When Harry Jensen, senior, heads to his extracurricular activity, he doesn’t need to bring any special equipment; all he needs is his humor.

“It is a pretty profound experience to have people giving you positive feedback via laughing, so that feels good,” Jensen said.

The Comedy Sportz business was started in 1984 in Milwaukee, Wis. by Dick Chudnow. Since then, 19 schools in the Twin Cities have started clubs that imitate the business.

Jensen and Isaac Johnson, junior, were chosen as the 2015 Comedy Sportz captains. The captains and Michael Bruckmueller, coach and Pro Comedy Sportz Actlete, work to create a safe environment that teaches quick thinking, individuality, teamwork, communication, and confidence.

“I think improv has made me quicker because you have to adapt to what others are saying,” Jensen said.

The comedy club aims to teach skills that prepare the club members for the end of season tournament against two other clubs. The tournament consists of three stages. The teams interact in warm ups, perform four-minutes scenes based off random topics, and the time left is spent on puns.

Eight students from HHS competed against Chanhassen and Edina in the tournament this year.

“There’s a winner for the audience. It’s not very focused on the points – it’s incredibly subjective and there’s not much incentive to get more points,” Jensen said.

The Comedy Sportz League believes that winning is a distant second to taking risks and attaining personal growth. Many of these life skills that members attain parallel skills athletes learn.

“Comedy Sportz should be taken seriously. It’s real athletics – we wear sweatpants and it’s very hard, so [the club] deserves a big old letter patch on a letter jacket,” Jensen said.

Just like an athletic team could be known for its strong defense, the HHS Comedy Sportz club is known for a game called Advise Panels.

In Advise Panels, four people sit on a bench and are given a letter. Each person then creates his or her own character to answer the question through.

This game was a high point for Hopkins in last year’s tournament.

The club’s season ended this month, and they are already looking for underclassmen to join for next year’s team.

“I want people to know that if you join Comedy Sportz, you are guaranteed to laugh every practice,” Johnson said.