Humber College is known for its athletics, but in recent years a new form of competition has risen. Esports gaming is growing in popularity around the world and Humber College quickly recognized the potential it had for students.
Jacob Lane a former Humber Student and former captain of the Call of Duty team said “It’s one of the best professional teams I’ve ever played on for Call of Duty, the team, the staff, and everything about the atmosphere was exciting”
Humber Esports officially launched in 2018, offering a wide range of games, from League of Legends to Call of Duty, and Rocket League. Players from all experience levels came together for the pure enjoyment of video games. Regardless of skill level, the Humber Esports team was created to be open to all students with an interest in it.
Humber Esports began with a group of student gamers sharing a common interest in gaming at a higher level. Humber Esports began as a small group of non-professional gamers and quickly emerged into something bigger.
The first tournament was held at Humber, where students and anyone from the outside could join and participate in the Super Smash Bros tournament that occurred in 2019.
Humber Esports quickly began to attract a viewership when their Call of Duty team formed.
Humber Call of Duty (COD) was one of the first teams founded in Humber Esports. The team won tournaments in the Collegiate Call of Duty League (CCL) in their first season, and in the second they placed third. After Humber’s second season, they made a comeback and won the Tespa $25,000 Invitational tournament.
Late-night practice, strategy meetings, championships, and the pain of losing brought them closer together every time. The Esports team has become a second family for most, said Harrison Smith a videographer for the Esports team at Humber.
Lane said, “This Esports team was filled with so many unforgettable moments, the excitement of massive victories, the disappointment of narrow losses, and the joy of making friends and connections with teammates from all over the world.”
The team traveled and competed on the international stage representing Humber College. Humber Esports began to gain recognition not only within the college but also within the Esports community.
Countless hours poured into practicing, competing, and traveling at what cost?
Former Humber Call of Duty Esports coach, Dante “Checko” Ceccarelli said, “They had a goal to achieve what no other Canadian school had done, to win a national Call of Duty championship.”
They were featured in local news and their accomplishments were featured in Esports Call of Duty magazines.
Humber Esports competed against many other colleges in the U.S.A. with professional Call of Duty teams.
The interest in Esports wasn’t there for many Canadian schools until the COVID-19 pandemic occurred.
Then Universities including Waterloo, Laurier, and Western started to get involved after the success Humber Esports had with their Call of Duty team.
Former Humber Call of Duty Esports coach, Dante “Checko” Ceccarelli said, “This group of students paved the road for future Esports players in Canadian schools.”
Humber College has become a thriving place for Esports. Their recent success has given students with an interest in professional gaming, a sense of belief to pursue a career in Esports.
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