Spectrum: Vol. 83, No. 4.2 (April 4, 2020)

Esports Team Carries Athletic Torch

Maximus Chensse ‘22 Staff Writer

This year, a new sport has been brought to Catholic Central. It doesn’t involve any heavy weight training, but still requires the best from its members to achieve victory. It is the Shamrock Esports Team.

Coached by recent CC grad Mr. Stephen Juncaj, this new team has been created for those who love to play video games, and who have found a passion in competing.

The original idea for the team formed in September of 2019 and took off quickly. “This was an idea brought to life by the administration,” says Juncaj, “and something they feel could be another outlet to students who maybe haven’t found their place at CC yet.” He couldn’t have been more on point. The new club soon acquired its first members and new technology dedicated to the club’s objective: mastering video games and destroying the competition.

Even when the dreaded COVID-19 sent all of the players home, they still kept their enthusiasm and dedication towards the team. Members of the same games organized times to practice together and teach each other.

Practices were organized on a daily basis and tournaments were not far off. Sophomore Colin Harris explains, “The good thing about esports is that we can practice from home, and we are going to be working especially hard with some more of this free time.”

The team has set up to compete in the Michigan High School Esports Federation, and has already completed its first tournament.

After speaking to a few of the members and Coach Juncaj, it is clear that those on this team love what they are doing and love the opportunity that the club provides them with. They can now compete at a higher level, on an official high school esports team.

“The beautiful thing about the program is that we are not bound to a certain region,” Coach Juncaj explains.

“We have played schools from Washington, Virginia, Arizona, and New Jersey.”

The Esports team has opened up a new set of possibilities for those who have joined it, and is a team to keep an eye on during the upcoming Esports seasons.