Lawrence High’s esports club is one of the newest additions to after-school activities, giving students a space to play and connect through video games. From Smash Bros to Mario Kart, the club brings together students of different skill levels who all share an interest in gaming.
For some, joining was an easy decision.
“During the club fair, I saw them playing video games, and I was like, ‘That looks like a lot of fun, I want to do that.’” sophomore JJ Wright said.
The club has become more than just a place for gaming. It’s also a way for students to build friendships and spend time together outside of class.
“I don’t usually get to play games with my friends or even family members. They’re all older than me, and they all moved out,” Wright explained. “So it’s nice to be able to hang out with my friends after school.”
The club’s environment is supportive and encourages anyone interested to join, regardless of competition.
“I’m not a very competitive player, but even if you’re not competitive, you’re still having fun because everyone’s cheering you on, and it’s just overall pretty supportive.”
While the new club’s focus is on fun, members also have goals for the future. Some hope to take on leadership roles and help organize teams and matches.
“I want to have a leadership role, I want to handle putting people in teams because I’m not a very competitive player, so I’m better at managing the teams than I am at playing,” Wright said. “But overall, I just want to have fun.”
Club members also hope to have more competitions with other schools.
“Currently, we can only play three games where we can compete against other schools. But Mr. Mulkey is hoping we can increase that,” sophomore Cameron Dozier said.
As the club grows, students hope to add more games, more competitions, and bring in new members. Still, what makes the esports club special is the community.
“I enjoy that there are a lot of different people in there, a very diverse cast of people,” Dozier said. “ It’s just a good place for a lot of different people to come together and enjoy playing games.”
