “And next year we’re going to try and show out more and bring more players, especially anybody who doesn’t have clubs or who need a club.”
Currently, the team is not planning to participate in any upcoming competitions this year, with plans to instead return in full force next year.