Smash Sisters: Why all-female gaming tournaments are good for everyone

I did not expect to play in a Smash Bros. tournament, ever. Yes, I played Super Smash Bros: Melee on GameCube during its heyday — a lot — and after that, I got in a few matches now and then for nostalgia's sake. While Melee's continued competitive growth 15 years after its launch fascinated me, I didn't think I'd have the skill to face anyone beyond a friendly match at the office. Especially not in a crowded venue. Or a tournament streamed to hundreds online.But that apprehension and stage fright made me the perfect candidate for Smash Sisters, an all-female tournament-within-a-tournament series held at major Melee events that started at the beginning of this year. "Our goal is to promote women in Smash by giving them a safe space to play and show that there is a supportive community," said Smash Sisters co-founder Emily "Waves" Sun."We want to inspire women to come to more tournaments and challenge themselves by making them more comfortable."When I met Sun and 12 other women at Super