What started as a simple spark of inspiration from Choate’s Clash Royale club has turned into something much bigger at the Taft School. After hearing about Choate’s success, Will Palmer ‘26 decided it was time to bring the same energy and competition to Taft’s campus. When asked why he began this successful organization, he responded, “So we could dominate the NEPSAC Clash Royale scene and solidify Taft as the best school in New England.”
For those who might not know, Clash Royale is a strategy game developed by Supercell where players collect and upgrade cards featuring Clash of Clans troops, spells, and defenses. Players use these cards to battle opponents in one-on-one matches, in an attempt to destroy enemy towers while defending their own. The game combines elements of tower defense, card collecting, and competitive multiplayer gameplay to create fast-paced strategic duels.
The Clash Royale Club hasn’t even had its first official meeting yet, but that hasn’t slowed it down. The club, with 48 active members and counting, has already formed a lively community online. Palmer ‘26 admitted that, “It’s hard for us to find an area appropriate to fit all the clashers, so we communicate and get messages out through our clan chat, which is active daily about anything and everything relevant to Taft.
Although the club itself might seem like a joke to some, its members are dedicated to representing Taft as the best school in every way possible —and they do so through an iPhone game.
Looking ahead, Palmer sees the Clash Royale Club being in operation “for as long as the game stays relevant, which it has been for many years now.” He plans to bestow one skillful, yet lucky returning clasher leadership in the clan as the new head of the Clash Club. Who knows? This one representation of gamers at Taft could lead to something bigger. Will E-Sports become the next popular thing? Will coaches start recruiting? Will schools fight for the league title? The success of Will Palmer’s Clash Royale Club only suggests a broader future for video games at Taft
