More than just a game: Why you should give college esports a shot

By Quincy Kent | Staff writer

When I first walked into the JSAC Game Room for esports tryouts, the atmosphere was wild.

There were people everywhere. Some were familiar faces from last semester, while most were people I had never met. Players were getting set up, people were talking and others were there simply to watch and enjoy themselves. The esports coordinator, Noah, welcomed everyone and told us to sit back and enjoy the experience before tryouts began.

That was my first reminder that college esports isn’t quite what people might expect.

Like last semester, we started with casual games before the actual tryouts. Then the Super Smash Bros. competition began. The tryout was structured somewhat like a tournament: the better you performed, the better your chances of making the team.

Naturally, there was pressure. I wanted to win and show what I could do. But I never felt like I didn’t belong.

You Don’t Have to Be the Best

I’d consider myself an above-average Smash player. I knew there were people at the tryout who were better than me, including players I had competed against last year.

But that didn’t really matter.

The invitation didn’t say, “Only the best players show up.” It was open to everyone. Good players, bad players and everyone in between were encouraged to take a shot at competing for the team.

I think that’s important because one of the biggest misconceptions about collegiate esports is that you have to already be an elite player to try out.

You don’t.

Last semester, so many people showed up that we had enough players for a JV team. You never know what will happen until everyone shows up and gives it a shot.

Even losing didn’t ruin the experience. You could keep playing, watch other matches, meet people and enjoy being around others who shared the same interest.

Noah welcomed everyone with a few short words before shouting, “Please enjoy!”

And that’s exactly what we did.

Esports Is More Than Video Games

The biggest thing I took away from the experience is that esports is much more than playing a video game.

You could see that just by looking around the room. There were people who seemed like they had never played before and others who had been playing for years. Some came to compete, while others came to watch. Everyone had a different reason for being there.

I’ve made some great friends through esports, and participating has helped me improve at something I already love. More importantly, it has given me another way to feel connected to my school.

Everyone has their own way of representing their university. Some students do it through traditional sports. Some do it through organizations or, like me, through the school newspaper. Others want to compete in video games while wearing a big Jaguar on their shirt and proudly trying to wipe out the competition.

AU students participating in esports tryouts in the JSAC game room. (photo by Mia Enriquez Ortiz/the Bell Ringer)

There’s something special about that.

College is about finding the things that make you feel like you belong. For me, esports has become one of those things.

So if you’ve ever looked at an esports tryout and thought, “I’m probably not good enough,” I’d encourage you to reconsider.

Show up. Play a few games. Meet some people.

You might surprise yourself.

And even if you don’t make the team, you may walk away with a new friend, a better understanding of the game you love, or simply a great experience.

You never know until you give it a shot.

Contact Quincy Kent at BROKENT@augusta.edu.