By: Olivia Lopez
Central Dewitt High School established its very own Esports team this year.
Esports have started to become a very popular activity recently throughout high schools everywhere. It's a fun mix between playing video games and finding connections with people you wouldn’t usually interact with. There are a lot of benefits to Esports can bring, matter who you are. Central Dewitt’s team is made up of students from all grade levels and gives everyone a good chance to get to know one another through a love of gaming.
The members of the team put a lot of hours and effort into the future of Esports. This year they were able to spend a little over $30,000 on new gaming chairs and higher tech equipment such as performance PC’s, monitors, keyboards, and mice. They also introduced Nintendo Switches to compete and perform across more platforms.
This is Central Dewitt’s first year having an Esports team and they have already shown an amazing amount of progress and commitment. The team placed fourth at state this year for Overwatch 2 in Marshalltown, Iowa.
In total, the team is made up of twenty-five members. Nine of those members are seniors this year, setting a good example for their underclassmen and future underclassmen to come.
One junior member of the team, Emma Pillers, said, “I had previously gone on a college visit and they had an Esports team and thought that was super cool. So when the opportunity came to join and participate here, I was ready to just hop in and join.”
Administration has shown support for the new club.
“School can be a lot more fun if you have a group, or a place, or a teacher, or a sponsor that feels like home,” said Dr. Dan Peterson, superintendent.
While Esports is relatively new, our team is taking advantage of the opportunity and putting us ahead of the competition to come. With a year of experience under their belts, the Sabers are onto a brighter future.