“I do everything…pool, ping-pong, Wii. I try to be a jack of all trades,” said Deniee Sherrod, a Senior Accounting major. Sherrod is talking about is the newly renovated Game Room located in the basement of the Student Union.

Xavier Carrington, Union Coordinator, supervised the restoration of the Game Room.  He finished off the renovation by using his artistic ability to create a mural on the back wall.

“My inspiration was Ernie Barnes, the artist who created the picture for Good Times,” said Carrington.

The newly renovated Game Room, open from 12-2 a.m. on weekdays, and 4-10 p.m. on weekends, is host to pool tables, ping-pong tables, and fooseball. 

On the sidewall are four giant televisions, each containing a game console.  From 4-10, the Game Room’s busy hours, you can see people playing Madden 10 on one of the XBOX 360’s, or Wii Fit.  They even have the new PS3.

Some even let loose on the new Rock Band. 

For two dollars, anyone with an Aggie-One card can play.

What most do not know, though, is that the Game Room also hosts ACUI (Association of College Union International) tournaments. 

ACUI tournaments are a competition of leisure sports, in which people travel to different schools competing in Foosball, poker, Nine-ball, ping-pong, bowling, and poetry slam.

“We go to different places,” says Sherrod. “We travel, and the school pays for it.  They give us spending money. (It’s) a great experience, interacting with other kids and stuff.”

Sherrod and his friend and fellow ACUI tournament buddy, Joe Coleman, have competed in several tournaments and plan on continuing. 

The A&T Student Union Game Room hosts a tournament a month, with the next one being Wednesday, October 14, from 6-10.  There is a $5 entry fee. 

One can host parties in the Game Room, or organizations can rent it out for a certain amount of hours.  According to Carrington, people usually just have a DJ, order some pizza, and have fun.

Above all, the Game Room is in sorts, a sanctuary to some.  “I enjoy coming here, (it’s) real peaceful. No trouble. And, pricing is decent,” said Coleman. 

• Kenny Flowers