Inclusivity, ambition and charity – Esports prepares for new season
Team Sunderland Esports is gearing up for the new season, and club president Edie Brady has laid out her ambitions for the year.
Promising inclusivity for all, Esports welcomes all to join while continiuing to have the ambition to be considered amongst the “top teams for members, points and competition” in what they are hoping will be a record year.
Outside of competitive gaming though the club hopes to host monthly charity events, and will hope to offer members the chance to join weekly social events which will come as a benefit of joining the team – which is the cheapest of all Team Sunderland clubs at a bargain £10 for the year.
“We’re aiming to have a record year for Esports,” said Edie. “We feel that before it may have been an ‘unnoticed’ team, but we want to be considered one of the top teams for members, points and competition.
“I would encourage people to join esports as not only are we the cheapest sports team at £10 a year. We are the most welcoming & there’s a real sense of community in our team. We take players of any gender, background or fitness level, so anyone can compete with us.
“We offer a wide range of games for players to get involved with. From competitive games such as Valorant, Overwatch and CS:GO to more casual games such as Animal Crossing, The Sims and Stardew Valley we can guarantee you’ll feel at home with us. This year, a new game we are offering is Nintendo’s Splatoon 3.
“We are currently recruiting for new players (for all games) so if you’re interested get in contact – I would encourage anyone interested to get in touch for more information as sign ups are still open until the middle of October!”
For all students, a vital part of their time while earning their degree is maintaining an active social life on top of their studies – and Team Sunderland Esports is aiming to offer a consistent social meeting for their members.
“We aim to host socials every week, they will usually be on a Wednesday evening, where we meet at /AFK Bar on Bridge Street. We are hoping to host monthly charity tournaments, the first of which is Friday, September 29th, and also host more ‘chill out’ gaming sessions in collaboration with societies such as cozy corner.”
It isn’t all fun and ‘games’, though, as Edie points out that there is still a competitive element to the sport – and she was quick to highlight the array of talent boasted by the team, which could help prospective players improve their own skill levels across a range of games.
“We’re currently gearing up for our first season back, in which we will be competing at a range of different esports. Here at Team Sunderland Esports we have some very strong players. Our Overwatch lead Zack competes at a high level, coaches our players, and is unbeaten on the Mario Kart track.
“Our Vice-President Sara (Hynninen) is constantly learning new games and plays for many of our teams, and many other of our members have represented the University on a national level, to name them all would take a very long time!
“Also, we have just taken on our newest cohort of players who are a promising bunch, especially at Smash Ultimate and APEX Legends; we can’t wait to see what they’re able to achieve with the team.”
If you are interested, or know anyone who may be interested in signing up, head to Team Sunderland Esports or follow @uosesports_ on X.
