Esports program building culture entering playoffs

Esports will continue to grow across the nation, and four-year programs such as Averett will continue to grow along with it. With new games, there will be new players, new technology, and new programs looking to make their mark in the gaming community. Esports is a vessel in which students at Averett can connect and work as a team to win games to truly embrace the mantra of "one team."

Players at Averett enjoy playing as individuals in their spare time, but something about being in crunch time and having teammates to support them goes a long way.

Averett senior Chris Sabin loves to play Rainbow Six competitively and World of Warcraft in his leisure time. He recalled some of his best gaming experiences to be when he is playing Rainbow Six with his teammates.

"When someone drops an ace and everyone is just screaming and hyping you up," Sabin said. "Any moments like those are the best moments." 

Senior Joshua Brimshaw started his first Call of Duty team in early high school, but there is not anything quite like being on the esports team at Averett. The bonds created at Averett are something truly special.

"I've played on a lot of different teams," Grimshaw said. "Playing at Averett specifically has just been great. My whole friend group is people who I play with, that's who lives in our house. It just created this super tight-knit community around this game."

Athletes in other sports at Averett are a part of the esports team as well. There are more similarities in gaming and other sports than many people realize. Junior Casper Mellby, who is also a member of the men's golf team at Averett, compared gaming to golf.

"I would say that hand-eye coordination is the same in both gaming and golf," Mellby said. "Everything is a game of millimeters." 

Esports is preparing for the playoffs, after recently qualifying for Rainbow Six and Valorant. The dates for the playoffs is yet to be solidified, but will tentatively take place the week following Thanksgiving. During those dates,Averett will be hosting a watch party at the Frank & Dugan Maddux Esports Arena, located in the basement of Main Hall.

Esports plans on expanding its horizons on new games and bringing in more players.

"A long-term goal is to have two teams for each game they compete in," Esports Director Colton Paul said. "I know the area is big on a few games in particular, so I would like to see more of them. Like, FIFA, 2K, and Madden. Call of Duty is one of the bigger games especially with Modern Warfare coming out.

Competitive gaming takes a significant amount of time and requires a particular skillset. Averett University was the first four-year institution in the state of Virginia to have an Esports team. Averett is a member of ECAC. Some of these games they play include Rocket League, Rainbow Six Siege and Valorant.