LBCC’s esports club hosted its “Don’t Pass on Smash” event which aims to enhance community engagement to students on campus with casual video game competitiveness on May 15.
The event’s game of choice was Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, played on two screens with up to two players each.
Hosted in the LAC Student Union, the event was open to all, and snacks and refreshments were provided.
Each attendee was given a chance of at least one turn to play against one another at the end of each match.
“It’s more player-friendly, a lot of people know Smash more than Valorant… or all these games that have a lot of micro movements. Super Smash Bros is really easy, open game to get into,” esports representative Paul Cayden Madrazo-Sim III said.
Madrazo-Sim competitively plays Valorant on the esports team and acts as a substitute player for Super Smash Bros. games.
For students interested in joining the esports team, esports director of media Ramzi Steenhoek mentions the guidelines that NACE (National Association of Collegiate Esports) has put in place.
“In order to compete in NACE you have to hit all the athletics criteria, you have to be in an athletic program, each student has to carry 12 units, full time, they have to have good grades,” Steenhoek said.
Steenhoek also mentioned that joining the esports program comes with access to the newly opened esports lab.
Madrozo-Sim explains that the team is very open to new people, even when playing competitively, and describes them as a fun community.
Esports coach Matthew Dalton helped introduce Super Smash Bros. to their selection of competitive games.
“At the beginning of fall 2024 was the first year that Smash came to esports, it was very bare bones. We only had a couple of players and (I) came in (and) built the Smash Bros. program from the ground up,” Dalton said.