April 26th, 2019, Game No Shame hosted an end of the semester event in the Andrew Conference Center.
Like many of the events of its kind in the past, this event was a host to tournaments for a wide selection of video games, including Mario Kart, Mortal Kombat 11, Super Smash Brothers Ultimate, and even a Kahoot for League of Legends.
The current President of Game No Shame, Ramone Rodriguez, was available for commentary on the event. This is Rodriguez’s first semester leading Game No Shame, and he shared that while it was rocky to start, the knowledge he’s gained makes all the trials and tribulations worth it.
When asked to define what Game No Shame is, Rodriguez expressed, “[Game No Shame] is a club that brings people together using the love of video games, board games, card games and the like as the glue that bonds us together.
“A lot of people think there’s this exclusivity or clique structure to Game No Shame, but curiosity and openness to trying new things are traits a lot of the members have here.”
Rodriguez shared that Game No Shame actually pulled him to attending SXU. “I met the community of Game No Shame at a party. It was very accepting and welcoming. There [are] ups and downs to attending this school, but the club is something that I’m able to look forward to every week.”
Rodriguez also stated that this was one of his first experiences delving into planning. “I’m helped in smaller ways in past tournaments, but this time I was able to help allocate budget, working with administration on the bureaucratic end, things of that nature. So this time, I was considerably more involved…I wasn’t aware of how much work this would all be but I’m really proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish.”
Rodriguez’s leadership seems to also come from a place of respect from the Game No Shame community. “[When Game No Shame needed a New President], I stepped up, but I was also recommended to the role by other members because of my reliability and my genuine enjoyment of mediating and making sure everyone’s having a blast.”
That being said, Rodriguez admits there’s still a lot that he has yet to learn. “Mistakes were definitely made along the way of this event. I’m considering scaling back the size of this event for the next coming semester, just to give myself a chance to get better footing. “Once I get a better grasp of the responsibilities, I plan on hosting events that are even bigger and better than even this one!…Advertisement was one of the major pitfalls of this event. While many of the dedicated members had been anticipating this event for a long time, public advertisements only went out just [the day of the event]; it was super last second. They are some new faces, which makes me happy, but it could have been even more grand if I had used better strategy.“
While the transition from member to President was jarring, Rodriguez has been able to take it all in stride. “The shift was pretty huge. I would bring my consoles and my games and just hang out, but it’s a completely different playing field versus what I’m doing now. When I fumbled, the community was always there to help me get back on my feet…This club also keeps me motivated to do well in school. The idea of not being able to run this club and risking its existence really forces me to push myself academically.”
And while the time Rodriguez can spend as President is limited, he’s hopeful that the future is bright for Game No Shame.
“I just want our number to grow or be sustained. “We have 15 to 20 weekly attendants, and I’d be afraid to see that number decline because I feel that’d be something that was do to my leadership…I want the legacy of people being welcome and accepted to continue, just as much as I was when I first met everyone.”
Rodriguez shares that the best way to experience Game No Shame is just to embrace the community wholeheartedly. “I’d wanna hear out anyone who was reluctant to joining our club. The club is so much more than a weekly get together of people playing games. It’s a community of people who want to hang out, have fun, and get along with everyone, no matter who you are.”
Rodriguez expressed that he plans on remaining President of Game No Shame for the coming semesters and says that the goal of Game No Shame is to grow and expand to as many people as possible.
Eric Perez
News Reporter