There is a new fall sport at Mount Michael: the
Video Game Team. The team is a group of skilled “athletes” who
come together, despite their differences, to make their own team.
But, even though they are all different
they all have one thing in common: a love for video games.
 The team actually started out small at the beginning of the last
school year, but it became very serious this fall when team co-captain
Andy Huss brought
out his LAN hub to connect three computers together so the team can practice
together.
This year they started tournaments and got everybody involved.
They have even included people who are all-stars in another sport,
such as Jordan Dorsey and
John Pieper to be on the team, even though they are busy dealing with there
own fall sport.
As of now, the team “practices” by playing such games as “The
Specialist,” “Battlefield 1942,” and “Counter-strike.” Right
now they mainly play “The Specialist” and even have a full set
of regulations for the game. Some people have been taking the game very seriously,
such as the other co-captain, Dan Herman. He commented, “We don’t
need eight coaches for the video game team. You are your own coach. You set
your own goals and you motivate yourself to surpass them.”
Other team members find the video game team to be an escape from
Mount Michael. Senior Justin Cheney  said, “To me video
games are an escape into a real world where I can hone my ambidextrous
skills while saving the earth from evil
Nazis.”
But they don’t let the team come before what is really important here
at Mount Michael: academics. Herman explained, “We don’t let video
games and computers get in the way of our studies. For example, we have never
skipped study hall practice during the school day or to watch computer-based
movies such as “Hackers,” “Anti-Trust,” or “Operation
Swordfish.”
The entire senior class is on the team and also pretty much whoever
just stops by the video game room, which happens to be Mike Block’s dorm room. There
is a varsity and junior varsity squad for the team. The captains informed me
that almost anyone on the senior floor who is dedicated enough is on the varsity
squad, which consists of the majority of the senior class, even those who are
bad at the games or those who “tweak” when they  lose to lower ranking
teammates. As for the junior varsity, the players consist of the underclassmen
that are just average and senior Justin Cheney.
As for the safety factor of the game, co-captain Huss commented, “Playing
video games is very safe. We have had no concussions or broken bones, and we
don’t have to do ‘up-downs’ in 100 degree weather.” Although
no humans have been injured, the captains say that there have been a few keyboards
that have gotten in the way of angry players and been damaged.
As for hard work and practice, Huss concludes, “Unlike other
sports, platitudes like hard work, determination, and commitment
aren’t needed.
You only need good hand-eye coordination, quick reaction times, and a high
tolerance for monitor radiation.” - Jack Heiman
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