With the new year we also bring in a new sports team. The Sanger High Strikers are a new ESports gaming team that recently started its first official season.
With it being the very first season, it has a lot of the team members, such as Michael Maxwell, very thrilled to be a part of the team.
“I am very excited to see how far we can get. I hope we can get at least half way through the season with a positive score,’’ said Maxwell.
Apart from the excitement of the new season, the love for the game is what makes other players like Jordan Fowler want to come and play.
“I always loved gaming,” said Fowler.
Along with a new season and new players, first time coach Sara Smith also enjoys playing video games and was immediately interested.
“I love playing video games, so when I heard that our administration wanted to start ESports but couldn’t find someone interested in coaching, I jumped at the opportunity,” said Smith.
The chance of improving their gaming skills is what caught the attention of many which led to some of the players joining.
“I wanted to push my skills and see how far I could get with my current knowledge and see if I could improve more. Also scholarship money isn’t bad either,” said Maxwell.
Most of these gamers have been playing video games the majority of their life just like Fowler has. It’s why they have such a deep passion for it.
“[I’ve played for] 13 years,’’ said Fowler.
The Strikers aren’t just playing one video game; They’re playing multiple games that the students can pick from.
“We are playing League of Legends, Splatoon, Super Smash Bros, Rocket League, Mario Kart, and Hearthstone,” said Smith.
The competitions that are held for the Strikers are intriguing since the team is able to work together and communicate.
“The competitions are very fun, engaging and insightful. I learn how to work as a team communicating in order to secure the win,” said Maxwell.
Smith believes the team is always motivated to be the best.
“A lot of their development as students is self-driven. Many of them have identified places they want to improve in their gameplay, and they mentor each other or seek advice online through other players or watching game footage,’’ said Smith.
Fowler hopes the team is able to perform well.
“I’m very excited and hope we win a lot of our matches,” said Fowler.
It takes a lot of skill to excel in ESports but it also requires a lot of team work and practice.
“Communication is key. Lots of practice will help. Jesus Abundis is one of the best Smash players I know and a good friend of mine,” said Maxwell.
ESports athlete Andrew Capuchin is thrilled to start up ESports with his teammates.
“I’m beyond excited to compete with my fellow peers,” said Capuchin.
With a lot of other schools forming their own teams, students at Sanger believed it would be a great idea to start one of their own.
“There are a lot of teams in the area being formed, and the administration on campus decided this would be a good opportunity for SHS students. They invested lots of money to create a beautiful ESports lab so that we can compete on a national level,” said Smith.
Capuchin was immediately interested in joining the team once he realized he could affect his school.
“This was my chance to finally leave my mark on this school,” said Capuchin.
During match days, they have a routine to go through to make sure they are prepared and ready for their opponents.
“On match days, we come in and get equipment set up, do announcements, then log in to our games to get connected with our opponents. Every match-setup is a little different depending on the game. We do some practice rounds in our squads to get everyone warmed up and make sure all the equipment is working,” said Smith.
Capuchin encourages students to join in the future.
“I would like to say something to the future teams. Don’t be afraid to compete, because in the end you’ll find the spark in you” said Capuchin.