Photo from left: Brady Carmody (Senior), Chris Dindino (Senior), and Kareem Jefferson (Junior)
Esports coaches are recruiting students to join their teams and help the sport grow.
Coaches Aaron Perneta and Nick Mack have 12 members in Esports and are seeking new students to join for video game sports competitions. All full-time undergraduate and graduate students who meet NCAA standards, are enrolled in 12+ credits, have completed an athletic recruitment form, and who maintain a 1.75 GPA are qualified to join regardless of experience playing any of the respective games, which include Super Smash Bros. and Rocket League.
“It’s a very welcoming community. No matter who you are, where you come from, and age, experience, no matter who, we are very open to everybody, and we’ll include everybody, and you will have a spot here, guaranteed,” said Perneta.
Esports teams compete in the National Esports Collegiate Conference League (NECC). Players who join will be expected to play games competitively. Super Smash Bros. is a team fighting game that allows players to pick from several characters with their own specialized abilities; Rocket League is a soccer-style game played with cars in a caged arena.
The goal of Esports goes beyond winning games, coaches say. More students could bring in more games to compete in, a larger space than the Esports arena on the fourth floor of Mercy, Hall and provide support for members. But academic success is their top priority. Coaches encourage players to seek and ask for help when needed and assist them when they can.
“There are so many things that our program could provide for our students. It’s also beneficial to the university as well. But when you get down to the nitty-gritty, it’s also helping the individual student, and that is the most important part,” Mack said.
In the spring 2024 season, the Rocket League team, Brady Carmody, Chris Dindino, and Kareem Jefferson made an historic run in the NECC National Tournament, qualifying for nationals for the first time. After a challenging season, the team secured their spot through key wins and strategic plays, ultimately competing against top-ranked schools in the tournament. Though they fell in the first round, their achievement marked a major milestone for Misericordia Esports and set a precedent for future seasons.
But Mack believes education should come first when someone is a student-athlete in a Division III school. He and Perneta contribute by asking students how their classes are going and contacting the tutoring center when needed.
Esports athletes are given access to the Esports arena the same way traditional athletes are given access to the Anderson Center in that they can go and practice, relax, study, or take a break. The coaches encourage community and create a safe space for their team members to make friends and form bonds.
“I look forward to just being with the guys, being with Coach, playing in the room,” said Brady Carmody, a senior majoring in government, law and national security. “You know, it’s one thing to go home and play video games on my own time, but it’s another thing to come here as a team and get to do it. So I think it’s a cool opportunity to meet new people and just get to play video games together.”
New competitors can expect practices to include play against teammates or online in public games, studying other schools’ recordings when available, or practice needed skills through gameplay.
Perneta said participating in this sport brings together many types of people who may not meet otherwise and gives them a chance to learn from one another.
“Everybody in here is a great tool to help anybody in their respective game. So, if you come here and you don’t know anything about a game, we have tons of people that are just willing to help come with you after class, set up times with you, just teach you the game, and actually have a genuine sit-down with you,” Perneta explained.
Coaches say they hope this sport can give the players skills to take into adult life after college. Students work on developing strengths that can benefit their lives while having fun playing video games.
“Growth is the only thing I care about. It is fantastic that we made nationals, and I’m super proud. But our graduation and retention rates are much more important to me, as well as the overall well-being of our student-athletes,” Mack said.
Each coach shared a theme about the connections made through their community. Perneta mentions that they strive to give each student their “winning moment,” assuring that each player knows that their team is behind them, rooting for them, and sharing in high-energy moments. He adds that those high-intensity experiences bring out the best in his students and how they support their teammates.
Mack maintains that individual successes are team successes and vice versa. He encourages players to look at the whole and work together, celebrating successes on all levels while pushing each other to improve their abilities.
“Don’t be scared; we’ve got a lot of cool guys from different sports, a lot of multi-sport athletes. We got some guys from the lacrosse team, the football team, the track and field team. We all have fun, and we all get along together well. It’s a great time,” Carmody said.
Mack and Perneta are both new to coaching Esports. This is Mack’s third semester and Perneta’s fourth.
“Something I have learned: I learned pretty early on that the more passion I show, the more our players/recruits will respond. I love what I do, and I love bringing that passion to the table,” Mack said.
Esports meets on Tuesdays for Super Smash Bros., Thursdays for Rocket League, and Mondays for makeup or rescheduled days between 6 and 8 p.m., which can vary depending on
the league. However, Mack noted that competition days differ slightly from practice schedules, with Super Smash Bros. competitions taking place on Tuesdays and Rocket League competitions on Thursdays.
Students interested in joining Esports should contact Mack or Perneta by email or direct message on Instagram. Mack’s email is [email protected], Perneta’s is [email protected], and their Instagram is @misericordia_esports. Esports competitions are streamed on Twitch. Go to Twitch.tv/mis_esports to follow or subscribe to the channel to support the team.