Dominic Huggins wasn’t sure what to expect when his mom signed him up for the Deer Lakes Middle School esports team.
An eighth grader, he certainly never expected to be a part of a state championship-winning team.
“I didn’t know I could compete,” said Huggins, 14. “I got into it by accident.”
While it’s the first year the team has entered competitions, the middle school’s esports club has been thriving since its founding in April 2024.
The club was spearheaded by STEM and math intervention teacher Alex Gigler. Gigler is now the coach for the school’s Gold Team and Green Team.
“I’ve played video games my whole life,” Gigler said. “I always thought it would be so cool to have an esports program.”
He said the first year of the program started with a couple of TVs and the club slowly evolved with better equipment and the formation of teams. Gigler said about 35 students are members of the esports club.
The seventh and eighth grade esports team includes four competitors: seventh grader Jaden Mickail, 12, and eighth graders Daniel Abate, 14, Dylan Crow, 14, and Huggins.
It’s accessible to most skill levels ranging from first-time competitors like Huggins, to Mickail, who has entered tournaments on his own in the past.
The boys traveled to Harrisburg University on Dec. 17 to compete against 23 middle school teams from across the state.
They ended up bringing home the trophy for the Pennsylvania Scholastic Esports League “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” middle school state championship. They defeated two-time defending state champion Lionville Middle School from Exton, Chester County.
The team competes in “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” because it’s accessible for the type of equipment the team has, and it falls in line with the league-determined age restrictions set on games for middle school grade levels.
For example, everyone on the team must be 13 years or older to play “Rocket League,” Gigler said. He said “shooter” games are reserved for high school teams.
Huggins said he has enjoyed learning how to play the games.
“It’s kind of crazy how you have all these moves … and (Crow) can memorize all those moves and know when to use them, and then I don’t know how to jump,” Huggins said.
Crow said he joined the team after learning that they play video games he enjoys regularly.
Having played baseball in the past, Crow said the action is more intense on the esports team.
“Sometimes in baseball, nothing’s happening,” he said. “In this, you’re heart is always moving. Everything is happening so quickly.”
He said faceoffs keep players on their toes because they have to be ready to counteract whatever their opponent throws out there. Crow said “Super Smash Bros.” is unique because people are able to reach a wide range of skill levels.
“You have to practice for this,” Crow said. “If you don’t play the game frequently, you’ll forget how things work.”
Teams face off one-on-one in a best-of-five matchup. In the state championships, the Lancers faced off with 10 other teams in a bracket of 23 teams.
Mickail said he practiced for five hours a day in the weeks leading up to the championship tournament. He said being able to compete has made the game more entertaining and has motivated him to learn as much as he can before the next competition.
“Instead of just playing another game, I’ll go into this game,” he said. “There are so many people that you can fight. It’s a never-ending amount of content.”
Abate said he had played “Super Smash Bros.” with his family before, but competing was a whole new level for him when joining the team. He said being on the team gives him more reason to play with his family.
“Normally, I have to go 100% or I lose,” Abate said. “If I’m going up against my family, I don’t have to (try) as much, and I can have a lot more fun with the gameplay.”
Gigler approaches coaching from a logistics standpoint rather than gameplay combos. As the boys are practicing, he reminds them to be aware of their surroundings, their character strengths and to gather resources when they can.
He said he researches the game and its features often since “Super Smash Bros.” isn’t a game that he’s extremely experienced in.
“Any of these guys could kick my butt in this game, and they have,” Gigler said.
While Gigler teaches his team transferable skills like good sportsmanship, they’ve taught him how to be a better leader through patience and trust.
“(Coaching has taught me) how to put my faith in other people and how to trust these guys,” Gigler said.
Gigler said the next goal is to expand the program to include a high school team. It’s something he’s discussing with district leadership.