Maryville University Resumes Esports Tournaments

Shyam Punnachalil, Co-Sports Editor|March 28, 2023

Media by Shyam Punnachalil

Joseph Lee, Class of 2021, competes in the tournament during the first round of the winners bracket on March 10. Lee won his match 2-0, advancing to the next round of the tournament. Lee was happy to hear that Maryville University would be resuming its Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournaments. “I am excited to have new competition to face and happy to see others enjoy competing in a game that I love,” Lee said.

Luke Dahlgren, sophomore, is new to the competitive Super Smash Bros. Ultimate scene, and he attended his second Maryville University tournament on Feb. 24. 

“Every tournament I go to, I get more and more experience,” Dahlgren said. 

Dahlgren felt inspired to play competitively when he saw his MHS friends competing in tournaments around the St. Louis area.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Maryville took a hiatus in hosting Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournaments. Now, the university has resumed hosting tournaments. 

Due to the tournament’s close proximity to Dahlgren’s house, he’s been able to get more experience in the competitive environment.

Nathan Mosby, Maryville Gaming Club President, shows Jordan Pham, competitor, the tournament’s bracket and player seeding on March 10. Along with Joshua Tackett, Head Tournament Organizer of Maryville University’s tournaments, Mosby has started running Maryville’s tournaments in an effort to show others in the Maryville Gaming Club how to organize tournaments. “I believe in leading by example, so I want to show some of my shy members that they can also take a microphone and speak to 50 people at once and run a tournament,” Mosby said. (Media by Shyam Punnachalil)

 “I can consistently come here and just play Smash and leave whenever I want,” Dahlgren said.

Dahlgren said that he is excited to go to more tournaments like the one Maryville University hosts in order to become a better player at the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Every tournament I go to, I can come out, saying, ‘Hey, I got better today,’ Dahlgren said. “It’s great to have and I’m able to go to bed feeling happy.”

Joshua Tackett, Head Tournament Organizer of Maryville University’s tournaments, said he makes sure that all tournament matches are running smoothly and that all questions are answered,

“I love seeing people getting together for something they love,” Tackett said. “It’s a good feeling being around people who have the same interests.”

When Tackett used to compete, he found it difficult to attend tournaments because they were too far away from him.

“We’re the hub where tournaments are. We’re in the middle of everything,” Tackett said.

Angie Barlos, competitor, practices on an open monitor after getting eliminated from the tournament on March 10. As someone who works outside of the city, Barlos does not have ample time to go to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournaments in the the city of St. Louis. “I like these tournaments because they are close to my office, so it’s just accessible for me to come and play after work hours,” Barlos said. (Media by Shyam Punnachalil)

Tackett said that he feels happy when others compete and enjoy the tournaments at Maryville.

“Seeing people come again and again is a good feeling. It’s that drive. We’re all supporting and building that drive for each other,” Tackett said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joseph Lee, Class of 2021 and competitor, has been attending tournaments since 2020, and competed at Maryville’s tournaments prior to the hiatus. 

“I’m very happy to be able to go back to Maryville,” Lee said. “It was a great beacon for high attendance.”

Lee is hopeful to play in more tournaments and meet new people going forward at future events.

“I love going to tourneys to meet new people and to just be myself in a way that I really can’t be in other social situations,” Lee said.