by: Mason Gentry
Esports at Parkland may exist under both the Athletic Department and under the supervision of a student organized club.
While the administration does their best to solidify an official Parkland Esports sport program, students are still encouraged to check out the esports club that Kyle Robinson and Jack McLane are working on creating.
In an interview the Vice President of Student Services, Michael Trame, Trame was asked if an esports club could coincide with an official Parkland Esports team. He said that, “It certainly could coincide, and there could be benefits there of having a relationship with a club.”
While there are things to be worked out at both the sport and club level, the administration and students are working diligently to see the process through. It is important to keep in mind that an esports club can coexist with an official Parkland esports team which would operate under the Parkland Athletic Department. Trame explained that the only games played at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) are Super Smash Brothers, Madden and Rocket League.
According to Trame, these are the only three games that will be played, as of right now, under the umbrella of the Athletic Department’s sports program.
A student organized club at Parkland might play those games, but their gaming horizon would encompass a more open variety of video games. McLane explained that there are plenty of popular games being played at the competitive level that are not in that list of NJCAA games.
Robinson also said that, “I am trying to get this ball rolling as soon as possible, but I am trying to be patient about it too because I don’t just want to rush into it and it just kind of turn out sloppy and fall in after like a year.”
Robinson and McLane are working together to make sure that the club turns out exactly as planned. While Robinson deals with setting up the club itself, McLane is working on developing a system to ensure that the club has a competitive play side.
McLane explained that because the initial size of the club, as far as members are concerned, it would likely be too small to have multiple games to play at the competitive level. He suggested that until there are enough players that the club only have one competitive team.
He went on to explain that games like Overwatch and League of Legends could be played at the competitive level within an esports club. These games are different than their NJCAA counterparts. As a club, there would be much more freedom in deciding which games would be played.
“Having the club be both casual and competitive is a huge thing to me, so that people don’t feel like they’re left out”
Students would oversee coordination and team composition—such as practicing communication and deciding which roles or positions each student plays. With competitive video gaming growing in popularity, McLane and Robinson both see the student esports club competing in their own tournaments.
Both Robinson and McLane stressed the kind of inclusivity that an esports club would offer compared to a collegiate sport team.
Robinson said that, “having the club be both casual and competitive is a huge thing to me, so that people don’t feel like they’re left out.”
At the club level, students would be able to get involved with esports without going through the athletic department. If students are showing up to practices and events and getting along with club members and participating, a student can maintain their position on the team. Having a competitive team and a casual-play team would mean that competitive players would have people to, not only practice against, but to teach as well. This would be a win-win for new players that want to learn and for players that are already at the competitive level.
