Practices for TCU Gaming, the university’s official esports team, don’t begin with a whistle, but with unpacking. The team has been on campus since 2017, where they hold practice in the University Recreation Center. 

“We store our computers in a locked room that the rec center employees open for us,” Eric Shepherd, a senior neuroscience major said. “Then we set everything up in our designated area. After we are done we break it all back down and put it back into storage.” 

Having a dedicated space would allow the team to host more tournaments, practice more efficiently, and showcase their growth.

“We are working really hard on getting a permanent place for our equipment, this would provide us with lots of new opportunities because unlike other sport clubs, our setup for each event usually takes one to two hours,” Whitney Akred, the president of TCU Gaming and a double-major in computer science and digital culture & data analytics said.

As a team, they do an annual Iron Skillet against SMU, usually hosted at SMU’s campus, Akred said. As a club, they host gatherings at the end of the semester to build community within the team. 

Akred always played video games growing up. Coming to school, she wanted to find a community that aligns with her major. 

Most people who join TCU Gaming don’t think of it as joining a sports team, but rather finding a group of people who are willing to take the game more seriously, Akred said. 

While they wait for a space to call their own, TCU Gaming continues to grow and compete, and can be found practicing in the rec center basement near the pool tables.