On Saturday, Feb. 1, the Northwestern “Smash Bros.” team made history after they not only attended but won their first ever Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) tournament. This two-day esports event was hosted by Morningside in Sioux City, where the NW team competed in round robin format against Hastings and Waldorf. Though one of the varsity players, Ethan Peterson said, “we did not have as many teams participating as we maybe would have liked,” he still acknowledged that “Esports being a GPAC tournament is really cool.”
The creation of the GPAC tournament for esports is a huge step for this region. Tyson Braunschweig, who commentates for NW esports events, said, “It means a lot to see an esports scene developing in the GPAC, as this is a new development for midwestern esports, a notoriously weak region for competitive gaming.”
Before the tournament, Head “Smash Bros.” Coach and recent NW graduate, Luke Van Dyke reminded his players to remain focused.
“I think Coach’s words leading up to the tournament definitely helped,” Peterson said. “He encouraged us not to be overconfident, and I can definitely see a reality where we lost that tournament.” Becoming too cocky can be dangerous for any team, yet at the same time, a strong base of confidence is key in esports.
“We wanted to build each other up, and because mental state is so crucial to esports, and I think that played a big part in our win,” Peterson said.
This tournament brought the “Smash Bros.” season to a close. The NW team finished strong with an 11-2 overall record.
“I am excited for next season,” Team Captain Jonah Van Dyke said. “We will continue to practice in preparation.”
Coach Luke Van Dyke is excited to see how the team of mostly freshman and sophomores will continue to grow over the next few seasons. “I have seen an increase of confidence and drive within some of our players,” he said. “The biggest reward from winning is the validation that what you are doing is working and that continued hard work will lead to more success.”
The second weekend of the inaugural GPAC tournament for the other two NW esports teams was held Feb. 7 and 8 in Sioux City. “Rocket League” also took home first, and “Overwatch” placed second. This event will, no doubt, continue to grow in the following years as esports gains traction within GPAC colleges.
