Matthew Jackson, Jaguar eSports Club president, proctors a gaming tournament on Feb. 23 at University South.

On a quiet Friday afternoon, as students were making their way off campus at the University of Houston-Victoria, another group began to make their way in, complete with all the fanfare.

Inside UHV University South in Room 104, nearly a dozen students and visitors scattered across the lecture hall as the Jaguar eSports Club began its February meeting.

As the computer fans fired up, students made their way up to the stage with controllers in hand, preparing to face off against each other tournament-style to find out who was going to come out on top. The atmosphere soon became charged as the overhead projectors came to life and students immersed themselves in the world of Tekken 8, a Japanese fighting game released earlier this year.

Between the cheers and laughter, Matthew Jackson, UHV senior and the club’s president, made his rounds to engage with the attendees while proctoring the tournament with the club’s secretary, Nelson Murray.

“This is the type of club that appreciates gaming as a whole,” Jackson said. “Whether it’s simple games all the way to competitive games such as League of Legends, Apex Legends or Super Smash Bros., this is the place where we just appreciate all types of gaming.”

The club holds its official meetings once a month, Jackson said. Specialized groups are branched off from the club, such as the Super Smash Bros and League of Legends teams, meet typically 2-3 times a month to prepare for competitions, he said.

In the bustling world of collegiate eSports, the Jaguar eSports Club stands not just for its victories in the digital arena, but for the tight-knit community it has fostered since it first arrived on campus in 2017, said Randall Jasek, UHV senior network administrator.

The club’s humble beginnings were sparked during Jasek’s freshman year when a senior proposed the idea of forming a gaming club, he said. As one of the club’s founders, Jasek said he initially focused on casual gaming in dorm rooms, but that soon bloomed, and the club began hosting popular video game tournaments on campus and expanded its reach as the years progressed.

As the gaming landscape transformed, Jaguar eSports had to undergo significant changes along with it. The club moved from Blizzard-supported resources to a more business-oriented approach, Jasek said. The necessity to adapt, learn about the ins and outs of event organization, and sponsor relations all played a role in competition deliverables, he said. The club currently has no sponsors but is always on the lookout for organizations to affiliate with.

Many gamers tend to have a specialty, but Jasek’s gaming journey might be a surprise to others, he said. He describes himself as a “generic gamer” who enjoys mainstream titles. Some popular games he enjoys playing include Call of Duty, Warframe, Rocket League, Overwatch and Super Smash Bros.

“I didn’t own the Super Smash Brothers game until I got to college, so I basically played games with friends,” Jasek said. “That put me in a position where I wanted to bring people together on campus who share the same interests.”

What sets Jaguar eSports apart are the opportunities beyond just gaming, Jasek said. The invaluable lessons he has learned through the years, such as organizing events, managing volunteers and setting up intricate broadcasts, all played a pivotal role in shaping himself as a person and setting up career opportunities along the way, he said.

“Looking back at some of the competitions we have gone to, it was some of the most fun I’ve ever had,” Jasek said. “This is exactly what I, four years ago, would have wanted, and I’m excited to see where the club continues to go.”

For UHV junior Marshal Mason, the seasoned gamer said he has navigated through a diverse range of video games over the years.

From the Legend of Zelda series all the way to Halo, his gaming has spanned across several consoles, with Nintendo games taking the spotlight recently, Mason said. One of his more impressive achievements is logging in more than 7,000 hours on the popular video game Minecraft, he said.

As Mason placed his controller down, the gamer let out a contented sigh after finishing a round of Tekken 8. He flashed a smile and was quick to admit that he had never played the game before.

There are those gamers, Mason said, who enjoy solo gaming. Like many, he was one of them until he recognized joy in sharing his passion with others. Gaming has come a long way and has evolved with the players themselves, he said.

What started out as a hobby has transcended; as a solo gamer for most of his life, for the first time he has gone and explored new territories beyond the screen. For Mason, the club isn’t just about gaming – it’s a haven for camaraderie.

“It was my first time attending an eSports meeting,” Mason said. “I don’t usually ever get to play games with other people, so it was fun to have different people to play with and have fun.”

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Get involved!

UHV has cultivated a vibrant campus community through nearly 50 student organizations. Currently, about 30 of these organizations remain active, spanning a wide range of interests and passions.

Diverse categories:

Students have an abundance of options to explore, ranging from academic pursuits to cultural celebrations. Some examples include:

• Academic: Business Student Association, Math & Science Club and Accounting Club
• Art: The Action Pack, The Poetry Collective and Skeemers
• Cultural: Black Student Union, Hispanic Student Association and International Student Association
• Department lead: Multicultural Advisory Council, Jaguar Activities Board and Resident Hall Association
• Recreational: Jaguar eSports, Trap & Skeet Club and Jaguar Cheer Squad.
• Service: Rotaract Club and Earthwise Collective
• Social: Anime Nuts, Tabletop RPG Club and Jaguar Patriot Association
• Spiritual: Baptist Student Ministries and Fellowship of Christian Athletes

To empower student initiatives, UHV allows students to establish their own organizations with these requirements:

• At least five members, three of which must hold officer positions, must consist of UHV students only and has to maintain a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.
• Organization advisor: Organizations are required to have an advisor. Advisors can be any current faculty/ staff member or graduate student at UHV.
• Constitution: A constitution of its method of operation must be created. A sample constitution is provided in the Student Organization Handbook to streamline the process.

Join or create a student organization today!