Video games are making a big impact on the online world and have prompted the beginning of what is known as Esports – skilled players playing video games competitively in teams for a grand prize and the title of grand champions. The team has been gathering members ever since its launch and plans to join many competitions and events.

“I thought joining would be a great idea,” sophomore Lucas Thornhill said. “I’ve always wanted to do professional gaming, plus I got really excited at the fact that I could make new friends with the people on the team.”

The team competes in a variety of games – they have a team for League of Legends, Overwatch, Rocket League, and more.

“I only play in the League team, but I really wish they had a team for Dead by Daylight or other games that I really enjoy playing,” Thornhill said.

The club has recently started their first tournament for the High School Esports League, where students from around the country compete for a winning prize. Junior Adam Dommert, leader of the Esports Club, explains how it’s run.

“It’s a smaller tournament, and we get to play at home and get together online,” Dommert said. “There’s no prize for this one since it’s mostly for fun, but in March we have the Spring Majors, which is a bigger competition where we get a prize of $10,000 in scholarship money and a ‘swag bag’ of merchandise.”

The Esports community is gaining exposure from around the country and is giving many people, such as students, a chance to see it rise in popularity or make it into a career.

“I’m actually thinking of going competitive in college,” Dommert said. “There’s a lot of opportunities I can take after high school that I can use to maybe start a career.”

Members who join are really enjoying the club and are glad to be a part of something that they have a great interest in.

“It’s something out of the norm and I just find it so interesting,” junior Brian Chen said. “I enjoy being in it and I hope to see it grow into something bigger.”