In the USU Student Rec Center Games Room, students of different majors and backgrounds gathered together for a billiards tournament. On April 3, participants gathered to compete to win a $25 Amazon gift card.
Jacqueline Ragsdale, one of the Games Room staff and organizers behind the tournament, explained why they chose billiards as one of their game tournaments and why many students came in for the event.
“We have other tournaments including Mario Kart, Smash Bros. and Tekken 8. That’s something a lot of students come for… But billiards are more popular than many video games,” Ragsdale said. “That’s what students came for. A space to feel comfortable and have something to play. So some of us thought, why not have… [students] win something? That way, we can also encourage more people to come in.”
With video game stations and multicolor lights in the background, students quickly centered their positions, pointing their pool cues to the balls under the thin, red-yellow fluorescent lights. It didn’t take long for students to start laughing, especially during close calls determining who won and who lost. Others were quieter, watching closely as those who still played strategized for ways to move the most balls.
One of the student players, Ivon Rodriguez, quickly admitted that she lost early on yet still enjoyed the game.
“It depends on the posture, adjust it, and hit it, depending on the distance too,” Rodriguez said. “I usually feel nervous because it is a tournament. I’m usually bad at playing games… but it’s all for fun,” said Rodriguez.
Another player, Lex Hollweg, who won a few rounds, described how it felt to win a match and how he plays.
“I felt that it happens, like ‘I won a match.’ It’s pretty fun in general, I would have thought the same if I lost,” Hollweg said. “I just play, basically, I look for the closest ball and go for it. It’s mainly luck, fun and playing with your friends.”
So, in the end, what livened up the room wasn’t aiming for a gift card or trying professional tricks. It was seeing who could get the most balls, laughing regardless of whether one won a ball, and rooting for the people in the matches.
Details on future tournaments held in the Games Room can be found on their website, including Rocket League on April 10 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on April 24.
