Our first player loses the first match. We’re down nine to ten. We discuss the gameplan moving forward. Urkel is a good anchor in case we need a comeback. I give Teagan:) a look, and he nods at me as he sits down in the hot seat. He plugs in his controller, picks his character, and game two of the crew battle begins.

Super Smash Bros Ultimate (Smash) is a two-dimensional platform fighting game. In the Wisconsin Esports Conference (WEC) format, two opposing teams have 12 lives between four players. Lost lives carry over from game to game, meaning if our first player loses two of their three lives in the first game, they start the next game with one remaining. Our team went 3–4 in weekly online WEC matches this past season, against some of the best-ranked players in the state.

I’ve always loved competitive gaming. As a high school senior, gaming was a part of my closest friendships. When I heard Beloit College was establishing an esports team, I submitted my application. In the fall I stepped onto campus and into my new role. As the captain of the Smash team, it was my responsibility to oversee practices, coordinate gameplans and strategies, and communicate with other teams within the conference. Though the official start to the season was January. I practiced with most of the team since September and have practiced Super Smash Bros for half my life.

Karlo Delos Angeles provides commentary.

Yet, like most of the esports team, I had never competed. Esports are video games played competitively with the same level of rigor as more well-known sports. Karlo “PinoyKnight” Delos Angeles, coach and coordinator, was instrumental to our team’s development, guiding and training the team throughout the year.

“I want esports to grow beyond the stigma of ‘gaming in a basement’,” says Angeles. “I am proud of how our team played this season and I look forward to an even better future.”

Our Smash roster included: Josh “Hexcaliber” Stasevsky ’29 (me) , Ercole “Urkel” Scarpelli ’29, Teagan “Teagan:)” Rodgers ’26, Frank “Sharp” Hooton ’26, Brandon “BrandPixel” Lopez ’28, Vivi “Vivi” Rangel ’29, and Sage “Sayjiu” Lepley ’29, who handled social media for the team.“The team’s energy is amazing, I can’t ever walk into that room upset and not walk out feeling better,” says Lepley about her motivation to compete next season.

Several players, Scarpelli, Rangel, Hooton, and I, learned to play additional characters, or pocket characters, alongside our main character to gain an advantage against specific opponents and schools. For example, Scarpelli’s main character is Donkey Kong, one of the larger and heavier characters. He mastered Greninja, a faster and lighter character, who matches up better against characters that take advantage of Donkey Kong’s weight and size. Our flexible and diverse character selection made us a dynamic and unpredictable team, and a threat to other teams.

Our year was defined by an important part of competitive Smash, improving over time and adapting to new situations. Players went from not knowing core mechanics of the game or knowing which character to play to intentionally choosing stages they knew were their opponent’s weaknesses.

At the end of the year, we attended our first in-person tournament for WEC, the southwest regional, where the top three schools qualified for the state championships. I watched my team play at a new level and support each other against tough opponents, some who were the best Smash players in the state.

“Even if you don’t play games competitively, everyone can find a way to enjoy the community,” says Rangel, who alongside Lopez were the most improved players on the team.

Next season our skills and success will continue to develop because of the goals we set and how we motivate each other. As captain, I aim to get better and be a valued member of this team, someone they can rely on in matches and beyond.