As the season progresses, members of the Esports team have been training diligently for upcoming events and improving their personal skills. So far, the teams have had one game, following their one-match-a-week quota.

Sean Bandy, senior and junior varsity member of the Super Smash Ultimate team, stated that he is striving for individual improvement and has a goal of defeating at least one varsity member during training sessions. He has been practicing by participating in mock-scrimmages against his own teammates.

“The best way players can get better is to fight against the varsity members of our team,” Bandy said, “My goal this year is to win in a 1v1 against one of them. That pretty much deems you one of the strongest players of our region then, easily.”

JV and varsity differ in the aspect that varsity has the opportunity to compete with other schools for state to national championships. JV trains within school matches with the intent of gaining experience.

Bandy said, “The varsity members really practice a lot. It’s almost impossible to beat them unless you put in the amount of time they do outside of school hours.”

Tyler Kern, assistant coach of the Esports team, highlighted the willingness of students to listen and communicate, making the improvement process much easier for the team.

Kern said, “Outside of just skills, I like to see kids with the intent of improving and willingness to learn from their more experienced peers. While being a good gamer may be important to the individual, being a good teammate is crucial to the entire team. Listening is the first step.”

 Especially as the season kicks off, it is essential that students are able to settle in properly to set themselves up for success. Strong emphasis is also placed on setting both individual and team goals to improve the betterment of the team.

“The team’s ability to communicate and work together will be the key to our success this season,” Kern finishes.