By Allan Jamail
GPISD 2022 – The North Shore Senior High School has entered into a new realm of competition and student engagement: video games (esports). Back in the 60’s in my high school days, I would have loved to have had this type of a school class. The word “gaming” back then would have gotten a student sent home. The Mustang Gaming Club was created by Mr. Chris Ybarra and Mr. Lovinggood in the Fall of 2019, hoping to give students an opportunity to play their favorite games with their peers in a safe place.
Through word of mouth alone, the club recruited over 100 members in its first few months. The club created competitive leagues and tournaments in popular titles such as Super Smash Bros Ultimate, FIFA, Madden, and NBA 2K, and used these events to raise money with the goal of purchasing equipment to create their own esports lab.
The following year, the Mustang Gaming Club began official esports competition in the High School Esports League, competing in titles such as Rocket League and Call of Duty.
In the Spring of 2021, the club was fortunate to win an esports lab giveaway started by the High School Esports League, being one out of ten schools in the entire country chosen. HSEL, the National Guard, and their partners attended an event at North Shore 10th Grade Center and assisted students in building the six high-end PCs by hand, using computer components worth a total of over $12,000.
The Mustang Gaming Club wasted no time in using their new esports lab to further their competitive aspirations. In the Fall of 2021, the Mustangs won their first National Championship, winning gold in the HSEL Spring Major for Call of Duty. The four students on the team won scholarships totally $2,000 and an opportunity to compete in the Grand Championships this May for more scholarships and glory. One student from the team accepted a scholarship worth $15,000 a year to play esports at the collegiate level at the University of St. Thomas.
As esports competition becomes more mainstream in high schools, the Mustang Gaming Club hopes to continue being the place to be for students who want a safe place to play with their friends and for aspiring esports athletes.