The Thunder Ridge Esports team began their training this year in mid-September. The team is playing League of Legends, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, and Splatoon. They are practicing almost every Thursday at CEI from 5 to 7 p.m and meetings are at lunch on Thursdays. If they cannot practice at CEI, they join a Discord call and play with each other from home.

For a quick refresh, Esports is an organized competition where teams play multiplayer video games against each other. Common games for Esport teams to play are Overwatch and League of Legends because of their strategic team play and 6v6 format.

The team is led by the two team captains, one for Super Smash Bros Ultimate and one for League of Legends, and their coach is Mr. Walsh, the ceramics teacher. Tournaments are going to be held in Spring.

The game they are mostly playing in League of Legends. League of Legends is a 6v6 strategy game where the players fight in lanes, top, mid, bottom, and jungle, to destroy the enemy team’s home base.

Thunder Ridge Sophomore Liam McMurtrey, a member of the team, states that so far, being on the team has been very fun. McMurtrey has never been part of an Esports team before, and he has found the team to be very supportive. He has said the team helps cover his weak points and builds his skills within the game. He said he plays Gnar for top lane and Volibear when he plays jungle in League of Legends.

Are you a gamer who wants to know more? Go to room 115 during lunch on Thursdays.