Block House is Game Changing for Olivet
Team members FruitSnack26, Vision, nikesaints, Mrs. Kubic, fatherdarhower, nonjo, Clue, Will2Win, Colintheshots, Lunar and Shrodog take game days seriously. They don their team jerseys, come prepared to win, scout out the competition, analyze the stats and cheer each other on during the action. And like all teams, they have nicknames; only in this case, the monikers are "gamer tags," and the players are all members of the new Olivet competitive esports team that launched in the fall.
COMPETITIVE ESPORTS COMES TO OLIVET
The esports team is part of the UOlivet athletic department. Coach Elizabeth Layton had no problem recruiting a co-ed roster of 19 for the fall season, with gamers from first-year students to seniors. As one of the many University performance and participatory programs, esports gamers will be eligible for a renewable $2,000 scholarship.
The team finished its inaugural fall season with a respectable 11-11 record. In addition to facing off against other Michigan Division III teams, Olivet competed virtually against collegiate teams in Maine, Iowa, Arkansas, Illinois, Wisconsin, Rhode Island and other states. Games include Smash Bros, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, Rocket League, Valorant and Rainbow 6.
"It feels great to be a member of the first Esports team at Olivet," said first-year student Ethan Weever. "It's like almost any other sport. You learn to love the people around you like family. The best part of the fall season for sure is seeing all of the talent that the players have and improving our skills to play at an even higher level."
Competitive esports gaming is booming on college campuses. It's one of the most inclusive and diverse competitive sports, where gender, ethnicity, language of choice, age, neurodivergent, ability differences and more don't matter. It's the love of the game that counts.
The University of Olivet, Adrian College, Albion College, Alma College, Calvin University and Trine University united to create the Michigan College Block House Esports League (BEL). Acting as a network for colleges and high schools in the area, the league is unique to the region. It aims to foster local rivalries, bolstering the spirit and camaraderie that Division III schools have long celebrated.
OLIVET BLOCK HOUSE IS HIGH-LEVEL ESPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT SPACE
The spring competitive season will be extra thrilling for UOlivet fans because the playoffs will take place at the Olivet Block House, the team's new home turf. Business partners Anthony Collamati and Nicholas Lux leased the former Lamplighter restaurant from The University. They renovated the building from top to bottom, inside and out, to create a welcoming and contemporary community gathering space with a restaurant, bar, entertainment and high-level esports space.
"This project was a tremendous undertaking, and the result, Block House, is now an unbelievable space," said Ryan Shockey, vice president and chief of staff. "The University of Olivet and Block House have a shared mission of creating an inclusive community where people can come together around a common interest and enjoy being present. Nic and Anthony's business and entertainment model is perfect for our students and the community of Olivet. We look forward to our continued partnership with them and everyone associated with Block House."
Having a dedicated space for the fast-growing esports phenomenon puts the Olivet community and The University in the spotlight. Block House will attract visitors throughout the region, making Olivet a destination for entertainment and bringing vibrancy to the local community.
Senior Leah Alfaro said, "I enjoy competitive esports because it brings a wide variety of people together that share a common interest. Block House will bring everyone together. We are blessed to have a facility like this nearby. It opens many opportunities for the team and the people of Olivet."
Gamers and nongamers will enjoy the spirited atmosphere. Sections of the space are dedicated to the dining-only crowd, different gameplay types and spectators. The menu is globally inspired cuisine from three continents, the Americas, Asia and Europe, referencing the continental servers that often group gamers together.
The competitive gaming space is arena-style to showcase a gamer's talent, just like any other sport. The high-level gaming systems support competitive and recreational esports, including racing simulators, console gaming, high-end gaming PCs, streaming stations, virtual reality, a professional competition stage, and production equipment thinking switcher.
Coach Layton said, "Block House's facilities are a game changer for high school and collegiate esports. The opportunities the Olivet location will bring are limitless, both to the esports ecosystem and the local community. And, thanks to the efforts of Nicholas and Anthony, the Michigan College Block House Esports League offers Olivet and other Michigan Division III institutions a platform to compete and our gamers can be recognized for their remarkable talent."
Collamati and Lux are also developing internship opportunities for Olivet students interested in the esports and entertainment industries.
Olivet's Block House is the second developed by Collamati and Lux. The first opened in Alma in the historic Wright Leppien Opera House in 2020 in partnership with Alma College.