The wait to unleash ETSU’s varsity esports teams is finally over, and ETSU League of Legends team captain Lucca Weber, known as “Matches” online, is ready to bring the pain to his opponents in lane.
Originally from Ennepetal, Germany, Weber brings a wealth of gaming experience to the table, having participated in a variety of video games since he was young.
“I think I got my first Game Boy® Advance when I was 7, and I started playing the Pokemon games, and I liked that,” Weber said. “One of my friends showed me Minecraft when I was about 10, so I played that game for a little bit and really liked it. [Then] I got my first computer, and then friends introduced me to League of Legends, and I’ve been playing it ever since.”
Playing the position of mid-lane for the Bucs, Weber has been playing League of Legends since 2012 and has been competitive at the game for several years.
“I’ve played League competitively a little bit in 2015,” Weber said. “I tried to run a few tournaments with an amateur team, but it just didn’t stick, so this is my first time [really] doing it in a competitive environment.”
Weber’s passion for competitive gaming is rivaled only by his passion for League of Legends itself. After over eight years of competitive gameplay on the rift, “Matches” is only getting started.
“It was really intriguing, the principle of picking the character, and learning the character, and mastering it,” Weber explained. “I still find the concept of just being good at something and mastering it and expressing your skill by your rank and your mastery points. I really like that aspect of the game, and that’s why I play it.”
While addressing the recent popularity explosion in esports on a global scale, Weber acknowledged the welcoming nature of video games, both on a competitive and non-competitive basis. Weber says video games are a form of self-expression for those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to play more traditional forms of sport.
“I love it, because it gives a lot of people a platform to express themselves who didn’t really have that before,” Weber said. “A lot of people who play games aren’t really the kind of person to go out in physical athletics, like football, soccer and baseball, so it’s a good platform for people to go onto and play in their way.”
Weber and the rest of ETSU’s League of Legends varsity squad will play live in “The Cave” or at twitch.tv/etsuesports every Tuesday night in October at 6 p.m., as well as Saturday, Oct. 31, as they take on opposing teams from universities across the nation.
