There’s nothing more Westridge than breaking ground on every single imaginable school activity. Welcome to the world of esports: a nail-biting digital experience for its players, spectators, and commentators (the John Kings of tomorrow). Thursday Detention co-founder sos and I had no idea what awaited us when we opened two enticing emails from Coach Melanie Horn and Ashley Sneed in the spring of 2020. They spoke about esports’ promising future at Westridge and explained the lack of gender parity in the esports world. We naively judged the emails for their excessive excitement, but we decided that to fully understand this seemingly lackluster activity, we would need to attend a game. Little did we know, this sport ignited a passion for feminism in our hearts and paved the way to a beloved tradition that has strengthened our friendship, bringing us closer than ever.
Westridge’s esports team consists of three dedicated players who are currently training for Rocket League. Though we know very little about the world of gaming, sos and I have inferred that they essentially play virtual soccer, but the soccer players are customizable, high-tech, luxury race cars instead of humans. Tournaments are live-streamed on Twitch, which makes it the perfect sporting event to attend during COVID-19. During the games, commentators spit mad bars as they point out each player’s strengths and shortcomings, play-by-play.
Even though Westridge has only hosted two esports tournaments, sos and I are diehard fans. We created our own Twitch accounts to encourage Westridge players in the chat, and we even got a shoutout from a commentator for our "very vocal support." It truly is an incredible experience. So, next time you decide to step out of your comfort zone, come watch an esports match! You will fight gender discrimination, support Westridge students, and maybe even accidentally befriend gamers from Massachusetts. You have nothing to lose. And, of course, don’t forget to drop a little “hello” to gray23snake and grey24snack.
Westridge’s esports team consists of three dedicated players who are currently training for Rocket League. Though we know very little about the world of gaming, sos and I have inferred that they essentially play virtual soccer, but the soccer players are customizable, high-tech, luxury race cars instead of humans. Tournaments are live-streamed on Twitch, which makes it the perfect sporting event to attend during COVID-19. During the games, commentators spit mad bars as they point out each player’s strengths and shortcomings, play-by-play.
Even though Westridge has only hosted two esports tournaments, sos and I are diehard fans. We created our own Twitch accounts to encourage Westridge players in the chat, and we even got a shoutout from a commentator for our "very vocal support." It truly is an incredible experience. So, next time you decide to step out of your comfort zone, come watch an esports match! You will fight gender discrimination, support Westridge students, and maybe even accidentally befriend gamers from Massachusetts. You have nothing to lose. And, of course, don’t forget to drop a little “hello” to gray23snake and grey24snack.