eSports | Photo by Arden Reimer | The Wright State Guardian
From League of Legends to Overwatch to Rocket League, the eSports Club has a game to offer both competitive players and casual students at Wright State University.
Meaning of the club
A key component of involvement for some club members is the feeling of community within the organization.
For Jacob “Snakelitt” Litten, a member of the Call of Duty Team, the people of the eSports Club are a major factor in staying enrolled at WSU.
“I don’t even know if I’d still be here, honestly,” Litten said. “I might have found somewhere else to go, I might have changed my major, all that stuff.”
Fast improvement
In the past year, teams in the eSports club have improved rankings, statistics and performance.
The Overwatch main roster had an average rank of around Platinum (top 40% of all players) when it first started training together a year ago; now, the team averages Master (top 4% of all players), and has two players inside the top 500 of North America, according to Vice President Ibrahim “Apex” Mamadaliyev.
“Before, we were just casually playing, but now that we have a more competitive area, the involvement of peers in our game time gave us that gradual improvement,” Mamadaliyev said. “We improved with each other.”
That fast improvement comes from the love of the game and dedication to other teammates, according to Treasurer Cal “Calster22” Kahoun.
“I think it’s overall passion,” Kahoun said. “We’ve all been grinding, and I’m really close to where I want to be, I’m just trying to get there.”
Outside of the game, the club allows members to make new friends and take on leadership roles. Even though gaming is normally seen as a solo activity, the eSports Club can turn it into a fully social environment.
“I didn’t really commit to the club until last year, but I’ve made a lot of friends here quickly and I’ve grown through the ranks, and now I’m treasurer,” Kahoun said.
The impact
For the members of the club, having eSports at WSU means being able to bring a huge personal passion to campus. Even for Mamadaliyev, who balances work, school and several responsibilities in the club, it is all worth the extra effort.
“I love eSports, I love gaming. It’s my passion,” Mamadaliyev said. “I’ve loved it ever since I was a kid, and it’s brought me through some of my hardest times. I want to show others what I enjoy.”
As the club continues to recruit more members, Mamadaliyev explained that additional teammates will only cause the club to improve.
“The bigger we get, the more we can improve the club, and the more we can do stuff with it. The more people that join, the faster we can improve,” Mamadaliyev said.
Tryouts, including for League of Legends, Valorant, Super Smash Bros. and CS:GO, will be held in the club room at 033 Millett. More information, including days and times of the tryouts, can be found on the e-Sport’s Engage page.
