The Current | Vol. 31 Issue 11

October 20, 2020 | nsucurrent.nova.edu 9 Sports Finding Fitness: Take a hike Club Spotlight: Check out NSU’s ESports Living in South Florida, we are blessed with lots of nature trails to get exercise on. From the beaches to the Everglades, there are tons of beautiful sceneries to walk and find some fitness. Here’s what you need to know. Essentials While Florida is known for its unpredictable weather, one thing is almost always certain: the heat. Regardless of where you go hiking, it’s essential to bring water, snacks and sunscreen. Even if you’re only hiking one mile, given the heat and humidity, you don’t want to risk dehydration. Wear some comfy, lightweight clothing and good walking or hiking shoes, pack a small backpack with the essentials and get on a trail. Some other good items to bring include bug spray, a knife or multi-tool, first aid kit, sunglasses, and of course, your phone, in case you want to photograph or video some cool wildlife, insects or flowers. Where to hike Luckily, we’ve got a lot of cool places to go on hikes, around campus and far from campus. Here are some of my favorites. Everglades National Park The Everglades is a given when discussing where to hike in South Florida, and it’s not just because of its acres of land you can walk, but because of the wildlife and flora you can see on different trails. You have the opportunity to see gators, a variety of bird species and even grasshoppers and crabs. Everglades National Park is accessible year-round and has a plethora of trails to choose from. Some include Pine Island trails, Flamingo trails andSharkValley trails. Most of the hiking trails in the Everglades are short and tame, suitable for everyone. Even if you have never hiked a trail before, Everglades National Park is a great place to start. Tree Tops Park Only ten minutes away from campus, Tree Tops Park is a 23-acre park filled with nature trails and a freshwater marsh. Tree Tops is a great hiking getaway, accessible year-round, if you don’t want to stray too far from campus. Here you will find tons of flora and fauna and peaceful trails that will transport you somewhere else. There is even an observation tower where you can get a good bird’s eye view of the forest you’re in and is a great place for a simple picnic before or after your hike. If you’re looking to do a trail with wildlife, Tree Tops has got you covered, too. Here you can find tons of turtles near the marsh. . Biscayne National Park Farther south, Biscayne National Park is a great place to hike near the ocean. Accessible year-round, here you will find wildlife, like crabs and blue herons, and have the opportunity to cool down by the water after your hike on a hot day. Biscayne National Park offers a 9.9-mile trail that is good for all skill level hikers. Going right before sunrise is my favorite time to go because you get to reward yourself for a good hike by watching the sunrise right above the water. In-person club sports may be on hold for the moment, but the ESports club has never been more busy. In January, the ESports club was merely an idea. Today, it is an NSU club sport where video game lovers can come together to compete and playwith one another. Although currently not listed as an official club sport on the NSU website, ESports is believed to be the most active club sport at the moment, in part, due to COVID-19. Given members have the opportunity to compete and play video games, this club is just like any other club sport. Members pay dues, which are currently going towards customizable player jerseys and there are leadership councils for each video game. Members stay connected through an online platform called Discord, where NSU ESports has its own server. On this platform, gamers can chat live with their teammates while they play. The new academic year has brought many new members and the club has grown to include over 70 students. Popular video games played by the club include League of Legends, which is an award winning multiplayer PC game where players battle in an arena as ‘champions.’ In fact, it is one of the most popular esports worldwide. Other games played are Overwatch -- which is a first person weapon based game -- Smash Whether you’ve been out hiking in the mountains or have never hiked a day in your life, South Florida has got some great unique trails for you to walk, run or bike on. All you have to do is get out there. Bros -- a crossover fighting video game including characters from the Nintendo universe, usually played on a Switch console -- and Rocket League, a soccer style video game where players play as vehicles. In order to play proficiently, this game requires coaching and practices for tournaments with other online gamers. “The club is soon going to be able to share a classroom with other colleges that houses computers. In exchange for sharing a classroom, we will have access to high tech computers for our practices. It wouldn’t have been anything I expected to do in at least five years,” said Nelson Triana, ESports club president. Games on the horizon for the club include Call of Duty, Rainbow Six Siege and Valor. If you enjoy video games and the community that comes with them, consider joining the ESports club. “ Whether you’ve been out hiking in the mountains or have never hiked a day in your life, South Florida has got some great unique trails for you to walk, run or bike on. All you have to do is get out there, PHOTO PRINTED PERMISSION BY F. MIRELES Sunset at Biscayne National Park PHOTO PRINTED PERMISSION BY M. BARAKAT A gamer’s set up By: Siena Berardi Sports Editor By: Flor Ana Mireles Copy Editor