Slippery Rock University’s Esports Club is an inclusive space for students to play video games both casually and competitively.
The group meets from 6-8 p.m. every Thursday in Room 132 of the Advanced Technology and Science building (ATS). During meetings, members discuss and plan events. After business is taken care of, students are allowed to stay and, of course, play video games.
The club also hosts tournament events in the Robert M. Smith Student Center ballroom where students face off against each other and watch their peers compete.
“We’ll choose a game such as Mario Kart or Super Smash Bros,” said sophomore Daryn Dalton, co-captain of the group’s Overwatch team, “and we order some pizza and have some fun.”
Aside from friendly competitions, the organization hosts several teams that compete with players from schools around the nation. Teams are separated by game, such as League of Legends or Counter Strike: Global Offensive.
“We have the teams compete through intramural sports,” stated Dalton. “The captains pick where and how they want to play. It’s a lot more relaxed than professional esports or colleges with esports as a major.”
Dalton also emphasized that the group intends to be as welcoming as possible.
“Because esports is historically a male dominated field, our club makes it very clear that no hatred or bigotry will be tolerated,” they explained. “The esports club really is about creating a diverse community where people who love video games can hang out and talk to each other.”
