The new Esports club had their first meeting on Nov. 19 in the Innovation Center. The club received over 130 interested students in the first survey sent out to the entire school.

“I only expected 20 guys who wanted to play Fifa and Madden,” Moderator Ryan Sextro said. “After we got so many signups on our first survey, I was completely blown away.”

Started by Juniors Andy Veach and Nick Hubert, a competitive gaming environment is being brought to De Smet.

“We want to create a competitive environment for those who usually don’t have one,” Veach said. “It is a common stereotype that people who play video games are not good at sports and through this, we can provide that competitive environment for them.”

Games such as League of Legends, Rocket League, Rainbow Six Siege, Overwatch, and many more will feature as options for players to take part in. Each team will have a “Game Captain” that is in charge of managing all the matches that take place for that particular game.

The club will look to compete in future events in the High School eSports League, a national organization that is based completely around high school Esports. 30,000 dollars in total prizes are handed out to winners each season.

“There is the opportunity for real money to be on the line,” Sextro said. “You could buy your books for your first semester in college for winning an Esports tournament in high school.”

Long term, the club hopes to make advancements by having more resources and keeping the club sustainable.

“I think there is enough energy behind competitive gaming for someone to carry on the club when the founders have graduated,” Sextro said. “We need those guys who love the atmosphere and competitiveness of Esports.”