OU Esports is a special place for Joey “Ghost094” Yeager, Community Coordinator and management information systems major. He has loved video games since he was a child, and he wants to spread that love as far as he can in college and beyond.
Yeager is from Lawton, Oklahoma and grew up there with two older sisters.
“Both my older sisters were into games a lot when they were younger,” he said. “A lot of the time it’s usually crazy with us, fighting over the dumbest reasons and in the game, but it’s fun. It’s kind of what got me into (gaming).”
Finding building a community
If Yeager could have fun with the “stupidity” of video games with his sisters, why not do it with everyone? He wanted to join a club when he came to the University of Oklahoma and his mother suggested Sooner Esports.
“I got to go to a lot of great events my freshman year, then come my freshman year I started to help with (Sooner Esports) a bit.”
Yeager wanted to be a bigger part of Sooner Esports, so he looked into ways that he could make a difference in the community during his sophomore year at OU.
“There was an open application for the community director at the time,” Yeager said. “I was thinking that this could be a chance to get more involved.”
Yeager submitted an application for the position and got it. He has been the Community Coordinator since his sophomore year. Community has been something that he has enjoyed since high school and carried that value into college.
“During high school, I was a part of the student council and we put together a couple of events. It was kind of fun,” Yeager said.
The Community Coordinator is very important for Sooner Esports; they and their team figure out when they want events like “Back to School” to happen, as well as watchparties and in-houses. He also puts together the ambassador team to foster community within the club.
OU Esports ambassadors help coordinate in-house events and foster a sense of community in OU Esports.
After graduation
Yeager does not have a specific plan in mind after he graduates, but he wants to use the leadership skills he has gained in the business world. Being the Community Coordinator has helped him in many ways.
“It’s helped me with an interview process so I can see it from both angles, and it’s helped with managing multiple people for a team to put together big events,” Yeager said.
Yeager wants to take some time after he graduates to find a job in the data analysis sector. He is thankful for his time with Sooner Esports and wants to use the experience to his advantage in a future career.
When asked if he’s excited for any upcoming video game releases, Yeager immediately talked about The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
“I’m pretty damn excited for it,” Yeager said. “Especially with the most recent trailer and based off some of the allies on Link’s side that they’ll become the new champions of the divine beasts.”
Yeager has plenty of theories about the upcoming game, and he also plans to finish it as quickly as he can.
Yeager helped make Sooner Esports a bigger community than it was when he joined it, and it will continue to grow in the future thanks to his efforts.
