Diving into Esports

The Crusader recently sat down with Tyler Jones, a well-respected student of Moeller and former esports player, to better understood what it means to be on the esports team.

Jones shared his experience of being on the team saying, “I was a part of the Super Smash Bros. team since it launched in 2019 and have spent hundreds of hours perfecting my work.”

Jones is one of many players who has spent hours practicing to become better at the game he specializes in. The Esports team practices one to two times a week, depending on their schedule. Practices not only consist of playing the game but also of creating strategies to use against other teams. As in many sports, attention must be paid to defense as well as offense.

Jones went on to describe what a practice session might entail: ”The games usually lasted about an hour and a half depending on connection issues and communication during the game through discord.”

The esports team is still new and evolving every day in every category. Recent additions and weekly updates in the games require players to continually adapt and change tack. To compete in this sport, you have to have dedication. You have to be able to set aside hours to practice and get better. It is a heavily populated and competitive sport. It isn’t just an easy ride to the top but a GRIND.

Still, Jones said he loved Moeller esports “because I got the chance to meet and talk with people and make new friends with common interests. We hang out after school now too.”

People who do not fully understand the world of esports criticize the people who play it because they believe they are just isolating themselves away from society and playing games all the time. But for the people who do it, it’s more than that. It’s a way to connect, talk, have fun, and meet new people through a screen and a mic. It’s more than a game; for Moeller, it’s a community.