Welcome to the Videogame Volumes. A brand new segment to help connect everyone to the gaming and esports community that’s designed to inform on all things gaming whether local, national, or international, and give reviews to new releases. 

To kick off this new school year, I want to bring back and remember one of the best things I was a part of from last year, the Esports Club and the community it brought with it.

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A club filled with kids who came from all corners of the gaming community, whether they were competitors, casuals, or people more focused on the technology side of gaming. We could talk about new releases, favorite games and characters, and personal thoughts about major news that lead to the entire club conversing and debating.

While this niche and inclusive community was something that the club offered, I focused on competing and representing the school through the High School Esports League. This gave me a new source of motivation that I hadn’t found in years, it made me want to work to become the best I could possibly be. I gained new great friends and it allowed me to represent Liberty on the national level.

I thought that I would be given a second shot at competing for my senior year, but the club disbanded last year due to conflict problems and we were left with the new curriculum classes offered. 

I support and love these new classes as it’s a great way to get anyone into esports because they explore so much of the behind the scenes work in esports. The problem for me was that signing up for a whole year class no longer felt like I was indulging a hobby, but having to jump through extra hoops and feeling confined to a set lesson plan while impatiently waiting to fuel that passion to play competitively that would most likely never come. 

As much as I love how the school is incorporating esports more into the high school level, I wish we could bring back the club so people don’t feel restricted to a curriculum. It would give back that opportunity to compete and give this school a chance at national recognition in something different. I know that down the line, the esports class will get around to it, but I wish there was a short term solution until they get there.