So, just how popular is the video game club at Cass Technical High School?

At the same time the school’s state champion football team was on the field clobbering its way toward a big homecoming win on a recent Friday afternoon, 109 student video gamers were inside the school, filling nearly every inch of two dark, adjoining science labs on the fifth floor.

At one table, they played Tower Fall. At another, they played Splatoon. In one corner, a group of them — mostly girls — tried to mimic the moves of the dancer on the screen in front of them while playing Just Dance, raising their hands in the air, shifting from side to side and spinning around to the tunes of Maroon 5’s “Maps.”

And in another corner, a group of boys was preparing for a big game.

“You want in on the crew battle?” senior Jessee Horton, 17, asked a fellow club member as he tried to solidify the team he hoped would win against another team in the Super Smash Brothers game.

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This video game club is similar to clubs at a few other schools in metro Detroit. And it's an example of the kinds of ways teachers are trying to engage with students through activities that are popular with teens.

But for Nick Lenk, a Cass Tech physics teacher and video game enthusiast, creating this afterschool video game club is also a way for these students to feel connected to their school of more than 2,400 students and each other.

"It gives these gamers a community after school," said Lenk, who provides guidance for other teachers interested in starting clubs at www.videogameclubs.org. Lenk previously created a club in Iowa, where he taught before coming to Detroit.

Were it not for this club, some of these teens would likely spend hours alone at home playing video games.

"When you gather them all in one place, they realize they're not alone. It makes them feel a lot more comfortable with themselves and helps them engage with school. School is now a place where they have someone to talk to. School is now a place they feel a part of. This club has given this population of students a home to come to every week."

Matt Mooney, a theology teacher at Divine Child High School who also supervises the school's video game club, shares a similar sentiment, and adds that he makes sure the gamers don't become so competitive that it takes away the fun.

"I'm a big believer that games can and should bring students together in a fun and competitive way, but I emphasize the fun...," Mooney said. "There are hyper competitive gamers out there, and while I respect their passion, I make sure that the kids check their egos at the door. No trash talk, no hard feelings. If students don't feel comfortable in our club, then we are doing something wrong."

Lenk created the club in 2014 with a couple dozen students. Today, meetings average 110 students. The club has become so big that Lenk now has to have two teachers assist in managing the group. At Divine Child, membership is around 20-25 students.

Lenk credits the growth in part to the donation from Reddit users of more than $1,000 that allowed him to purchase 10 monitors and the donation of several other monitors after he posted about the club on the r/Detroit subreddit.

Jessee, one of six student executive board members at Cass Tech's club, was one of the first members. He recalls being in middle school and making big plans with a good friend to create something similar in high school.

But freshmen year came and that friend had other interests, like "trying to get girls." Jessee thought he'd have to figure it out for himself. But then he heard about the club Lenk was starting. And he's been a staple at video game club since.

Video games have meant a lot to Jessee since he was a target of bullying in elementary school.

"I got bullied a lot. And I remember I would just anticipate going home, doing my homework and then playing Sonic Adventure 2," he said. "Playing video games was a way to get my mind off it."

Every Friday, after Lenk finishes teaching his advanced placement physics class, the lab begins its transformation into the gamers paradise it'll be from 3:20 to 6 p.m.

The lights go off.

The power strips that hang from the ceiling are pulled down.

And Lenk pulls out the gaming systems that some students store in his secured office. Others bring their systems with them.

At one point Friday, junior Cierra Hedgespeth was doing a little dance and screeching. She'd just won at Rocket Fist, though she wasn't quite sure how she pulled it off.

“I come here every time I get the chance,” said Cierra, 16.

What's fun about the club, Cierra said, is that it provides opportunities to students who "don't have the money to buy these games," and it's a perfect way to make friends.

"All my friends are here," Cierra said. "This is a good community to be around."

Though there's much fun and excitement, the club's meetings aren't all about play. Once attendance is at its peak, Lenk shuts down the video games, turns on the lights and gathers everyone into one of the science labs. He climbs on top of his teacher's station desk and addresses the group, offering some important lessons about responsible video gaming.

Last Friday, he warned them that the video games are designed to make them want to play more and that "there are people whose whole job is to get you addicted to these things."

His message? Don't ignore your real-life responsibilities.

"I just wanted to kind of take today ... to make sure that you're empowered to say no to the games at times," Lenk told them. "Try to pay attention to when you're just constantly thinking about a game."

And, he told them, build in rewards. Tell yourself that if you have a 400-word paper due, "maybe give yourself a game every 100 words."

And he admitted that even he has trouble setting boundaries.

"Even I have to say to myself ... no, I'm not going to play games. I'm writing my dissertation right now," said Lenk, who's working on a doctorate degree in education leadership and policy at Wayne State University.

Also addressing the group were two of the other executive board members, including senior Victoria Tarver. Her message: Be nice to each other and be proactive about resolving problems.

"We're all such a family," Victoria said. "Let's keep it like that."

These brief discussions amidst the play are important to Lenk. On other weeks, he'll talk about other topics, such as time management strategies and goal-setting.

Lenk doesn't set restrictions on the kinds of games students can play, even allowing controversial games like Grand Theft Auto, saying "there is no convincing research" that violent games are linked to creating violent people. But he said his students rarely choose to play that game.

"Our kids simply enjoy playing other games that are much less violent," Lenk said.

Like Fire Emblem, a game Neeyah Jones, 16, loves because it involves role-playing. Nevertheless, on a recent Friday she was hanging out with her friends and playing Just Dance, and jamming to Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance."

"I wouldn't say I'm an extreme gamer. But I do like to play games for fun," Neeyah said.

A favorite game for junior Amanath Khandaker, 16? That would be Just Dance.

"It gets the adrenaline up and it gets you excited," he said.

He said the video gamers club has been an outlet for him for three years.

"Every week, I get to come to this place where I don't have to think about homework and just have a couple of hours of fun."

Contact Lori Higgins: 313-222-6651, lhiggins@freepress.com or @LoriAHiggins

So which video games really get the adrenaline rocking?

• Super Smash Brothers

• Just Dance

• Dragon Ball Xenoverse

• NBA2K

• Madden NFL

Source: Nick Lenk, leader of the video game club at Cass Tech

Super Smash Brothers tournament

More than 2,500 people are expected to attend the Big House 7, considered the largest Super Smash Brothers event series in the Midwest. Over three days, the Big House 7 will run singles and doubles events, and various exhibitions for both Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. The event is being held at Cobo Center in Detroit. For more information or to register go to https://smash.gg/tournament/the-big-house-7/details.