GHS esports

GHS

GETS IN THE GAME

Contributed by Makayla Davis, GHS Sophomore

Across the country, high schools are creating their own esports programs. Just like traditional extracurricular activities, esports create teamwork, competition, a sense of community, and leadership. Esports is a multimillion dollar industry and is still growing. Last year, Superintendent of schools Dr. DesMontes Stewart proposed starting our own program at the high school.

“As I further researched this growing concept, I became aware that there are over 186 collegiate teams that give students full scholarships,” Dr. Stewart said. “Understanding that gaming is popular among our middle and high school-aged students, it only made sense that we create this program in hopes of expanding student opportunities.”

Esports opens up more careers in gaming, where individuals make salaries of more than $240k. In 2017, gaming supported 2,456 companies and created 220,000 jobs in the United States, directly employing 65,678 workers and indirectly employing the rest.

“Gaming provides work for an entire industry, from game sellers and retail locations to marketing support and management,” Dr. Stewart said. “This is yet another pathway, supported by our STEM initiative, that could provide students with a meaningful career and livelihood.”

For our students, the program will provide them with multiple opportunities, like scholarships offered by colleges to play on their Esports teams.

“Through this program, you could win money for scholarships or even get a full scholarship to college for just playing games,” esports coach, Catalina Dyson said.

Tournaments or competitions are all online. Members will log on to the game with their team and wait to be matched with another school’s team using www. highschoolesportsleague.com.

“It provides our kids with an opportunity to compete against schools here in Texas as well as across the world, and this can be facilitated from the confines of our very own esports lab,” Dr. Stewart said.

For the most part, competitions will happen in the esports room at GHS. However, another advantage to an esports program is its flexibility. When conflicts come up with the practice schedule or tournament times, there is a solution.

“If we couldn’t be here, or all of the team could not be here at the same time, they could easily go home and compete as long as they are logged on at the same time and play on the same system for the tournaments,” Dyson said. “We have them log practice time when they are playing together, so we know they are trying to get better. Also, we thought about assigning streamers (professional gamers) to watch so they can learn from the streamer’s gameplay,” Dyson said.

The esports program allows members to compete in four different games: Overwatch, Call of Duty Modern Warfare: Gun Fight, Rocket League, and Rainbow Six: Siege.

“Students could play at least two games, but not all four because it would leave no room for other players to join,” Dyson said.

The initial sign-up last school year had more than 150 students ready to get out there and compete. Esports gives students a chance to compete for the school and interact with each other, all while doing something they love.

“It’s an opportunity for us to do what we enjoy most – play video games and spend time with our friends,” sophomore Mason Bean said.