Card lovers everywhere now have a place to compete in popular games such as Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Magic: The Gathering. Beginning last Wednesday, Feb. 21, the card game club officially started meeting every Wednesday throughout all of lunch in room E113.

English teacher and club sponsor Madelyn Johnson created this club for students to enjoy a card games with other like-minded students and develop new friendships.

“I started this club to have a safe place for kids to come and be nerdy and hopefully to encourage the students and teach the value of the game itself,” Johnson said.

While Johnson created the club to motivate and create a positive space for students, the members have their own personal reasons for joining.

“I have been playing and enjoying card games since I was a little kid,” senior Ian Counts said. “I wanted to play with others that shared the same passion and hobby as me [so] it’s just a very comfortable environment where [I] can come and have a good time doing something [I] love.”

In this club, members can choose to play a variety of card games and experience healthy rivalries.

“I don’t always like losing in the card games,” vice president Corvin Bathgate said. “But other than that, it’s a great club with zero downsides because I get to hang with friends and play a game that I love.”

The club currently has 11 members and hopes to gain more people and compete in tournaments.

“It’s very relaxing, you can let out your nerdy side without being judged for it,” Bathgate said. “[People should join because] it’s a great place to connect and make new friends.”