Getting to know the LCCC Esports team

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) -“Near Trophy.”

“Close, close on the door.”

“Attic is clear.”

“You’re clear on flank”

These are not the usual play calls that you hear during a collegiate competition. For Laramie County Community College Esports it’s the standard for the teams they field in four different video games in the fall semester. The Rainbow Six Siege team is on the hunt for a national championship and the Call of Duty Warzone team has won two in as many years.

“I get full ride tuition, which is amazing,” Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege Player, Chett Hall, said. “Not only am I learning and growing as a person in my career path, I’m also getting to do what I love.”

“I was coming here often, so I was getting to meet guys when we were playing the same games,” Call of Duty: Warzone National Champion, Dimitrios Chronopoulos, said.

Dimitrious originally came to Cheyenne from Greece to play basketball. Since, he has followed his passion in Esports and been named a NJCAA National Champion.

“We became super super close friends. With one, we won the national championship. It just broadened the horizons and made new friends out of nowhere. It’s just fun to be honest with you,” Chronopoulos said.

“It’s just super welcoming for everybody and gives everyone that outlet to play the games,” Head Coach, John Kershaw, said. “You know, the world is changing. When I was a kid, computers were not what they are now. Some of this is their dream to compete in Esports and this is a way to get that opportunity and get an awesome education.”

Esports are a recent phenomena taking over the sports market. At LCCC there is an expectation of greatness but at it’s core it is bringing young men and women together to grow into the next generation of great Wyomingites.

“It’s giving kids a chance to actual pursue what they love to do. Whether that be a certain video game or multiple video games, they’re able to follow that and do whatever they want with it and see if they can go far with it,” Hall said.

“It creates new skills for you. If you hear the guys playing the game, the communication. How you are able to give an order to your mind and spell it out or just do it with your hands. All of this stuff makes you better. Yes you don’t run or whatever like physically, but with your mind and mentally it’s just so much better. There’s so many games where you can compete and it just grows and grows. It’s pretty good for people,” Chronopoulos said.

“Everybody that’s ever played a traditional ball sport would understand that the same feelings we get in here are the same feelings guys get on the football field. They’re friends, they’re family, they hangout, they laugh together, they compete together. We have guys from Greece, people from Wyoming, people from other states all coming together to play. It’s just awesome,” Kershaw said.

The Rainbow Six Siege team starts the national championship playoffs on Dec. 1.

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