The CSUCI Esports Club has a lounge in Trinity Hall where Esports tournaments commence.
By Michael Briley
The CSUCI Esports Club lounge in Trinity Hall is the site of high-energy, high-intensity intercollegiate and intramural Esports tournaments. It’s also a welcoming space where more casual video gamers can walk in, hang out, make new friends and chill.
It’s a place that fosters students’ personal growth, close observers say.
“From what I’ve seen and heard from students, Esports has a really positive impact on those who participate,” says Daniel Stewart, Information Technology Consultant, and staff advisor for the Esports Club.
“Students involved in the club and competition are fully engaged in the college experience. They’re learning to collaborate, manage their time, and balance academics, work and extracurriculars. These are real-world skills that will benefit them long after graduation.”
Esports sharpens focus and builds meaningful relationships, observes Esports Club President Chris Hernandez, a junior Computer Science major. “But while it offers a lot of benefits, it can also add stress from gaming if you don’t know how to manage it.”
Esports was shut down at CSUCI in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, but beginning in 2023, a student assistant was intent on reviving it. “I joined him on his long journey of bringing the club back,” Chris recalls. “Along the way, I made plenty of friends. I’m really grateful for the opportunity to be part of something great.”
“Before I joined, I didn’t interact with many of my peers. But now, I’ve been introduced
to a ton of awesome people, many of whom have become great friends.”
–Taylor Mack
In that last couple of years, the Esports Club has entered tournaments, built connections with the local community, and importantly, gained its space, the Esports Lounge. The club shares the space with other clubs as it can.
Taylor Mack, a senior majoring in Computer Science who oversees event coordination with the Esports Club, says that working with the club is teaching him “soft skills” necessary for future success.
But Taylor’s favorite aspect of Esports is the sense of community it engenders. “Before I joined, I didn’t interact with many of my peers. But now, I’ve been introduced to a ton of awesome people, many of whom have become great friends,” says Taylor. “To me and others, our club is something that unites us behind a common interest.”
The club returned in 2023 after a two year hiatus.
Contrary to the common mantra of conventional sports, winning competitions is not the most important part of Esports, says Daniel Stewart.
“While performing well and aiming for victory are certainly goals, the real value lies in team building, communication and learning how to work together,” he says. “Players develop important skills like leadership, adaptability and finding their role within a team. These experiences are just as rewarding — and often more lasting — than any trophy.”