One of the things that has been near and dear to our hearts at The Cave is supporting our community of gamers. We recently connected with XP League who describes themselves as “…an esports league modeled after classic youth esports organizations. Connor, our founder, has often said that our center is the perfect place for the “feeder teams” of esports. Therefore this was a perfect connection for us to make with XP League. It’s great fun having the team come in to our lan center and practice on the stage to get prepped for their tournaments.
Supporting our gamer community
Our introduction to XP League came from Shae Williams, cofounder of COPE (Coalition of Parents in Esports). I met Shae through a co-worker, and we started discussing the overlapping missions. We both had strong visions of what we wanted to provide for our younger gamers and what COPE was doing for the community. Also, parents will occasionally complain to us about how much time their kiddo was spending in gaming. However, COPE provides the information and support to parents that helps them understand the value and benefits that gaming can provide to their young gamers.
Positive view of gaming and the community
COPE’s website mentions how parents are sometimes criticized for allowing their kids to game. But like us, this group encourages kids to play with “balance, understanding and support”. Much like our own beliefs, COPE promotes the benefits of team work, coordination and confidence. Similiarly, as their website states: “Gaming has evolved into accessible, interactive entertainment and thrilling competitive sport that builds confidence, community, and curiosity.” I have enjoyed the synnergy between our missions.
Gaming and fund raising
After learning about the missions, it’s been great to connect with these groups. We love learning more ways to support our community. In addition, we also have a fund raiser for Nerf Cancer coming up in October. However, this one is extra special for us: this is all about gaming and streaming to raise money for pediatric cancer research. Therefore we just could resist the tie in with gaming and fund raising for such a great cause. Our fundraising event will be at our Cedar Park location on October 1. You can sign up here: https://csnevents.regfox.com/nerf-cancer-at-the-esport-cave.
Join us at one of our two Lan centers
Join us to get some solo game time, or game with friends. Or join our fundraising event. Our mission is to create a fun, safe environment for our gaming community where everyone can play and grow. In addition, don’t forget our upcoming Valorant tournament or our monthly lock in!
