AACC’s new athletic esports team will kick off its first season on Feb. 7 with a tournament featuring the video game Rocket League.

Coach Conway Johnson said the players will play the video games League of Legends, Rocket League, and Overwatch. League of Legends is an intramural team and Overwatch starts on Feb. 11 if enough players fill the roster.

“I’m feeling pretty good about [the team],” Johnson said. “I think we’re going to have a great first season. We’re just going to be focusing on building out the program, getting ourselves off to a good start. We’ve got everything going in the right direction, because you know, getting that foundation built is the most important part.”

The players will compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association Esports this year.
Johnson said practices will be held once a week for three hours for each game at the esports lab in the CALT building.

“[We want] to go out there and do the best that we can.” Athletic Director Duane Herr said.
The esports lab includes 12 gaming stations for practice and for participating in competitions against other colleges. Still, Herr said the plan is to expand the team’s roster beyond 12 players.

Johnson said 13 players are on the roster and recruiting stays open until Jan. 25.

Separate from the athletic team, AACC has an eight year ESports Club.

“I have been a part of this club for a very long time,” said club President Daniel Mason, a game art design and development student who plans to graduate this spring. “I work very closely with very good friends … so it means a lot to me knowing that I am keeping this club alive and making sure that I can move on in the future.”

Mason said the varsity team requires full time students and he is part time.

Mason described the club as “a place to really get together and improve your skills to try to get better at what games that you want to improve upon while connecting and getting to know other players with like-minded goals.”