Joe Mazzara said he has a lot to learn about the ever-changing world of collegiate esports. However, the new Wichita State esports director is accepting the challenge and said, regardless of the learning curve, he’s here to stay.

“I love being involved with the esports program here,” Mazzara said. “I kind of grew up with it … I’d love to be here as long as possible.”

Mazzara has worked within the esports program since its inception in 2019. He’s taking over from the previous director, Travis Yang, who held the position for nearly three years before departing to become the esports director at Syracuse University in March.

Mazzara compared the director position to being a “mini athletic director,” overseeing Wichita State’s five esports teams and working with school administration and the broader esports community to shape the future of collegiate esports. 

From gaming club to assistant director

When Mazzara was a student at Wichita State in 2018, he was interested in playing “League of Legends,” so he joined a gaming club that had about a dozen members.

Eventually, Mazzara became president of that club as its membership grew from 12 to 150 people, and he was offered the esports assistant director position when the program got off the ground.

Avery Pierce, WSU esports’ program manager, said when she joined the team in fall 2020, Mazzara taught her the ropes and pushed her to become more involved.

“I thought he was passionate about what he did; he was super friendly; he was open to anybody joining,” Pierce said. “So it was really welcoming for me.”

Over time, Pierce said the two developed a strong working relationship. She said Mazzara shows that same leadership and passion with every student in the program.

“He has a real knack for relating to the students and understanding their needs,” Pierce said.

Mazzara said he wants to give more students the kind of leadership experience that Pierce received.

“Something that we’re pursuing, and I think is really important for students who are trying to go into esports as a career, is getting that experience early in something that’s titled and something that mirrors a real-world job,” Mazzara said.

Another focus of Mazzara’s is helping students “adjust their work-life balance.” He pointed out that unlike more traditional sports, esports competitors can practice inside and outside of the facility, making it “hard to put down.”

“Esports and being good at it is a significant time commitment, so we’re trying to do some more things within our program to take a little bit more of a holistic approach to their wellness,” Mazzara said. “And I think that’s probably the biggest stride that we’ll be able to make over the next few years.”

Esports reform

Pierce said Mazzara is more “hands-on” than Yang was — showing up to practices and working directly with students.

“Joe is better with students, and Travis was better with administrators, from what I noticed on the outside,” Pierce said. “So they mixed really well in terms of communicating between the two groups, whereas now, Joe has to do both.”

Yang was a member of the National Association for Collegiate Esports (NACE) executive board, a role that gave Wichita State real influence in the future of the rapidly-growing esports scene. Mazzara doesn’t have that kind of status yet, but he said he’s working to become a more key figure.

“Our voice matters a lot,” Mazzara said. “I think using that voice to propel good change for the health of the scene in the future is the best way that we can do that.”

Mazzara ran for a few NACE positions this year. Despite not getting the roles, he said the elections still went well.

“People do know me from being the assistant director here for the last five years, but establishing my own direction and reputation in the collegiate esports industry will definitely take some time,” Mazzara said. “It’s a process that I’m excited to go through.

Competing for national championships

Mazzara said a lot of the esports teams “have gotten better on paper” this year. He specifically said the WSU “Super Smash Bros.” and “Call of Duty” teams have aspirations to win a national championship, and the “Valorant,” “Rocket League” and “Overwatch” teams are “powerhouses” regionally. 

Wichita State won the Eastern College Athletic Conference Valorant National Championship last December. Mazzara said that kind of result improves the team’s overall status.

“I think competitive success leads to the growth of the program and our notoriety within the region, and then vice-versa,” he said.

Overall, Mazzara said the program is in a solid position to continue improving this year.

“I think we’re finally in a position with a couple of our sports where the conversation of the goals has shifted from, ‘Let’s win our conference,’ to, ‘Let’s win this competition,’ to, ‘Let’s win the national championship,’” he said.

Mazzara said he isn’t just passionate about winning, but also working with students to ensure they are succeeding in and out of the program. 

“I think my role is much more (than) being a mentor, being able to offer guidance,” Mazzara said. “(My role is more like) cultivating students and their experience as they go through college.”