On November 9, 64 members of the New Hyde Heroes Club gathered to participate in a Super Smash Bros. tournament. The tournament took place in the library after school, where students of all ages, led by advisers Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Maltese and Mr. Gagnon competed against their fellow club members and video game enthusiasts.
To entice students to participate, the advisers had a series of prizes for the five finalists. The student who won the tournament was awarded a $50 gift card to GameStop. However, for most, the Super Smash Bros. tournament was more than just a chance to win a prize.
“Super Smash Bros was one of my favorite games growing up, and it still is,” senior and finalist John Cutter said. “Bringing all of the grades together to play was awesome. It was wholesome to see the underclassmen get so involved.”
For others, the tournament was an exciting event with a suspenseful outcome. Seventh grader Aiden Tiwari ultimately won the tournament in a round of sudden death.
“I was surprised and excited that I won the tournament because I only played Smash Bros a couple times,” seventh grader Aiden Tiwari said.
“The poster was so cool,” Aiden said. “My mom hung it up in the middle of my living room.”
In addition to the many positive student remarks for the event, the New Hyde Heroes’ advisors also found the event to be a huge success.
“The NHP Heroes Club has been hosting the tournament for the last four years and our students really look forward to it,” adviser and guidance counselor Mr. Mitchell said. “It is one of our biggest events. This year we had a starting bracket of 64 students, five finalists, and one grand prize winner.”
Not only was there a large turnout for participating students, but the tournament gained traction from non-players as well. By the final rounds of the tournament, many NHP Heroes gathered in the library to cheer on friends and embrace the club’s collaborative nature.
“I personally look forward to the tournament to see our students come together with such enthusiasm and camaraderie,” Mr. Mitchell said. “Not only did we have a packed library of gamers, but also other members who were there just to cheer them on!”