This year been a whirlwind for the Esports Club, Bluffton’s newest addition to its lineup of student organizations. A grand opening of the club’s official hub in the Neufeld basement on April 10 and an overnight event for prospective students on April 11 marked the culmination of the planning and coordinating efforts that began last fall with a preliminary interest meeting led by senior Jeff Arnett.
Esports club president-elect Nicholas Hoffman (left) and current president Jeff Arnett (right). Photo by Nathan Heinze
By March, the club had secured funding and started renovations on the Neufeld basement. Now, students are getting the first taste of how the Esports club will fit into Bluffton campus life.
“Today [April 10] is kind of like the Grand Opening for the space,” said Nicholas Hoffman, president-elect of the Esports Club. “It’s just to give everyone the opportunity to see what it’s all about.”
Hoffman said the Esports Center in the Neufeld basement was fully furnished and set up earlier that week in preparation for the space’s debut to current and prospective students. The center contains five custom-built gaming PCs that can stream to a central computer, allowing the footage to be projected onto a large monitor on the wall.
According Arnett, who is the current club president, he worked together with Hoffman to jointly plan the events.
Esports club’s official hub in the Neufeld basement. Photo by Nathan Heinze
“Nicholas and I sat down with some of the admissions counselors about having this overnight event,” said Arnett. “[The goal was] getting the word out there, trying to spread it to everybody that we could.”
Five prospective students registered to attend the April 11 event, but only three showed up. Even so, Hoffman said the event was popular both with both current and prospective students in attendance.
“I’d say I’m liking [the Esports Club] so far,” said Isaac Budinski, a sophomore from Louisville High School who attended the overnight. “It’s a lot of fun already. I don’t really play the game I’m playing right now, I just like to play with other people.”
Students played games like Fortnite, Rocket League and Apex Legends. During the April 11 event, an impromptu Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournament was also held.
“I enjoy the watching and playing of games, so I just thought it was a good idea to try it out,” said Trent Hummer, a junior from Arlington High School and the Smash tournament champion. “The administration is great, and the people are great too.”
One attendee, Lima Central Catholic junior Ethan Truex, said the club is something he could see himself interested in long-term.
“It’s a very great setup,” said Truex. “There’s a lot of different people that have been coming in here, and it’s been pretty enjoyable with just the different things that are going on.”
Attendees play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Photo by Nathan Heinze
The prospective students weren’t the only ones satisfied with how the event went—both Hoffman and Arnett said they felt the events were successful.
“I think it’s gone well so far,” said Hoffman during the overnight event. “I’m actually really satisfied with how it turned out. I don’t think it really could have gone much better.”
Arnett will graduate in May, leaving Hoffman to provide leadership to the growing club. Despite the fact that he will no longer oversee the club in coming academic year, Arnett expressed high hopes for its future.
“I feel like I’ve left the club in great hands,” said Arnett. “Nicholas Hoffman has been by my side almost every step of the way setting up the club, and he knows my vision. He also has his own vision for the next steps moving forward.”
